Google My Business Help Center Upgrade - Lots of Changes

[Linda Buquet]

Lots of changes so check out the write up from Mike Blumenthal.

<a href="http://blumenthals.com/blog/2015/04/03/google-my-business-help-now-segments-support-questions-prior-to-calling/">Google My Business Help Now Segments Support Questions Prior to Calling</a>

Today they have also changed the Contact US option available for My Business listings to attempt to segment certain problems and direct users back to the Help files.

Depending on the issue chosen, the user will either be presented with the option to receive a call back, choose between a call back and chat support or to visit the help pages. This is a change from previously when users that selected the contact us link were asked a few brief questions and then allowed to choose between the call, chat or email option.

So basically there are a whole lot more options now and almost a decision tree to work through
to qualify the help request, before you can get to the help you want to take advantage of.

This is brand new so maybe I'm wrong, but on 1st glance think it may be even more confusing for SMBs? But possibly there are some advantages for us???

Not sure yet if this make it better or worse.

What do you think???

 

[Louis Nava]

This is very interesting. I'm eager to use it and see what leads to a call and what will not Thanks for the update.

 

[Priya Chandra]

Was just going through the changes in detail today in preparation for writing a blog post for SMBs on how to approach the new layout.

And ok, I'm confused!

The Call Us hours appear differently depending on your language setting (1AM - 5PM PDT if it's US and 9AM - 7PM GMT if it's UK) and the message under the 'Email' option changes too depending on the language (why??)

What I found frustrating though - and what's stopped me from publishing my blog post - is that I can't get the Call Us option to work.

I should be able to request a call back since it's currently 10PM here in Australia (which falls within both the PDT and GMT timezones according to my calculations) but no matter how I click nothing happens - I just go back to the main support article centre.

Has anyone else (from Down Under perhaps?) experienced this?

 

[Louis Nava]

I have had success in choosing the option "Can't find my listing on Google" and getting prompted to get a call back. Hopefully that will work for you as well.

With that said, since the start of the "Put your City on the Map" (aka: GYBO) campaign I believe the resources it offers will become a replacement in helping businesses get listings verified as GYBO has abilities that are very similar if not the same as the Google support reps.

The campaign officially launched in late March but from my knowledge it's still rolling out to cities where partners are being invited and trained. So get ready to hear much more about it soon.

I hope this helps.

 

[Priya Chandra]

Thanks for that information Louis.

I'm outside the Call Us hours now (Sat night here in Oz) but I'll try again during the week, to see if I can activate the "Call Us" feature.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Sorry Priya, I missed your post above earlier.

Not sure why the differences and I know TCs have been reporting a few issues, so think this new system is still getting some kinks worked out.