Ask, Don’t Nag: How to Request Reviews the Right Way (and Stay Within Legitimate Interest)

Asking customers to leave a review shouldn’t feel awkward, and legally, it doesn’t need to. If someone has used your service or bought from you, you have what’s known as a legitimate interest in following up with them, and that includes politely asking for feedback.

The keyword, though, is politely. There’s a fine line between staying connected and crossing into unwanted communication. Get it right, and your reviews grow naturally. Get it wrong, and you risk both your reputation and your compliance.

Understanding Legitimate Interest

Under UK GDPR, legitimate interest allows a business to contact existing customers where there’s a reasonable expectation of follow-up. If you’ve provided a service, it’s entirely appropriate to ask whether they were happy and to invite them to share that experience publicly.

What matters is context and balance. A single, well-timed message that thanks someone and gently requests a review is within legitimate interest. Repeated reminders that feel intrusive are not.

The Story of Sophie (Revisited)

Sophie runs a hair and beauty salon. She’s proud of her service and loves receiving feedback, but she was never quite sure what she could or couldn’t send. At first, she avoided asking altogether, worried about breaching data protection rules. Then she over-corrected and started sending multiple reminders each week. Neither approach worked.

When she learned about legitimate interest, everything clicked. She realised she could send one follow-up message to thank her clients and ask for a review, as long as it was done respectfully and connected directly to the service they received.

Now her system sends a single automated message two days after each appointment:

“Hi Jane, thank you for visiting us this week. We hope you’re happy with your hair. If you’d like to share your experience, here’s the link, it only takes a moment.”

The message feels personal and relevant, and it’s sent just once. Her customers don’t feel chased, and the reviews flow in naturally.

When Legitimate Interest Becomes Too Much

The test for legitimate interest is whether the contact is proportionate and expected. If you send five reminders over two weeks, that’s no longer proportionate, it’s pestering.

Automation tools like the TYA portal can help you stay compliant by limiting how often messages are sent. For example, you can:

• Send one initial request a few days after service.
• Wait a set period before considering a single polite reminder.
• Stop all follow-ups once a review is left.

That structure keeps your communication lawful and customer friendly.

Keep It Human

Legitimacy isn’t just about law; it’s about tone. A friendly, conversational message that thanks the customer and asks for honest feedback is far less intrusive than a transactional “Please leave a review now.”

Always give people a choice. Include a clear, simple way to ignore or opt out, and make sure your message feels like part of your regular customer care rather than a sales push.

Why It’s Worth Doing Right

When you ask for reviews responsibly, customers see it as a mark of professionalism. It shows you care about their opinion, not just your rating.

The language of your message should reinforce that:

“We’d love to know how we did” feels collaborative.

“Tell us what you thought” feels conversational.

“Leave us a review today” feels demanding.

Automation with Accountability

The TYA portal makes it easy to stay compliant. You can automate timing, personalise wording, and build in limits so messages never cross the line. You’ll know exactly when the message goes out, to whom, and how often.

This not only helps protect your business legally but also preserves customer goodwill, which, ironically, is what drives great reviews in the first place.

The Final Word

It’s absolutely fine to ask for reviews under legitimate interest; in fact, it’s good business practice. The difference between legitimate and intrusive lies in respect, tone, and timing.

Ask once, clearly and kindly. Remind only if it makes sense to do so. Automate the process so it’s consistent, fair, and never overdone.

When you strike that balance, you won’t just stay compliant, you’ll build a reputation for being both professional and considerate. And that’s the kind of business people love to review.

Want to make sure your review requests stay compliant and still feel personal? Book a free discovery call and let’s chat about it.

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