Google My Business Phasing Out Phone Support?

[Linda Buquet]

I think live chat has a queue limit or something that grays it out until they are available.

That makes sense. Thanks for the screenshots camarchi01.

I wonder if the same thing happens with phone. I've seen complaints today that the phone option is not available. Maybe when they hit a certain threshold of calls, they remove the call button so the backlog does not build and thereby encourage people get help other ways.

With Twitter down from the big cyber attack today, maybe that has put more strain on chat and call support.

 

[Margaret Ornsby]

Thank you for the screenshots camarchi -
Will check on that periodically - I've never seen any option there apart from email and send feedback. It may be that I'm checking it at the wrong times.

At least now I know what it's supposed to look like anyway!

 

[Jim Werth]

I prefer online chat, when it works (it's intermittently worked, but then doesn't due to what they call tech issues). The India phone calls can be discouraging at times or they escalate to a team that may get back to you 4-6 weeks later. With chat, I've been told that tech team runs out of Detroit with system engineers and content folks sitting close by. On three occasions I've chatted with the same person. However, not all problems even escalated through them are an easy solve. We ran into an issue with our business/map listing descriptions, which were incorrect. They omitted one problem word, but still didn't "fix" the rest of the verbiage. Something about the Google algorithm crawling reviews and based upon keywords editors create your description. However, they don't know our businesses and those listings are still flawed. But I digress, that's another complicated story.

 

[HRobinson]

Margaret > I stopped using phone support over 6 months ago because 95% of the time I was getting India. I am sure you are dead on about it being about dollars. Isn't it always

Joy,

Which are you using then?

I have had trouble with India too, while on the phone. They seem to get mixed up easily.
I'd like to do it right the first time. When you start a case an Indian agent that doesn't know what they are doing, you can't call back and get a new agent. They will say it is being handled by someone else.


It used to be if you called at certain times you could get an American agent. Lately, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Is chat the best? Are there particular hours that are better?

 

[JoyHawkins]

I almost exclusively use Twitter now. The employees that answer it know me by name lol.

 

[Yan Gilbert]

I called them today about taking care of a messy account, some duplicates and unverified outdated locations. India for sure, but no problem understanding them and they fixed my problem within a few minutes.

Got a call back a few hours later, again Indian accent, about how the previous call went. I asked a few extra questions I thought of that were not part of the first call, and got all the answers I needed.

After each call, they transfered me to an automated rating system (recorded female australian voice) to rate the call, which I completed as well.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Hey guys, looks like recently GMB phone support option to receive a call immediately is gone? Are you seeing this too?

Any tips on how to access immediate GMB phone support would be great.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Yeah I'm not getting it in the dashboard or through the direct link. I'll ask Google about it.

 

[hajnasiewicz]

worked for me just moments ago.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

worked for me just moments ago.

You got directly connected to Google? Mind sharing how?

 

[hajnasiewicz]

https://support.google.com/business/contact/business_c2c_l

then I selected "Ownership/Access to Business" and then "Other Problem" then "Business Accounts" then scroll down to find these choices:


I filled out a short form, submitted it and they called me within 30 seconds.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

https://support.google.com/business/contact/business_c2c_l

then I selected "Ownership/Access to Business" and then "Other Problem" then "Business Accounts" then scroll down to find these choices:


I filled out a short form, submitted it and they called me within 30 seconds.

Interesting. We didn't get a call at all. Still waiting. Maybe we should fill it out again.

 

[Margaret Ornsby]

Sigh...
Options avail in USA, not avail here in Aus.

 

[BenFisher]

My direct line to Google still works.

 

[JoyHawkins]

This link also still works: https://support.google.com/business/contact/business_other_problem

Last time this happened, it was like that for several days and then changed back. We'll see if it does the same thing this time.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

This link also still works: https://support.google.com/business/contact/business_other_problem

Last time this happened, it was like that for several days and then changed back. We'll see if it does the same thing this time.

That's the one we filled out and didn't get a call.

Can others confirm it's working for them?

 

[JoyHawkins]

So all I have heard back so far is "We're always testing new experiences for our users and appreciate the feedback."

My translation of that is that it's not a bug and it's something that Google is testing. My assumption is they are trying to cut back on the amount of calls that they can't really do anything about like "why did my review disappear" or "please remove this negative review" or "why am I not ranking in the top 3".

 

[Timothy]

This may be old news, but I didn't see a specific update on this forum. Looks like phone support is back up and running directly through the Support section of the Google My Business dashboard.

My saved links for Google call requests stopped working about a month ago, and I've had abysmal help (radio silence) on Twitter for the past two weeks.