An underrated Google Search feature is getting a major upgrade

Google has announced an update for Business Messages, a nifty feature that lets enterprises chat with customers straight from Search.  Th...

Google has announced an update for Business Messages, a nifty feature that lets enterprises chat with customers straight from Search. 

The company has partnered with Twilio, Genesys, and Avaya, three of the global leaders for help desk software and customer service tools, to expand what Business Messages can do. 

By adding these three partners, Google is automatically getting a leg up in a number of industries, including retail, banking, and telcos, as well as expertise in using AI chatbots to interact and help customers. 

Google Business Messages

"With hundreds of partners using the service weekly, we’re excited to further develop our partner community so we can provide the best possible experiences for everyone out there while working hand in hand with those companies that make it possible," the company says. 

According to Google, Business Messages are available in over 70 languages around the world, with millions of businesses making use of the tools everyday. 

The service is supported by Google Cloud, using its AI smarts to help customers in an automated way, reducing the need for hundreds or thousands of support staff to be available around the clock. 

The bots can be pre-programmed by companies to show inventory availability, pricing, and other scripted information whenever a customer asks. If that information proofs to not be enough, the bots can then hand over to a human. 

A play for customer service 

Google's Business Messages is already among the best Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) software around and these updates will only improve its position. 

Google is touting a number of case studies from businesses that use its service, such as Canadian telecom Vidéotron, in partnership with Khoros, which saw a 50% reducing in the average time to handle requests after only four hours of setup. 

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Google has some serious competition on its hands, though, with WhatsApp introducing a host of business-focused chatting tools recently.

But Google has one of the best moats around: people use its services to find information about businesses, most likely as one of the first steps on their journey. If you need to know something, chances are you're going to Google it. 

• Improve customer engagement with the best live chat software

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