Skip to content 
You can listen to the audio version of the article above.
Ever wished you had a personal assistant to make those tedious phone calls for you? You know, the ones where you have to navigate endless phone trees, wait on hold, and repeat your request multiple times? Well, Google might be making that wish a reality with its latest experiment: “Ask for Me.”
Imagine this: you’re scrolling through Google Search, looking for a nail salon for a much-needed mani-pedi. You find a place that looks promising, but you’re not sure about their pricing or availability.
Instead of dialing their number and playing phone tag, you see a new button that says “Ask for Me.” Intrigued, you click it.
Suddenly, Google becomes your personal assistant. It asks you a few simple questions: What kind of services are you interested in? Gel polish? Acrylics or a classic French manicure or when are you hoping to book your appointment. Morning, afternoon, or evening? Google takes all your preferences into account and then, get this, it actually calls the salon for you!
Behind the scenes, Google is using its AI-powered calling technology, similar to the Duplex system that can book restaurant reservations and hair appointments.
But Ask for Me goes a step further. It acts as your representative, gathering the information you need without you having to lift a finger.
This feature is currently being tested with nail salons and auto shops. So, if you’re looking for a quick oil change or need to get your tires rotated, Google can handle the initial inquiry for you. Just tell Google what kind of car you have and when you’d like to bring it in, and they’ll take care of the rest.
Of course, Google isn’t just randomly calling businesses on your behalf. Before making the call, you’ll be asked to provide your email address or phone number.
This way the salon or auto shop can get back to you with the information you requested. And you’ll also receive updates from Google about the status of your request.
Now, you might be thinking, “Won’t businesses be freaked out by a robot calling them?” That’s a valid concern, and Google has taken steps to address it.
First of all, every call starts with a clear announcement that it’s an automated system calling from Google on behalf of a user. No hiding behind a synthetic voice pretending to be human!
Secondly, businesses have the option to opt out of these automated calls. They can do this through their Google Business Profile settings or by simply asking Google not to call them during one of these automated calls.
Google wants this to be a helpful tool for both users and businesses, not a source of annoyance.
To further prevent businesses from being bombarded with calls, Google has set call quotas. This means they’ll limit how often a business receives these automated calls.
They’re also being mindful of the data collected during these calls, ensuring that any information gathered is used responsibly and ethically. In fact, Google plans to use the information to improve the system and help other users with similar requests.
Of course, there might still be some initial confusion when a mechanic or nail technician picks up the phone and hears an AI voice on the other end. But as this technology becomes more commonplace, hopefully, those initial surprises will fade away.
Ask for Me is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to revolutionize how we interact with businesses. It could save us time and hassle while also helping businesses manage their inquiries more efficiently.
It’s like having a personal assistant who’s always on call, ready to handle those phone calls we all dread. And as AI technology continues to evolve, who knows what other tasks we’ll be able to delegate to our helpful digital assistants?