An NFC review card is simple: a customer taps it with their phone and your Google review page opens. No searching, no typing your business name, no scrolling. But a card sitting in a drawer collects no reviews. Where you place it, and when you mention it, makes a real difference.
The golden rule: the moment of satisfaction
People are most willing to leave a review right after a good experience. A patient who was just told their treatment went well. A client looking at their new haircut in the mirror. A family that has just finished a good meal. Place your card where customers are at that moment, not where they first walk in.
Best spots by type of business
- Clinics and dentists: at the billing or reception counter, where patients settle up after the consultation. Avoid the waiting area, where people are anxious and not yet ready to judge.
- Salons and spas: at the styling station mirror or at the payment counter. The mirror works well because the client is already looking at the result.
- Restaurants and cafés: inside the bill folder or on a stand at the cash counter. A card on each table can work too, but it is easier to lose.
- Gyms and yoga studios: at the front desk and near the exit. Members are happiest after a good session, not before it.
- Coaching centres: at the office counter where parents come for fee payments and meetings.
- Retail shops: next to the billing machine, facing the customer.
- Home services and real estate: carry the card with you. Hand it over after the job is done or the deal is signed.
Keep it visible, not hidden
- Use a small acrylic stand so the card stands upright at eye level.
- Place it where the customer's phone naturally rests, such as next to the card machine.
- Make sure the card says what to do in plain words, like "Tap your phone here to review us on Google".
- Keep a QR code on the card as a backup for older phones or phones with NFC switched off.
How staff should mention it
The card makes leaving a review easy. Your staff still need to ask. Keep the request short and honest:
"If you were happy with us today, we would really appreciate a Google review. Just tap your phone here."
A few things to avoid, because they go against Google's rules or simply put people off:
- Don't offer discounts, freebies or anything else in exchange for a review.
- Don't ask only the customers who seem happy and avoid the ones who don't. Google does not allow selectively asking for positive reviews. Ask everyone the same way.
- Don't stand over the customer while they write. Let them do it in their own time.
- Don't ask customers to write specific words or ratings.
Help customers who get stuck
Sometimes the tap doesn't work the first time. Most modern phones read NFC with the screen unlocked, near the top or the middle of the back. If a customer has trouble, show them the QR code instead. Train your staff on this once so they can help quickly without making it awkward.
Check it is working
Every few weeks, tap the card yourself to make sure it still opens the right review page. If you have changed your Google profile, merged listings or moved address, the link may need updating. A good NFC card lets the link be changed without printing a new card.
Get your own review card
Our NFC review cards are printed in your branding, include a QR code backup, and can be re-linked any time. Message us on WhatsApp to see sample designs for your business.