Send review requests, whatever system you use
Ovation can ask every customer for a review after a sale or appointment. Pick the way that fits how your business already works. You can use more than one.
Quick guide
| If… | Do this |
|---|---|
| You use Square or Stripe | Connect it in Settings → Connections. One click, fully automatic. |
| You sell on Shopify | Use your webhook link (Shopify "Order payment" webhook). |
| You use Lightspeed Retail (X-Series) | Use your webhook link. |
| Your system works with Zapier | Use Ovation's Zapier app. |
| You email receipts or invoices to customers | BCC your email-in address. |
| You can export a customer list | Upload a CSV. |
| None of the above, or you'd rather not connect anything | Print your QR sign and use Quick check-in. |
Connect Square or Stripe
Settings → Connections → Connect. Requests go out after each payment, using your delay and minimum sale.
Your webhook link (Shopify, Lightspeed and developers)
Find it in Settings → Connections → Connect any system.
- Shopify: Settings → Notifications → Webhooks → Create webhook, Event “Order payment”, Format JSON, paste your link, then paste Shopify's signing key into Ovation.
- Lightspeed Retail (X-Series): add a “Sale Update” webhook with your link.
- Any other system: if it can send our simple format, see Connect any system for developers.
Ovation's Zapier app
Make a two-step Zap: your system's “New Sale”, “New Payment” or “Appointment Completed” trigger, then Ovation → Send review request. Create an API key in Settings → Connections → Connect any system → Zapier.
Works on Zapier's free plan, which covers about 100 sales a month: every sale your Zap sends uses one Zapier task, even when Ovation skips it. Busier businesses need a paid Zapier plan. The free plan checks for new sales about every 15 minutes. Ovation handles your delay, minimum sale and once-per-customer rule, so you don't need Filter steps. Customers Ovation skips show as “Halted” in your Zap history.
Some apps are Premium on Zapier (for example Shopify), which needs a paid Zapier plan; Shopify users should use the webhook link instead, which is free. If your trigger only gives a customer ID and not their email or phone, use another option on this page.
Your email-in address
BCC it when you email a receipt or invoice. Ovation reads the customer from the To line. Works when you send receipts from your own email, or your system lets you add a copy address. If we can't read an email, we'll tell you in a daily summary.
QR sign and Quick check-in (works with any system)
Everything here is in the At the counter box on the Review Requests page.
Print your QR sign and put it by the register; customers scan, enter their phone or email and go straight to your review page. They get a text reminder only if they tick “Text me a reminder” themselves. Prefer a tablet? Choose Open on a counter tablet and leave the same page open for customers to fill in themselves.
Quick check-in (Check in a customer) lets staff enter a customer's phone or email after their visit in a few seconds from their phone; add it to your home screen.
Texts only reach US and Canadian numbers. Customers with another country's number get the request by email.
Upload a list
Review Requests → Import CSV.
Rules that apply to every option
- Your delay and minimum sale.
- Each customer is asked at most once every 90 days per location (you can change this in Review Request Settings).
- Texts go only to customers who agreed to get a text (they ticked “Text me a reminder” on the QR page, or a team member ticked the consent box after the customer said yes); everyone else gets email.
- Texting turns on after your free trial. Once your first payment goes through, we set up your business's own texting number and the phone carriers approve it, which usually takes a few business days. Until then, review requests go by email.
- Customers can reply STOP to any text to stop texts, START to get them again, and HELP for help.
- Every email has an unsubscribe link. A customer who uses it, or marks an email as spam, isn't emailed review requests from that location again.
Don't see your system?
Use the QR sign and Quick check-in today. Using a system we don't connect to yet? Email support@getovation.io with the subject "System request" and the name of your system. We use these requests to decide which systems to add next.