Clients Speak — Contractors Stay Silent? Our Research on the Countertop Market

Introduction

Reviews are no longer just a formality. Today, they directly influence sales and shape a company’s reputation: one positive comment can persuade a client to make a purchase, while an ignored review can create doubt and push them away.

In the stone countertop industry, where competition is especially high, feedback has become the primary indicator of trust. That is why the Countertops Contractors team decided to examine how the top participants in the ranking respond to reviews. The initiative was designed to provide additional value to companies by leaving them comments and tracking their reactions.

At The Stone Magazine, we realized that the results of this effort would be interesting not only to contractors themselves but also to a broader audience. So we gathered the data, analyzed it, and present to you a study on how U.S. market leaders actually treat customer reviews.

As a result of this joint effort, we will show not only statistics but also companies’ attitudes toward customers and their real priorities.

1. How We Conducted the Research

We decided to examine review management practices using the example of the best companies from the national ranking The First National Ranking of Stone Countertop Fabricators and Installers in the U.S.. These are not random contractors, but recognized leaders in their states — the ones most often chosen by clients for installing granite, marble, quartz, and other stone countertops.

To assess their approach to feedback, we left reviews on Google Maps and monitored their responses. We focused on two main aspects:

• whether the company responded at all;
• whether the response was formal or meaningful.

In total, we left 100 reviews. For the study, we selected contractors who placed 1st and 2nd in each of the 50 states according to the national ranking results. Our choice was not random — we focused on the strongest representatives of the industry across the country. The review text followed a unified structure: the ranking team mentioned the company’s position within the state and nationwide, as well as key “mystery shopper” findings — estimate preparation time, service level, and pricing segment.

Example of a review from the Countertops Contractors team to one of the ranking contractors

Example of a review from the Countertops Contractors team to one of the ranking contractors

2. The Numbers: Who Responds and Who Ignores

As mentioned earlier, the study included 100 companies from different U.S. states — contractors who ranked first or second in the national ranking. We left reviews for them and analyzed their reactions: who responds to feedback, who ignores it, and where companies act selectively.

Out of 100 submitted reviews, we received:

• 16 companies that responded to reviews;
• 84 companies that did not respond to the reviews;

Seeing that not all companies respond to reviews, we decided to look deeper and understand whether they ignore only us — or everyone.

Our research showed that even among the top companies from different states, attitudes toward reviews vary significantly. Some contractors promptly respond to every message, others respond selectively, and some ignore comments entirely.

Chart 1. Number of responses from companies participating in the study

The numbers reveal a concerning picture: only 16% of companies always respond to reviews. This is an extremely low figure for an industry where trust and word-of-mouth play a decisive role.

Example of feedback from a contractor in response to our review

The majority of contractors (84 out of 100) either did not respond to our review at all or do so selectively. For an industry where trust and recommendations are critical, this is a warning sign. Ignoring feedback suggests that companies underestimate the impact of reviews on sales and reputation. Moreover, about 40% of contractors systematically do not respond to reviews at all — neither ours nor those from clients. Such an approach creates a sense of business opacity, reduces trust, and over time may deter new clients who are looking for a transparent and attentive partner.

Examples of reviews left for one of our ranking contractors that received no response

Another 36% respond inconsistently, on a selective basis. This approach creates the risk of a negative impression: a client sees that the company responds to some people but not to others and begins to question its openness and transparency.

In contrast, a small but telling group of contractors stands out — the 16% who always respond to feedback. Their example confirms that consistent work with reviews can become a real competitive advantage.

3. Why Should Contractors Respond to Reviews?

The numbers speak for themselves: most companies either do not pay attention to reviews or do so irregularly. But the key question is — why does working with reviews matter at all?

For a client, a company’s reaction to a review is often more important than the comment itself. When a contractor responds, they demonstrate respect for the customer and a willingness to engage in dialogue. Even if the review contains criticism, a professional response helps maintain trust and shows that the company knows how to handle feedback.

Beyond directly influencing trust and sales, reviews have become even more important in 2025 due to the development of artificial intelligence. Today, AI analyzes vast amounts of reviews and company responses to generate recommendations for users. Algorithms consider not only the sentiment of comments but also how actively a company interacts with customers. Many business promotion specialists in the GEO/AEO field note that artificial intelligence evaluates the level of company engagement with clients. Therefore, contractors who consistently collect positive reviews and respond to them are more likely to appear in ChatGPT responses. This is the new marketing reality, where success depends not only on people but also on how algorithms “see” a company.

A potential client searching for a contractor and reading reviews immediately notices the difference. If one company responds to every comment while another completely ignores them, the choice seems obvious. Most people trust those who thank customers and maintain dialogue. It works — simple responses build trust even before the first direct contact.

In the countertop industry, where a purchase is expensive and carefully considered, trust is especially critical. People choose contractors for the long term, and any perception of indifference or lack of transparency can cost a business dozens of potential orders.

4. Industry Trends and Conclusions

Our research showed that working with reviews remains a weak point in the stone countertop industry, even among recognized market leaders. Most companies still do not treat feedback as a strategic tool, limiting themselves to selective responses or ignoring comments altogether.

At the same time, a small group of contractors — just 16% — stand out for their attentive approach and consistent responses to every review. They clearly differentiate themselves from competitors, and this directly helps their sales: trust in them is higher both among clients and AI algorithms. In essence, they are literally attracting clients away from those who ignore reviews.

An important conclusion is that the remaining companies have enormous room for growth. They can start without additional expenses: simply incorporate daily monitoring of reviews and respond to every comment — whether positive or critical — into their business processes. This simple action can increase trust, strengthen reputation, and boost sales.

Conclusion

Today, reviews are not just customer words — they are a tool that directly influences sales and reputation. Our study showed that even the best companies across different states treat feedback differently. Most contractors ignore reviews or respond selectively. Only a few systematically build dialogue with their clients.

In The First National Ranking of Stone Countertop Fabricators and Installers in the U.S., we evaluate companies not only by the quality of materials and workmanship but also by how open they are to communication. Attentive handling of reviews is not a formality — it is part of customer service that determines the future of a business.

And today, the future is shaped not only by people but also by algorithms. GEO/AEO is the new marketing reality in the U.S., where artificial intelligence analyzes reviews and decides whether to recommend a company to clients. Contractors who know how to work with feedback earn the trust not only of buyers but also of the technologies that are shaping tomorrow’s market.

Our ranking and The Stone Magazine were created to help homeowners choose contractors and to support the development of the industry as a whole. We sincerely believe that our research and reviews help the best representatives become even stronger. Seeing the results of this study, we understand that the U.S. market has clear growth opportunities. And we are confident: the companies that begin systematically responding to reviews will gain even more advantages over competitors and strengthen their leadership.