Why timing matters
Asking for a review 3 days after a class is a waste. The member has already moved on emotionally. Asking 2 hours after — when they’re still on the post-workout endorphin high and remembering the coach who fixed their squat — is when reviews actually get written. Review automation captures that 2-hour window automatically.
The sentiment fork
Every post-class review request opens with a quiet sentiment check:
“Hey [name], how was today’s class? On a scale of 1–10.”
- Reply 8–10: The follow-up SMS sends them a Google Reviews link (or Facebook, or both, configurable per location).
- Reply 1–7: The follow-up routes the message to your owner/manager inbox with a flag: “This member rated their last class a 6. Maybe reach out personally?”
This sentiment fork is the single most important detail. Without it, you ask for reviews from every member — including the unhappy ones — and you end up boosting your 1-star review count. With it, you only invite happy members to leave public reviews, while still catching unhappy ones for personal recovery.
What you’ll see
Studios running this typically add 8–12 new Google reviews per month (vs. industry median of 1–2). Over six months that compounds: more Google reviews → higher map-pack ranking → more trial signups → more reviews. It’s the local-SEO flywheel that most gyms never spin up because they’re not asking systematically.
Compliance
You only ask members who attended the class. You never ask members who explicitly opted out of post-class comms. You never offer compensation for reviews (which violates Google’s policy). The system handles all of these checks automatically.