Google quietly launched a new AI call assistant that answers phone calls made from Search and Maps. Instead of ringing your business line, it offers to take a message, transcribes it, and stores it in your Google Business dashboard. If you’re not checking that dashboard daily, you may never know a customer tried to reach you.
For landscaping companies that depend on quick phone responses, this feature adds friction that can result in missed opportunities. Worse, it may affect your visibility in local search if Google logs those unanswered messages as ignored leads.
How the AI Call Assistant Works
When someone clicks the call button on your profile using a mobile device, the call may be routed through Google’s AI. The assistant tells the caller that you may be unavailable and asks them to leave a short message. That message is transcribed and sent to the “Messages” tab in your Business Profile, not your phone or voicemail.
Unless you are monitoring that inbox directly, you might never see the message. If a customer doesn’t get a live answer, they’ll usually call the next company on the list.
A Missed Call Example That Costs Real Jobs
Imagine a homeowner with a broken sprinkler line looking for fast help. They search “landscaper near me,” tap your phone number, and expect to speak to someone. Instead, they hear a robotic prompt and hang up. The call never reaches your office. You only find out days later while reviewing your Google Business dashboard. By that time, the customer has already hired someone else.
Why This Matters During Peak Season
- Landscaping leads often come from urgent requests. People are ready to book and want to speak with someone right away.
- AI screening slows down contact. If a customer is forced to leave a message with a bot, they may not trust the process and move on.
- AI messages are easy to miss. Google stores them in the dashboard, not your phone, CRM, or voicemail inbox.
Disabling Google’s AI call assistant helps protect your local ranking. Missed or unreturned AI-filtered messages can lower your responsiveness score, which affects your visibility in local search results. Keeping control of your call flow supports better SEO performance.
What Landscaping Businesses Should Do Right Now
Google offers more than one call-related setting in your Business Profile. Some features help track responsiveness and improve your local ranking. Others, like the AI call assistant, may block live calls and delay lead intake.
- Keep Google’s core call tools enabled.Features like call history, caller ID, and missed call tracking support your responsiveness score and search visibility.
- Turn off only the AI call assistant.This setting, labeled “Let Google answer calls for you,” intercepts calls before they reach your phone and asks callers to leave a message with a robotic assistant.
To disable just the AI feature without affecting your ranking metrics:
- Open your Google Business Profile
- Go to the Callstab
- Locate “Let Google answer calls for you”
- Toggle it off
This lets you receive all live calls while preserving Google’s ability to track engagement and responsiveness. Customers reach you directly, and your local ranking performance stays protected.
Broader Risk of AI-Based Lead Handling
Google is increasingly automating small business tools without warning. While some of these updates improve visibility or insights, others interfere with customer experience. The AI call assistant is one of the first features that can actively filter leads without your input. This hands-off approach doesn’t work in a service-based industry where live communication builds trust.
If AI becomes the default contact method and no one is monitoring the inbox, trust erodes and responsiveness scores drop.
Stay Informed to Avoid Future Issues
- Monitor your Google Business dashboard weekly
- Check the Messages tab for any transcribed calls
- Track your missed calls manually
- Ask new customers how they reached you and whether they spoke to someone directly
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Google’s AI call assistant?
It’s a feature that answers calls made through Google Search or Maps and offers to take a message using voice-to-text transcription.
How can it affect my landscaping business?
It can intercept calls before they reach you and store them as dashboard messages. If you miss or ignore them, you lose the lead and hurt your engagement score.
What should I disable?
Only the “Let Google answer calls for you” setting. Do not disable call logging or standard call tracking features that improve your visibility.
How can I protect my local ranking?
Turn off the AI call assistant, monitor all call logs, and keep your business line staffed during work hours. Responding quickly signals reliability and improves your placement in local results.
Protect Every Call That Comes In
AI filtering can create more harm than help when live contact is what wins landscaping jobs. The risk of letting automation block or delay leads is too high during busy months. Most customers will not wait for a reply, they will call the next company on the list.
Everbearing Services helps landscaping companies stay ahead of the digital changes that affect local visibility and lead flow. If your business relies on phone calls to book jobs, now is the time to review your profile settings and protect your intake process.