The End of Google Business Profile Chat and Call History: What it Means for Your Business

Google is planning to discontinue the call history and chat functionality in Google Business Profile on July 31, 2024. This implies that companies would not be able to communicate with clients or see their call history using Google Business Profile.

 

“"According to Google, this adjustment is being made with the intention of "focusing on higher-impact features for merchants." ”

What this means for businesses?

If your present method of customer communication is using Google Business Profile, you will need to find another approach. Using email, social media, or a live chat service are just a few of the alternatives. Also, Google Business Profile will no longer allow you to check your call history. This implies that you won't be able to view the amount of calls you've received or the phone numbers that they came from.

Find a new way to communicate with customers: There are several ways to communicate with customers besides Google Business Profile chat.

Here are a few options:

1. Live chat services: You can talk with clients on your website using a variety of live chat services. You may test one of these programs out before committing to a premium plan because most of them offer a free trial.

2. Email: Customers who have already gotten in touch with you or who have joined your email list can be reached by email. Email can be used to distribute promotions, newsletters, and other marketing materials.

3. Social media: Social networking is an excellent tool for customer interaction and business promotion. Social media can be used to provide company updates, respond to inquiries from clients, and hold freebies and contests.

Why is Google making this change?

According to Google, this adjustment is being made with the intention of "focusing on higher-impact features for merchants." Probably, Google thinks that other features—than chat and phone history—will be more beneficial to businesses. For instance, it's possible that Google is creating new services to assist companies in better managing their internet presence or drawing in new clients.

What does this mean for the future of Google Business Profile?

What Google Business Profile will look like in the future is unclear. However, it's possibly that Google will keep adding new capabilities and features to the platform. Given the usefulness of Google Business Profile for companies, it's expected that Google will keep making updates to the platform.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind.

You can still receive calls from your Business Profile: Even though you will no longer be able to see your call history in Google Business Profile, you will still be able to receive calls from your business phone number.

You can still track other engagement metrics for your business: Google Business Profile offers several other engagement metrics, such as web traffic and directions requests. You can still track these metrics in Google Business Profile.

For businesses, the removal of the call history and chat functionality from Google Business Profile is a big move. Still, businesses can take a few measures to get ready for this shift. Businesses can make sure they can still engage with clients and build their business by downloading their call and chat history, finding new ways to contact with them, and upgrading their Google Business Profile.