Grateful patients, silent review page
At a follow-up appointment, a patient says the aids have changed their life. They can hear their grandchildren again, they are back at the pub quiz. They thank the dispenser warmly. Then they go home and never write a review, because nobody asked, and if they had been asked, they would not have known how.
Meanwhile, the clinic's Google Business Profile has a handful of reviews, one of them a complaint about parking from two years ago.
Why happy hearing patients do not leave reviews
- The best moment to ask is not the fitting, when patients are still adjusting, but a follow-up weeks later.
- Staff feel awkward asking in person.
- Many patients do not have a Google account or know how to leave a review.
- Asking every patient automatically risks asking someone who is unhappy or struggling.
- Word-of-mouth referrals happen, but the clinic gives patients nothing to pass on.
What the missing reviews cost
People looking for a hearing test search locally and compare reviews. A clinic with few reviews looks less established than a national chain with thousands, even when its care is better. Referrals from friends and family, often the best source of patients, happen less than they could.
| Moment | Good time to ask? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fitting day | No | Patient is still adjusting |
| First follow-up after a good outcome | Yes | Benefit is clear, relationship is fresh |
| Annual review | Sometimes | Good for long-standing patients |
| After a complaint or return | No | Address the problem first |
How we build review and referral requests
- At the end of a first follow-up, the patient is marked for a feedback request by default. The dispenser only holds it back where there is an open problem, such as a return in progress or a fitting still being adjusted, and the request then waits until that is resolved.
- The next day, the patient receives a short message by their preferred route thanking them and asking how they found the clinic.
- The message links straight to your Google review page, with a plain explanation of what to do. A printed card with a QR code is available for those who prefer paper.
- Patients can also reply privately, and any concerns go straight to the practice manager rather than to a public page.
- A separate message, sent later, offers a small pack for friends and family: the clinic's details and how to book a test, which the patient can pass on.
- New bookings that mention a friend are recorded, so you can see how often referrals happen and thank the patient if your policy allows.
- Reviews are monitored, and the practice manager is alerted to new ones so they can reply.
We follow Google's rules on reviews: patients are not filtered by whether they seem happy, the same request goes to everyone at the same stage, and no incentive is offered for a review.
What you end up with
A steady flow of reviews from patients who genuinely benefited, at the moment the benefit is clear. Private feedback that catches problems early. A simple way for happy patients to recommend you. Staff who do not have to ask awkwardly in person. And a Google profile that reflects the care you actually give.
Does this ring true?
- Patients often thank you in person, but rarely online.
- Your review count is low compared with nearby chains.
- Nobody asks for reviews in a consistent way.
- Patients have nothing to hand to friends who might need a test.
- You find out about new reviews by chance.