Introduction
Project Overview
Review Tap is a smart, technology powered customer review collection platform that bridges the gap between a great customer experience and a published online review using the power of NFC (Near Field Communication) cards and QR codes.
Every day, thousands of businesses provide excellent service to their customers, yet very few of those satisfied customers ever go on to leave a review online. Not because they are unhappy but because the process of finding the business on Google, navigating to the review section, and writing feedback feels like too much effort once they've walked out the door. That moment of motivation fades fast.
Review Tap was built to capture that moment instantly and effortlessly right at the point of experience, before the customer leaves. A small, professionally designed NFC card is placed at the business's counter, reception desk, or dining table. When a customer taps the card with their smartphone or scans the QR code, they are taken directly to that business's Google review page within seconds. No app to download. No link to type. No account to create. The most frictionless review experience possible.
Behind every tap and scan, the platform captures meaningful data. Business owners log into their personal dashboard to see tap counts, review analytics pulled from Google in real time, average rating trends, and device performance across multiple locations all from a single login. A separate Admin Portal gives the Review Tap internal team full visibility and control over devices, users, and platform-wide activity.
Mechanism
Project Description
Review Tap is a physical meets digital review collection platform. It uses NFC technology to remove every obstacle between a happy customer and a published review and pairs it with a data-driven dashboard so businesses can measure and grow their online reputation over time.
The problem it solves
Most businesses struggle to collect reviews not because their customers are unhappy, but because the process is too complicated. Asking a customer to "go to Google, search for our business, find the review section, and leave a review" results in very low follow-through. The window of motivation closes the moment they step away. Review Tap captures that window by making the entire action a single physical gesture one tap or one scan that takes the customer directly to the review page in under 10 seconds.
How it works — step by step
- Step 1 — Business signs upThe business registers on Review Tap, creates an account, and links their Google review page (or any other review platform URL).
- Step 2 — NFC card is placedThe business receives their NFC card(s) and places them at customer touchpoints counter, table, reception desk, or hands them directly after completing a job.
- Step 3 — Customer taps or scansThe customer taps the card with their smartphone or scans the QR code. No app download. No account. No friction.
- Step 4 — Instant redirectThe customer is taken directly to the business's review page within seconds. The entire journey takes under 10 seconds.
- Step 5 — Review is leftThe customer leaves a review on Google (or whichever platform the business configured). The interaction is logged automatically.
- Step 6 — Business tracks performanceThe business owner logs into their dashboard to see tap counts, device performance, and reviews pulled live from Google Places API.
- Step 7 — Admin monitors the platformThe Review Tap admin team oversees all devices, users, and platform activity from a separate, protected admin portal.
What makes it different
Most review collection tools rely on email follow-ups or SMS prompts both of which arrive after the moment has passed. Review Tap is present at the point of experience requiring zero effort from the business (no manual outreach) and zero steps from the customer beyond the tap itself. The combination of physical NFC hardware and a cloud-based analytics dashboard makes it a uniquely complete solution.
Primary Industry
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Primary Industry | Review Management & Online Reputation |
| Secondary Industry | Marketing Technology (MarTech) |
| Adjacent Sectors | Customer Experience, Local Business Services, IoT (NFC Technology) |
- Restaurants & Cafes
- Salons & Spas
- Healthcare & Dental Clinics
- Retail Stores & Boutiques
- Home Service Providers (HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical)
- Hotels & Hospitality
- Professional Services (Law, Accounting, Consulting)
- Multi-Location Franchises & Chains
Roles
Who the End Users Are
Three distinct user groups interact with the platform each with a completely different interface and level of access.
| User Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Business Owners & Managers | Any business that serves customers in person. They log into their personal dashboard to manage NFC devices, track tap counts, view analytics, and monitor their Google reviews all in one place. |
| Customers of Businesses | Regular everyday customers who interact with the NFC card or QR code. They require no account, no app, and no technical knowledge they simply tap or scan and are on the review page in seconds. |
| System Administrators | The Review Tap internal team. They manage the platform via a separate admin portal assigning devices to businesses, managing user accounts, monitoring platform-wide activity, and handling business registrations. |
Core Features
NFC Card & QR Code per Business
Each business receives a unique device linked directly to their review page. Customers tap the NFC card or scan the QR code no app, no account, no friction.
Interaction Analytics
Track how many times each card was tapped daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. See which devices perform best across multiple locations.
Live Google Review Feed
Reviews pulled directly from Google Places API in real time including ratings, reviewer names, and review text displayed inside the dashboard.
Multi-Platform Review Links
Direct customers to Google, Yelp, Facebook, or any review platform. Each device supports a configurable destination URL.
Multiple Devices per Account
Manage several NFC cards across multiple locations from one account. Ideal for chains, franchises, or multi-branch service businesses.
Business Profile Management
Update business name, address, and review link at any time. Each profile is linked to a specific NFC device and location.
Dual Portal Architecture
Completely separate dashboards for business owners and platform administrators each with their own authentication, access controls, and functionality.
Admin Device Management
Full NFC device lifecycle management create, assign, edit, and delete devices. Link each device to a specific business account.
User Account Management (Admin)
Admin team can manage all registered user accounts, business registrations, and platform linkages from the admin portal.
Auto-Generated API Documentation
Backend API documented automatically via Swagger / Hapi Swagger available at a dedicated documentation endpoint for integration reference.
Rate Limiting & Security
hapi-rate-limit protects all API endpoints from abuse. Clerk handles authentication end-to-end no custom auth code required.
Google Maps Place ID Lookup
Integrated Google Maps API allows businesses to search for and identify their exact location during onboarding, ensuring reviews are linked to the correct Google listing.
Technologies Used
Frontend (user interface)
| Technology | Purpose |
|---|---|
| React 18 | Core UI framework |
| TypeScript | Type-safe JavaScript for reliability |
| Vite | Fast development build tool |
| Tailwind CSS | Modern utility-first styling |
| shadcn/ui + Radix UI | Accessible, polished UI components |
| React Router v6 | Page navigation and routing |
| React Query (TanStack) | Server state management and data fetching |
| React Hook Form + Zod | Form handling and validation |
| Recharts | Charts and analytics visualizations |
| Clerk | User authentication and account management |
| Axios | API communication |
| Lucide React | Icon library |
| Google Maps API | Location search and place ID lookup |
Backend (server & database)
| Technology | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Node.js | Server runtime environment |
| Hapi.js | HTTP server framework |
| TypeScript | Type-safe server-side code |
| MongoDB | Database for users, businesses, devices, and interactions |
| Mongoose | MongoDB object modeling and validation |
| Clerk SDK | Server-side authentication verification |
| Joi | Request data validation |
| Google Places API | Fetching live Google reviews |
| Swagger / Hapi Swagger | Auto-generated API documentation |
| hapi-rate-limit | API rate limiting for security |
Infrastructure & deployment
| Technology / service | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Vercel | Frontend hosting global CDN with instant deployments |
| tiny-mammoth.com | Custom backend server hosting |
| MongoDB (Cloud) | Cloud-hosted database |
| Clerk | SaaS authentication provider sign-up, sign-in, OAuth |
Programming languages
| Technology / service | Purpose |
|---|---|
| TypeScript (Frontend) | React / JSX components, hooks, routing, forms |
| TypeScript (Backend) | Node.js / Hapi.js API routes, controllers, services |
| MQL via Mongoose | MongoDB database queries |
| CSS via Tailwind | Utility-class styling |
Architecture Overview
Review Tap follows a modern full stack web application architecture with two separate codebases — a React SPA frontend and a Hapi.js REST API backend connected through a clean JSON API layer. Physical NFC cards act as the entry point for customers, triggering the digital layer behind them.
High-level architecture
NFC Card Tap / QR Scan
│
▼
Direct URL Redirect ──→ Google Review Page (customer leaves review)
│
Interaction Logged
│
┌──────▼──────┐
│ REST API │ (Hapi.js / Node.js)
│ Backend │
└──────┬──────┘
│
┌─────────────────┼─────────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
MongoDB Google Places Clerk Auth
(App Data) API (Reviews) (Verification)
│
▼
React SPA Frontend
├── Business Dashboard (tap stats, reviews, devices)
└── Admin Portal (device mgmt, user mgmt, oversight)- Frontend is a Single Page Application deployed on Vercel with global CDN delivery
- Backend is a RESTful API server on Hapi.js handling all business logic, auth, and database operations
- Database is MongoDB flexible document storage for users, businesses, devices, and interactions
- Authentication handled entirely by Clerk professional grade authentication provider with no custom auth code
- Admin Portal is a protected section of the frontend with its own role-based access control
- NFC redirect URL is served statically no backend call required for the customer tap itself
- Google reviews fetched server-side via Google Places API API key never exposed to the browser
- 30+ API endpoints covering devices, businesses, users, interactions, and admin operations
Database Structure
The platform is built around 4 core data entities, structured and validated via Mongoose.
| Entity | What It Stores |
|---|---|
| Users | Business owner accounts linked to Clerk identity profile details, subscription plan, and account metadata |
| Businesses | Business profile records name, address, review platform URL, Google place ID, and linked NFC devices |
| Devices | NFC card records unique identifier, assigned business, QR code URL, active status, and device configuration |
| Interactions | Every tap and scan event device ID, timestamp, and interaction type used to power analytics in the dashboard |
Key Integrations
Google Places API
Live review data
Fetches real-time business reviews from Google including star ratings, reviewer names, and review text displayed inside the business dashboard.
Google Maps API
Location & place ID lookup
Allows businesses to search for and identify their exact Google listing during onboarding, ensuring their NFC card links to the correct review page.
Clerk
Authentication provider
Handles all user authentication sign-up, sign-in, OAuth, and session management on both frontend and backend with SDK verification.
NFC Technology
Physical tap interface
Passive NFC chips embedded in cards trigger URL redirects via smartphone without any app installation. Works on all modern iOS and Android devices.
Business Model & Pricing
Subscription-based SaaS pricing each plan includes the dashboard, analytics, multi-platform review links, and full device management.
Starter
$49/ month
1 NFC Card
Most Popular
Business
$99/ month
3 NFC Cards
Enterprise
$149/ month
5 NFC Cards
- All plans include the business dashboard and analytics
- Multi-platform review link configuration on all plans
- Full device management included at every tier
- Multi-location support manage all devices from one account
Project Summary
| Project Type | Physical + Digital SaaS Platform |
| Architecture | Full-Stack (React SPA + Hapi.js REST API) |
| Primary Language | TypeScript (frontend and backend) |
| Frontend Framework | React 18 + Vite + Tailwind CSS |
| Backend Framework | Hapi.js + Node.js |
| Database | MongoDB (Cloud) |
| Authentication | Clerk (SaaS Auth Provider) |
| Frontend Hosting | Vercel |
| Backend Hosting | tiny-mammoth.com |
| Key Integrations | Google Places API, Google Maps API, Clerk, NFC Technology |
| Business Model | Subscription SaaS (Starter / Business / Enterprise) |
| Target Market | Local businesses, franchises, multi-location service providers |
| Core Value | Remove every barrier between a happy customer and a five-star review |
- 2 separate codebases dedicated frontend and backend repositories
- 4 core data entities: Users, Businesses, Devices, Interactions
- 30+ API endpoints devices, businesses, users, interactions, and admin operations
- Dual user portals separate dashboards for business owners and administrators
- Real-time review data fetched live from Google Places API
- Auto-generated API documentation via Swagger at a dedicated endpoint
- Mobile-first design fully responsive for the smartphones customers use to tap
Review Tap is a physical-meets-digital review collection platform that equips businesses with NFC-enabled smart cards and QR codes allowing their customers to leave online reviews in seconds with a single tap or scan. It transforms a passive, easily-forgotten action into an instant, effortless habit that compounds over time, steadily building stronger online reputations for every business it serves.
Live: reviewtap.tiny-mammoth.com · API: reviewtapapi.tiny-mammoth.com/api · Docs: reviewtapapi.tiny-mammoth.com/documentation