Google has announced that it will discontinue the chat feature in Google Business Profile, with the service officially winding down by July 31, 2024. While necessary for the ongoing improvement of Google’s tools, this decision may pose challenges for businesses that have relied on this feature for customer communication.

Key Dates and Details:

• New Conversations Cease:
  • From July 15, 2024, customers can no longer initiate new chat conversations with businesses via Google Business Profile.
  • Ongoing chat conversations will receive notifications about the feature being phased out.
• Complete Shutdown:
  • Chat functionality will fully end on July 31, 2024. Post this date, businesses will no longer receive new chat messages through the platform.
• Customer Contact Alternatives:
  • Customers can continue to find and contact businesses through Google Search and Maps.
  • Businesses can provide additional information through website links, business descriptions, photos, and other shared content on their profiles.

Next Steps for Businesses:

• Download Chat History:
  • Businesses can download their past chat history using Google Takeout to retain records of customer interactions.
• Alternative Communication Channels:
  • Businesses are encouraged to invite customers to alternative chat solutions to maintain communication.

FAQs:

• Is the chat FAQs feature being deprecated along with GBP chat?
  • Yes, all chat features will be discontinued by July 31, 2024.
• I use Google Business Messages API. Will this impact me?
  • Yes. Learn more about updates on Google Business Messages.
• Will this change impact any other GBP APIs outside of Messaging?
  • Within the Performance API, the “BUSINESS_CONVERSATIONS” metric will no longer be available after July 31, 2024.
• Will customers be notified of these changes?
  • Beginning July 15, 2024, customers in existing chat conversations will be notified about the feature phaseout. These notifications will be shown in existing chat conversations until July 31, 2024, when GBP chat will no longer be supported.
• Can users still request a quote through GBP?
  • No, customers can currently only request quotes through chat. Beginning July 31, 2024, GBP chat will no longer be supported.
• I used to get a lot of booking requests through chat. Are there any alternative solutions that I can explore?
  • Customers can reserve a service in certain countries or regions and pay for bookings through the Reserve with Google platform. Learn more about Reserve with Google.
• Can I redirect customers to an alternative communication channel?
  • While GBP chat is still live, you can update your welcome message to redirect customers to your alternative communication channels.
• If GBP chat was my primary contact method with customers, should I add my phone number to my Business Profile?
  • Yes, if your profile currently does not have a phone number or if the number is hidden, we recommend adding one to your Business Profile by July 31 so customers can continue to contact you directly. Learn more about how to edit your business phone number.

Google emphasizes its commitment to being a helpful partner for businesses and acknowledges the impact of this decision. The phase-out of the chat feature is part of Google’s broader strategy to refine and enhance its service offerings.

Businesses are advised to plan accordingly and ensure they have alternative communication strategies to maintain customer engagement. Businesses can visit the provided resource link for more information on this change.

This change marks a significant shift in how businesses will interact with customers on Google’s platforms, urging them to adapt to new customer engagement methods.