Google's AI Is Calling Local Businesses for Quotes: How Contractors Get Picked

Google can now call local businesses for a homeowner, ask about price and availability, and send back a summary. It started with businesses like pet groomers and dry cleaners, and marketers have spotted it on home-service searches too. When Google's AI calls, the contractor who answers clearly and quickly is the one who makes the list. The one who doesn't pick up has nothing to report.

What is Google's AI calling feature?

In July 2025, Google added AI calling to Search for all U.S. users. A searcher looking for a local service can tap an option like "Have AI check pricing." Google then calls nearby businesses, gathers prices and availability, and shows the options.

Google first showed it with pet groomers and dry cleaners and hasn't published a full list of categories. Contractor marketers have reported seeing it on home-service searches, starting with lawn care in late 2025, but the rollout is uneven. Search for your own service in your area to see whether the option shows up yet.

How does it work?

1. The homeowner asks. They search for a service, tap the AI option, and tell Google what they need.
2. Google calls businesses. Its AI calls several local businesses and asks about price and availability.
3. The homeowner gets the options. Google shows what it learned from the businesses it reached.

What does Google say about these calls?

Google's help page for businesses covers the basics:

• What they're for: booking appointments, checking wait times and confirming the price and availability of services.
• Recording: calls on behalf of customers are monitored and recorded for quality.
• Timing: Google limits repeat calls for the same information and avoids late-night and early-morning hours.
• Safety: Google says it will never ask for payment, credit card information or account passwords on these calls.
• Where: in the U.S., every state except Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana and Nebraska.

Should you opt out?

You can. In your Google Business Profile, go to More > Business Profile settings > Advanced settings, and under "Google automated calls and text messages," turn off Bookings and inquiries from customers. Your profile must be verified to do it this way. You can also tell the caller "Please stop calling my business."

For most contractors, opting out means leaving money on the table. A homeowner who asks Google to call around is ready to hire. Staying in, and being ready for the call, is usually the better move.

How do you get recommended?

1. Answer the phone, or call back fast. A business that doesn't answer has nothing to report. Make sure calls ring somewhere during business hours.
2. Have a pricing answer ready. Pick one approach and use it every time: a price range for common jobs, a trip or diagnostic fee, or "free estimate, and here's how soon we can come out."
3. Know your next opening. "We can be there Thursday morning" beats "let me check and call you back."
4. Keep your profile accurate. Google uses your Business Profile to find matching businesses, so keep services, service areas and hours current.
5. Train whoever answers. An automated call from Google is still a homeowner's request. Answer it the way you'd answer them.

A simple script your office can keep by the phone:

"Thanks for calling Oakline Exteriors. Yes, we replace windows in [town]. Most single windows run [range], and we give a free in-home estimate. Our next opening is [day]. What's the best number to reach the homeowner?"

How does this connect to the rest of your Google presence?

It's the same habit that wins Local Services Ads: answer fast. Google ranks Local Services Ads partly on responsiveness, and since October 1, 2026, missed business-hours calls on Local Services Ads can be charged as leads. See Google Now Charges for Missed LSA Calls.

Accurate services and hours on your profile help here, in the map pack and on Local Services Ads at the same time. For the full picture, read The Top of Google for Contractors.

How Gozango helps you be ready for every call

• Google Business Profile in sync: keep services, service areas and hours current in Business Settings, and they update on Google.
• Calls tracked: a tracking number on your profile sends every call into your pipeline with its source, so you can see what your profile produces.
• Missed-call text back: when a homeowner's call goes unanswered, they get a text in seconds, so the conversation keeps going.
• Signals when a lead is waiting: your dashboard flags leads that haven't had a response yet.

Sources

• Google, New AI features in Google Search: call a business or do research
• Google Business Profile Help, About automated calls and texts from Google to your business
• PPC Land, Google Search calls small businesses for customers automatically