Should I turn off Google Assistant calls?

[Cuoreimpavido]

I'm attaching a screenshot from Facebook, this guy says Google Assistant Calls feature may direct customers to a virtual number that doesn't work. Is it true? Did any of you experience issues with this feature? Should I turn it off or leave it on (default)?

Thanks.

 

[BSDChicago]

Are these the phone calls that start with an automated message from Google? I always assumed they were Google Ads calls but I could never pick up on exactly what the automated message states as by time the phone makes it up to my head the message is mostly over.

 

[Cuoreimpavido]

As far as I understand, the guy in that screenshot complains about the first on/off switch, "Bookings from customers", that in some situations shows customers a virtual number that supposed to redirect calls to the business but he claims that it fails to do that and causing the business to lose customers.

I never heard of it before (or after) the post I shared, and also when I try to turn this switch OFF it goes back to ON by itself.

Curious to hear if anyone else heard any complains about this feature.

Thanks!

 

[zacharywilson]

Based on the Google Docs on that feature, it's not something we are interested in for our SAB and therefore disable both as prescribed in the screenshot you shared.

"Google Assistant will only call you when a customer wants to book an appointment, check the restaurant wait time, or when it needs to check your business hours or the status of in-demand inventory. Assistant will avoid calling you during late night and early morning hours."

Why do we care if Google is going to call when a customer wants to book? The customer will click the phone number and call the SAB if they want to book an appointment or inquire about services. You don't need any friction and intervention from Google when that occurs IMHO.

It's worth noting that after toggling the switch, we had to go back for every profile and toggle the "Booking from customers" to off a second time.

 

[Cuoreimpavido]

Well TBH I don't mind booking with a 3rd party/middle man if that's what the customer wants, I'm just concern about the issue the guy mentioned in the screenshot, that this feature breaks incoming calls in some situations.

 

[zacharywilson]

Right. That's a total deal breaker.

Maybe someone who's used it firsthand can speak to how exactly it functions and helps the process.

For me, it seems there's a lot of missing pieces to this. If there's a 3rd party involved, how do they access your CRM and do scheduling?