The practical answer
Ask families at natural moments, make the link easy to find and reply to every review calmly. Never offer anything in return, and do not ask only the families you expect to be positive. Replies must protect children’s and families’ privacy.
Why reviews matter to families
Families comparing services often see your Google Business Profile before your website. The reviews, and the way you reply to them, shape a first impression of how the service communicates.
Google also states that review count and score are among the factors in local results. That is a reason to keep reviews genuine and current, not a reason to chase numbers.
Know the rules first
- No incentives. Google’s review policies prohibit offering discounts, gifts or anything else in exchange for a review.
- No selective asking. Discouraging negative reviews, or inviting only the families you expect to be positive, is also against Google’s policies.
- No reviews from the inside. Owners and staff should not review their own service.
- Keep it genuine. The ACCC’s guidance on online reviews explains how misleading reviews can breach the Australian Consumer Law.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check the current policies before you set up a routine.
When to ask
Ask at natural moments, when a family already has something to say: after a settled orientation, at the end of a year, or when someone offers feedback without being prompted.
Ask in the same way, whoever the family is. An open invitation to all families at the same point in their journey is fair and easier to manage than individual requests. Do not pressure anyone, and avoid asking during a difficult or sensitive period.
Make it easy
Your Business Profile provides a review link and QR code. Put it where families already are: a follow-up email, a newsletter or a small card at reception.
Example request
“Thank you for being part of our service this year. If you would like to share your experience, you can leave a Google review here: [link]. Honest feedback of any kind helps other families understand what to expect.”
Keep the wording neutral. Asking for “a five-star review” is asking for a particular answer.
Reply to every review
A reply is read by future families as much as by the reviewer. Keep it short, thank the person and stay general. Do not confirm details about a child, a family’s circumstances or anything that is not already public in the review.
Example replies
To a positive review: “Thank you for taking the time to share this. We are glad the settling-in process felt supported.”
To a critical review: “Thank you for raising this. We take feedback seriously and would like to understand more. Please contact the service directly so we can follow it up.”
Responding to a critical review
- Pause. Do not reply while you are frustrated.
- Check what happened. Speak with the people involved and follow your complaints policy. A review can also be a complaint.
- Reply once, calmly. Acknowledge the feedback and invite direct contact. Do not argue the details in public.
- Report genuine policy breaches. If a review is fake or breaks Google’s policies, report it through your profile. Removal is not guaranteed.
- Follow up offline. Resolve the issue through your usual process, whatever happens to the review.
Keep a simple routine
A burst of reviews followed by a long silence looks less credible than a steady pattern. Once a month, check for new reviews, reply to any that are outstanding and confirm your profile details are current.
Record the number of reviews and the date of the most recent one. That is enough to see whether the routine is working, without turning reviews into a target for your team.
Where reviews fit in the enquiry journey
Reviews help a family decide to make contact. What happens next still matters: a clear website, a working enquiry form and a timely reply. The enrolment guide shows how to check each step.
If you would like an outside view, the Centre Marketing Scorecard reviews your Google Business Profile alongside your social presence, website enquiry journey and careers information.
Choose a useful next step for your centre.
Discuss your current process, the outcome you need and the work involved before committing to anything.
Ask about the ScorecardParth runs AUS ECT Funlion, providing educator career support and centre marketing services. Examples in this guide are illustrative unless otherwise stated.