Review Data Intake and Baseline Audit (Onboarding)

Review Data Intake and Baseline Audit (Onboarding)

1. 01

   Inventory every review surface the client actually owns before touching a platform

   Pull the location list from Google Business Profile, then cross-check Yelp, Facebook, Trustpilot, and any vertical directories (Healthgrades, Avvo, TripAdvisor). Multi-location clients routinely have 15 to 40 percent more listings than the account manager believes.

2. 02

   Capture a 90-day baseline of volume, star distribution, and response rate per location

   Export raw review data rather than screenshots so the numbers survive into the first quarterly business review. Record the count of reviews with zero owner reply; that gap is usually the fastest sellable fix.

3. 03

   Map the client's existing request touchpoints to find where review asks already happen

   Invoice emails, appointment reminders, technician closeout texts, and delivery follow-ups are the usual candidates. Note which system sends each one, since the request automation will need to sit downstream of it.

4. 04

   Confirm who holds admin rights on each listing and get delegated access in writing

   Agency access stalls for weeks when the prior vendor or a franchisee controls the profile. Document the owner of record per location and store credentials in the agency vault, not a shared spreadsheet.

5. 05

   Classify review themes from the last 200 reviews into service, pricing, staff, and process buckets

   Tagging themes at intake turns raw feedback into a service-improvement agenda the client can act on. This is the difference between a reporting retainer and a reputation advisory retainer.

6. 06

   Set the response SLA and escalation thresholds with the client in the kickoff call

   Agree on a reply window (24 to 48 hours is standard for local service), define what counts as a crisis (threats, legal claims, safety incidents), and name the client-side approver for anything above the threshold.

7. 07

   Document the tool-agnostic data contract before selecting or configuring a platform

   Specify fields, refresh cadence, and export format so a white-label platform such as GatherUp, Grade.us, or Reviewshake can be swapped without rebuilding the reporting layer. Vendor churn is a real risk when a single tool carries the whole workflow.