Upon the appearance of the banner, simply click on “get started” to input details regarding the specific type of service you are seeking. If your inquiry pertains to automotive services, the tool will present you with a selection of 25 service options. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to specify your car’s model and year. The “ask for me” feature designed for auto shops encompasses a range of 25 service options.
When it comes to nail salon requests, Google prompts you to specify the type of nail service you desire, following which it offers nine manicure options including dip powder and nail art, as well as four pedicure options. Furthermore, it inquires whether you would like to include additional services such as a massage, nail extensions, or dip removal. For both categories, you will be asked whether you prefer the earliest available appointment or if you are specifically targeting a weekday or weekend slot. The tool will seek clarification on whether you are seeking immediate availability or prefer scheduling on weekdays or weekends.
After submitting your request, Google will confirm receipt via text or email, depending on your preference. Subsequently, provided that businesses are open, you can expect to receive a comprehensive report detailing local services available within approximately 30 minutes. Those who answered Google’s call will receive information such as pricing and earliest availability based on the conversation, along with a list of businesses that were unresponsive to the call.
In order to evaluate the tool’s functionality and accuracy, I submitted multiple requests over the course of several weeks. To validate the results, I directly contacted the businesses to verify pricing, availability, and confirmation of receiving the call. Feedback from a salon employee indicated that the call did not appear to be human-initiated, leading to some confusion. Another employee raised concerns about the call being spam but still cooperated and provided the requested information.
In my area, Google successfully connected with approximately five nail salons in a 30-minute timeframe; however, it may not yield as comprehensive results in more rural areas. While I personally do not foresee the need to utilize this service frequently due to infrequent visits to nail salons and lack of car usage, I would readily embrace it on a regular basis if it were to expand its capabilities to include contacting medical offices, insurance companies, customer service lines for retail brands, and postal centers.
Should the service undergo expansion, it may necessitate some form of identity verification and clearer delineation of the AI’s permissible queries. Despite this, I am eagerly anticipating a future where I can potentially reduce the time spent on the phone seeking basic information.
