Google appears to be expanding access to AI-powered messaging in Google Business Profile, according to a recent report. The feature lets customers message businesses from Search and Maps through their phone’s native messaging app. An AI agent can answer routine questions and hand off questions it cannot answer to the business.
Why this could matter for retention
A client who has not booked in a while may only need to ask a simple question before deciding whether to return: “Do you have anything open next week?” or “Can I book that service again?” If asking is easy, your team has a chance to turn that interest into a next appointment.
Think of this feature as an inbound route for those questions, not a campaign that finds inactive clients and brings them back. The report describes customers messaging the business; it does not describe the business sending rebooking messages to clients. Use it to respond when a client reaches out, then offer a clear next step such as your usual booking route.
Check your profile before switching it on
The information an AI agent gives customers is only as useful as the details you provide. The report advises businesses to check that their menu, hours and services are up to date before turning the feature on, and notes that the agent can only answer as well as the profile does. Source
For your business, review the services you offer, how they are described and the current business hours. If clients commonly ask about who a service is for, what to expect or how to book, decide which questions the profile can answer accurately. Keep wording specific enough to be useful, but avoid promises that depend on a live appointment calendar or a person’s individual history.
Google’s example shows an agent offering open reservation times, but it is a restaurant example. Source Don’t assume your own setup can see your live schedule or client history. Before you rely on it for appointment requests, check what it actually says in your profile and how it handles a request it cannot answer.
Keep a person in the loop
The report says the agent hands off questions it cannot answer and that the business can take over conversations at any time. Source Use that option to set a simple staff process: who checks incoming conversations, when someone should respond and which questions need a person rather than an automated answer. The report also says messages are available in the Business Profile. Source
For med spas, IV clinics and wellness practices, keep the conversation focused on general logistics such as hours and booking. Don’t invite clients to share treatment details or other health information through a general messaging or marketing workflow. If a question needs clinical judgment, route it to the appropriate staff member rather than relying on an automated reply.
There is also an availability caveat. The report says the AI only works for customers on supported phones and networks; other texts go straight to your phone and standard text rates may apply. Source Confirm your team knows how to handle those messages too, so clients are not left waiting just because they used a different device or network.
Measure repeat appointments, not message volume
A busy inbox does not necessarily mean more clients are returning. Before you pilot the feature, decide what you want to learn: whether people who ask about booking go on to make an appointment, whether past clients return or whether staff are spending less time on routine questions. Keep the measure simple enough that your team can record it consistently.
Look at the conversation and the booking outcome together, using only the information needed to assess whether the inquiry led to a repeat appointment. Avoid treating every message as a win. If you want to know whether the channel itself is contributing to more repeat business, assess it with an attribution experiment—a controlled marketing test designed to measure real lift—rather than relying on message counts alone.
What to do
- Check that your Business Profile describes your current services and hours accurately.
- Decide which questions the AI may answer and when staff should take over.
- Keep medical-business conversations to logistics, not treatment details.
- Track inquiries that lead to repeat appointments, not just total messages.
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- client-retention
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Alan Jordan, founder and principal solutions architect. Data engineering, data science and business analytics for appointment-based businesses.
