If you’ve worked within Lowe’s installation programs for any length of time, you’ve likely noticed the same pattern.
When a job goes poorly, the customer completes the survey.
When a job goes well, you hear nothing.
The result is a response rate that hovers around three percent, with feedback that often skews negative.
That creates a real problem.
LTR scores influence how Lowe’s evaluates contractors. They determine how Lowe’s distributes jobs. They impact how your business is perceived within the program. But if only a small percentage of customers are responding, and most of those are unhappy, the data doesn’t reflect the true quality of your work.
This is frustrating and predictable. But more importantly, it’s fixable.
The Real Problem Isn’t the Survey
Most contractors treat the LTR survey as something that happens after the job.
Lowe’s asks their customers to complete the LRT survey. The customer decides whether to respond. That’s the end of it. But that assumption is where things break down.
Customers don’t ignore surveys because they had a good experience. They ignore them because there’s no reason to act at that moment.
Meanwhile, unhappy customers are incredibly motivated. They don’t need a reminder. They are looking for a way to respond and share their bad stories.
That imbalance creates a system where:
- Negative experiences are overrepresented
- Positive experiences go unrecorded
- Your score reflects extremes, not reality
This is not unique to Lowe’s. It’s the same dynamic businesses deal with when trying to collect Google reviews or customer feedback.
The difference is that in the Lowe’s ecosystem, the stakes are higher.
Why Happy Customers Don’t Respond
To understand how to improve response rates, you have to understand customer behavior.
A satisfied customer typically:
- Feels the job was completed as expected
- Moves on with their day
- Does not feel urgency to take additional action
They are not avoiding the survey. They are simply not thinking about it. They have already moved on with their lives.
Now consider the experience from their perspective.
They receive an email from Lowe’s at some point after the job is complete. There is no immediate context. There is no reminder of the experience they just had. There is no explanation of why their response matters.
It becomes just another request lost in a sea of spam.
Without timing, context, or a clear reason to respond, most customers ignore it.
Why Unhappy Customers Are Quick to Respond
Unhappy customers behave very differently.
They are thinking about the job. They are frustrated. When the survey arrives, it feels like an opportunity to have their voices heard.
There is no friction to completing the survey. They open it. They respond. They leave a negative review.
That’s why many contractors feel like their LTR scores don’t reflect their actual performance.
The system is naturally weighted toward negative feedback unless something is done to balance it.
What This Has in Common with Google Reviews
If this sounds familiar, it should.
This is the same challenge businesses face with online reviews.
Left alone, reviews tend to skew negative or underrepresent satisfied customers. The companies that consistently generate positive reviews do not rely on chance. They follow a process.
They:
- Ask at the right moment
- Set expectations ahead of time
- Make the request simple and clear
- Reinforce why the feedback matters
The same principles apply to LTR surveys.
What Contractors Can Do Differently
Improving LTR response rates does not require changing Lowe’s system. It requires changing how you prepare the customer for the survey.
1. Set Expectations Before the Job Is Done
Most contractors wait until the job is complete to think about the survey. By then, the moment has passed.
Instead, introduce the LTR survey earlier in the process. Let the customer know that Lowe’s will be sending a short survey once the job is done and that their feedback matters.
This removes the surprise and increases the likelihood they recognize the email once it arrives.
2. Ask at the Moment of Satisfaction
There is a point at the end of a successful job where the customer is clearly happy. That is the moment that matters the most.
Before leaving the jobsite, a simple conversation can make a difference:
“Lowe’s will send you a quick survey about your experience. It really helps us continue doing this work, so we’d appreciate you taking a minute to fill it out.”
This creates context and ties their response to something tangible.
3. Make It Clear Why It Matters
Customers are more likely to act when they understand the impact.
Most customers assume the survey is generic feedback for a large company. They don’t realize it directly affects the contractor who completed the work.
When you explain that their response helps your team continue working with Lowe’s and maintain quality standards, it becomes more personal.
4. Reinforce the Experience While It’s Fresh
The longer the gap between the job and the survey, the lower the likelihood of a response.
You can’t control when Lowe’s sends the email, but you can reinforce the experience before the customer moves on.
A quick follow-up text message or thank-you call can help keep the experience top of mind for the customer and increase the chances they engage when the survey arrives.
Follow up with the customer to ensure that there are no issues with the work you’ve done, they are happy with the experience, and to remind them about the LTR survey that will appear in their email inbox soon.
5. Be Consistent Across Every Job
This is where most contractors fall short. They only do the above steps occasionally, not consistently.
One great interaction won’t move the needle. A repeatable process will. That’s where automation can help. You can consistently increase survey response rates when you include reminders for the customer before, during and after the job is complete.
Response rates improve when every customer:
- Knows a survey is coming
- Understands why it matters
- Is asked at the right moment
And over time, the feedback becomes more balanced.
LTR Scores Are Shaped Before the Survey Is Sent
LTR surveys are often treated as a reporting metric. In reality, they are part of the customer experience. Just like you take steps to ensure smooth scheduling and consistent communication during the job, the LTR survey should be treated as part of the overall experience.
Contractors who recognize this shift their approach. Instead of waiting for feedback, they guide the customer toward it. Instead of reacting to scores, they influence how those scores are created.
The challenge is not knowing what to do. The challenge is doing it consistently.
When teams are busy, communication varies. Some crews ask. Some don’t. Some jobs include follow-up. Others don’t.
That inconsistency leads to inconsistent results. This is where process matters.
Having a defined approach to communication, follow-up, and job completion helps ensure that every customer receives the same experience.
Tools like Cilio can support that by helping standardize communication, track job completion, and keep teams aligned across the entire production process.
The goal is not complicated. Make the experience consistent. Make the request clear. Make it part of how you operate.
Better Scores Come from Better Timing
If your LTR scores feel lower than they should be, it may not be a reflection of your work. It may be a reflection of when and how customers are asked to respond.
The contractors who improve their scores are not relying on better luck. They are creating better conditions for customers to respond. And over time, that changes the outcome.
Want Better LTR Survey Scores?
Cilio can help you develop better communication with your customers through timely text notifications and job notes that inspire greater response rates for LTR surveys. Schedule a quick phone call or demo to see how Cilio can boost your LTR scores and keep your business in good standing.
