Think about the last time a business asked you to fill out a survey. Maybe they emailed you a link that took you to a website with ten questions. Or they handed you a comment card at checkout. Chances are, you didn’t actually do it.
Now think about the last text message you got. You probably opened it within a few minutes. That’s the whole reason business texting for feedback works so well.
When customers get a quick text asking for their opinion, they can answer right there on the spot. No apps to download. No websites to load. Just a simple reply while the experience is still fresh in their mind.
Most people check their phones dozens of times a day anyway. A text message feels natural and familiar. It doesn’t feel like homework the way a long survey does.
The businesses getting the best response rates aren’t doing anything complicated. They’re just asking simple questions at the right time. A restaurant texts an hour after dinner to ask how the meal was. A dentist sends a quick message the day after an appointment. A shop asks if the delivery went smoothly.
The responses come back fast because replying takes about ten seconds. And those quick answers give businesses exactly what they need to improve, fix problems, or know what’s working well. It’s feedback that actually happens, instead of feedback people mean to give but never quite get around to.
Ask one simple question customers can answer in one text
The easiest way to start collecting feedback messages is to ask one clear question that someone can answer while standing in line for coffee. You’re not building a full survey here. You’re just checking in about one specific thing that happened during their visit.
A good question is short, concrete, and tied to a moment they just experienced. Instead of asking “How was everything?” try something like “Was your table ready on time today?” or “Did the stylist explain the aftercare steps clearly?” These questions point to one thing the customer can actually remember and answer in five seconds.
Here are a few ready-to-use examples. A restaurant might text: “Hi Maria, thanks for lunch today! Quick question: was your server friendly and helpful?” A salon could send: “Hey John, how did your haircut turn out? Reply and let me know!” A plumber might follow up with: “Did we leave your workspace clean after today’s repair?” A retail shop could ask: “Was it easy to find what you needed in the store today?”
When someone replies, keep it human. If they share praise, say thank you and tell them you’re glad they had a good experience. If they mention a problem, apologize briefly and let them know you’ll look into it or ask if they’d like to talk more. You don’t need scripts or automation. Just reply like a real person who cares about what they said.
The whole point is to make giving feedback feel as easy as texting a friend. One question, one reply, done.
Use a quick rating reply like 1–5 or 0–10
Asking customers to reply with a simple number is one of the easiest ways to collect feedback over text. You send a question, they type back a single digit, and you’ve got a clear answer. No links to click, no forms to fill out.
The two most common scales are 1 to 5 and 0 to 10. Use 1 to 5 when you want quick, decisive feedback—it’s faster to choose and easier to scan later. Use 0 to 10 when you want a bit more nuance, like distinguishing between someone who’s pretty happy versus absolutely thrilled. Just make sure your message is crystal clear about which end is good and which is bad.
Here’s a sample text: “Hi Sarah, thanks for your recent order! On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate your experience? (1 = poor, 5 = excellent). Just reply with a number.” Keep it short and tell them exactly what to do.
When someone replies with their rating, you can follow up with one more quick question if their answer suggests it’s worth asking. If they give you a 2 or 3, text back: “Thanks for letting us know. What’s one thing we could improve?” If they give you a 5, you might ask: “Appreciate it! Mind leaving us a quick review?” This keeps the conversation going without overwhelming them.
Not everyone will respond, and that’s fine. Don’t chase them. Some people will send confusing replies like “10/10 great” when you asked for 1 to 5. Just count it as positive feedback and move on. The goal is spotting patterns across many responses, not perfection from each one.
Run a two-option text poll to make decisions quickly
Sometimes you just need a quick answer from your customers. Should you open earlier on Saturdays? Which of two new menu items should you add? A simple text poll can give you that answer in a few hours.
The trick is keeping it to two options. Ask people to reply with A or B, or with 1 or 2. That’s it. When customers see a simple choice, they’re much more likely to respond right away. The moment they have to think about three or four options, response rates drop.
Here’s what a good poll text looks like: “We’re choosing new shop hours for Saturdays. Reply A to open 8am-4pm, or B to open 10am-6pm.” Notice how each option is clearly labeled and the choice is straightforward.
You can use this same approach for all kinds of decisions. “Reply 1 if you prefer the turkey club, 2 for the veggie wrap” helps you pick which sandwich to feature. “Text A for morning appointments (9-12) or B for afternoon (2-5)” tells you when to schedule more staff. “Reply 1 for paper bags, 2 for reusable totes” guides your packaging choice.
The key is writing neutral options. Don’t say “Reply A for our amazing new hours” because that pushes people toward one answer. Just state both choices plainly and let customers tell you what works for them.
Always confirm what each reply means right in your message. Don’t make people guess whether A means yes or no. Spell it out every time, and you’ll get clear results you can actually use.
Text for reviews without sounding pushy
There’s a big difference between asking someone for private feedback and asking them to leave a public review. Private feedback helps you improve. It’s low pressure and feels like a conversation. A public review, on the other hand, asks customers to take extra steps and put their name on something. That’s why the tone matters so much.
The best time to ask is within a day or two of completing the service or delivering the product. The experience is still fresh, and if they had a good time, they’re more likely to say yes. Wait too long and the moment passes.
Here are a few ways to ask that don’t feel pushy. A friendly tone works well for most businesses: “Hi Sarah, thanks for choosing us yesterday! If you have a minute, we’d really appreciate a quick review. Here’s the link: [link]. No worries if you’re busy!”
For a more formal business, try this: “Thank you for your recent purchase. If you’re satisfied with our service, we’d be grateful if you could share your experience here: [link].”
Or keep it ultra-short: “Loved working with you! Mind leaving us a review? [link]”
Always include just one clear link that takes them exactly where they need to go. Don’t make them search for your business or figure out what to do next.
Some customers prefer to respond by text instead of leaving a public review. That’s fine. You can add a line like, “Or just reply here and let us know how we did.” It gives them an out and still opens the door for a conversation.
Ask for one ‘what went well’ and one ‘what to improve’ note
Instead of asking customers to rate their experience on a scale, try asking two simple questions that get you actual words instead of numbers. Send a text that asks what went well and what could be better. You’ll get feedback you can actually use.
Here’s what a good message looks like: “Hi Maria, thanks for dining with us tonight! Quick question: What’s one thing we did well? And one thing we could improve? (Feel free to answer just one if you’re short on time.)”
Notice how it makes skipping easy. Some people will answer both questions. Others will just tell you the thing that’s on their mind. Either way, you learn something useful.
You might get replies like “The server was super friendly, but it took forever to get our check” or “Loved the new menu! Parking was confusing though.” These answers tell you exactly what’s working and what needs attention.
When someone replies, keep your response short and genuine. Something like “Thanks for letting us know—sharing this with the team!” works perfectly. You’re acknowledging them without promising specific action or starting a long conversation.
If someone mentions something urgent, like a billing problem, that’s different. But most feedback is just helpful information, not a crisis that needs solving right away.
The beauty of this approach is that you’re building a simple habit. After appointments, deliveries, or purchases, you send the same two questions. Customers know what to expect, and you get a steady stream of real feedback without needing special software to analyze it all.
Use a ‘did we fix it?’ text after a problem is resolved
When something goes wrong and you fix it, the story isn’t over yet. A customer might accept your refund or replacement without complaint, but still feel uneasy about what happened. That’s why smart businesses send a quick follow-up text a day or two later asking if things are actually okay now.
This works after you’ve issued a refund, remade an order, rescheduled an appointment, or sent a replacement. The timing matters. Wait long enough for them to use the solution, but not so long that they’ve moved on or written you off. Usually 24 to 48 hours is the sweet spot.
Here’s what these texts look like in practice. Keep them short and specific to what happened: “Hi Sarah, we sent your replacement jacket yesterday. Did it arrive? Is everything good now?” Or: “Quick check-in: we refunded your account on Tuesday. Did that go through okay on your end?”
The key is making it easy to answer honestly. If they reply that something still isn’t right, offer a simple next step right away. You might say: “I’m sorry it’s still not sorted. Can you reply with what’s still missing? I’ll make sure we handle it.” Or: “Would a quick call help? I can ring you this afternoon.”
What you’re really doing is closing the loop. You’re showing that you care whether the fix actually worked, not just whether you completed a task on your end. That difference turns a service failure into a moment that builds trust instead of quietly eroding it.
Ask about a specific part of the experience, like speed or friendliness
Instead of asking customers to rate everything at once, try zooming in on one specific thing. Pick the part of your service you’re actually working to improve this month. Maybe you’ve hired more staff to reduce wait times, or you’re training your team on faster checkout procedures.
When you focus your question, you get answers you can actually use. A message like “How was everything?” gives you vague responses. But “Was your order ready on time today?” tells you exactly whether your new prep system is working.
Here’s what this looks like in practice. A dental office might text: “Hi Sarah, was the wait time for your appointment today acceptable? Reply YES or NO.” A delivery service could send: “How did your package arrive? Reply 1 for perfect condition, 2 for minor damage, 3 for major damage.” A hair salon might ask: “Did we start your appointment on time today?”
You can adapt this to whatever matters most in your business. A restaurant focusing on cleanliness could text: “Was our restroom clean during your visit?” A pet groomer working on communication might ask: “Did we explain the grooming process clearly before we started?”
This approach works especially well when you’re testing a specific change. If you just bought new equipment or changed a procedure, ask about that exact thing for a few weeks. You’ll know right away if it’s making a difference. And customers appreciate that you’re asking about something concrete rather than making them write an essay about their entire experience.
Send a short pre-visit and post-visit pair to learn what customers expected
One of the simplest ways to improve your service is to ask customers what they want before they arrive, then check if you delivered after they leave. You don’t need fancy software to do this. Just send two quick texts.
The first message goes out a day or two before the appointment, delivery, or class. Keep it short and make it clear they don’t have to reply. Something like: “Hi Maria, we’re looking forward to your haircut appointment Thursday at 2pm. If there’s anything specific you’d like us to focus on, just reply to this text. Otherwise, see you soon!”
For a delivery service, you might text: “Your order arrives tomorrow between 1-3pm. Any special instructions for our driver? No need to reply if we’re all set.” For a fitness class: “First yoga class tomorrow at 6pm! Any injuries or concerns we should know about? Reply only if needed.”
The key is making the pre-visit message feel helpful, not like homework. Most people won’t reply, and that’s fine. But the ones who do will give you gold.
After the appointment or delivery, send a quick follow-up within 24 hours: “Thanks for coming in yesterday, Maria! Quick question: did we nail what you were hoping for, or is there one thing we could do better next time?”
When someone does reply to the second message, you learn exactly where the gap is between what they expected and what you delivered. Write down each response and look for patterns every few weeks. Even three or four replies can show you a clear improvement to make.
Track SMS feedback manually with a simple routine that takes minutes
You don’t need fancy software to make sense of feedback texts. A simple notes app, spreadsheet, or even a paper notebook works perfectly fine. The key is having one place where you record what people are saying.
When a customer replies to your feedback request, jot down the main point in your chosen tracker. Keep it short—just a few words that capture the gist. Then assign it to one of four basic categories: praise, issue, suggestion, or urgent follow-up. That’s it. No complicated coding systems needed.
Set aside ten minutes once a week to review what you’ve collected. Scan through your notes and look for patterns. Did three people mention the same problem? That’s a theme worth addressing. Did someone love a specific thing you did? Note that too—it tells you what’s working.
After you spot the patterns, pick just one thing to fix or improve that week. Don’t try to tackle everything at once. Small, steady changes add up faster than you’d think.
When it comes to replying, keep it simple and human. Thank people for their time. If they shared a problem, acknowledge it and let them know you’re looking into it. If something needs a deeper conversation, that’s when you suggest a quick phone call instead of going back and forth over text.
Set gentle boundaries too. Let customers know you read messages during business hours, or that urgent matters should go through your main phone line. Most people appreciate knowing what to expect. This simple routine keeps feedback from piling up into an overwhelming mess, and it shows customers you’re actually listening.
