Get reviews, and reply to them

Reviews on your page come only from clients whose signing was done through Hand & Seal — which is why they mean something. You can't write one or remove one; you can answer each, once, in public. And with your Google review link saved, the same clients are asked to review you on Google too.

How clients are asked

When someone asks for a signing through your page, the signing is done and you've closed it out, we write to them — once — to ask how it went. Everyone who asks for a signing through your page and leaves an email address is asked, whatever they thought of it — unless they've told us not to ask them for reviews. They can also leave a review from their request's own page. A review can be left once per signing, within 90 days of your closing it out. It shows on your page and under Reviews, and the phone app tells you when one arrives.

Reviews are your clients'. A signing asked for from inside your own business — with your own email address or phone number, or an assistant's — isn't asked about, and can't be reviewed.

Ask on Google too

Your Google Business Profile is where most people look for a notary. With your Google review link saved, everyone who asks for a signing through your page is asked on Google too, on their own page once they've reviewed you here. For someone you booked yourself, the receipt you email them and the thank-you text from the phone carry your link.

Send a thank-you from the phone

With your Google review link saved, the last screen of a close-out on the phone offers Text … a thank-you with your review link — to the signer, or a client who is a person. It opens a text from your own phone, with your link in it, to send or change as you like. It shows after a card payment at the table, too.

Reply to a review

1. Open Reviews (Public profile → Reviews; on the phone, More → Your page → Edit your page, then Reviews).

2. Choose Reply publicly under the review.

3. Write your reply in Your reply — up to 600 characters, no links. It shows under the review on your page, as yours.

4. Choose Reply publicly again to post it. It says Saved — it is on your page.

Later, Change it lets you edit what you said, and Take it down removes your reply — the review stays as it was left.

A reply is on your page, under your name, so it's held to what the rest of your page is: it can't say “notario”, or call you an immigration consultant.

Report a review

A review that isn't from a client of yours, is abusive, or gives away someone's personal information can be reported.

1. Open Reviews, and choose Report this review under the review.

2. Say what is wrong with it in What is wrong with this review?, and choose Send the report. It goes to Hand & Seal support as a case in your name, with the review attached.

3. Reviews says Reported, with the case's number. We answer by email, usually within one business day.

The review stays on your page while we look at it. A review comes off only when it's not from a client of yours, holds abusive or unlawful words or someone's personal information, its writer asks, or the law requires it — never because it's unfavourable. If one comes off, Reviews says why.