Forum Discussion

acarrr728's avatar
acarrr728
Contributor 2
3 days ago

Google AI Mode and Jobber: Direct Bookings or Approval First?

Google's November 4 announcement about AI Mode booking options through Jobber caught my attention.

I previously owned a pest control company, so I know how much can happen between receiving a service request and actually getting someone on the schedule.

With eligible Jobber users now able to connect request or booking forms to Google AI Mode, I'm curious how contractors feel about direct bookings.

Would you let a new customer book an appointment directly, or would you prefer to review the request first?

There are some practical considerations: service areas, job types, travel time, crew availability, and whether the customer has provided enough information.

Has anyone checked out the integration or started using it? I'd be interested in hearing how it works in practice and whether you see any concerns.

4 Replies

  • My employees are almost always women due to the nature of our work, so, for safety, I could never comfortably allow new customers to book their on-site work. Instead of using Jobber booking, I encourage leads to schedule a virtual assessment through Acuity and have Zapier set them up as a lead in Jobber. This process allows leads to take action and get the booking process started while also allowing me to vet them before going on-site.

    • WiringByron's avatar
      WiringByron
      Verified Community Coach

      Nice that makes sense. If you do virtual quotes you should look into LiveSwitch it's amazing and integrates with Jobber! 

  • acarrr728's avatar
    acarrr728
    Contributor 2

    Thanks, Byron. I like your point about letting people book an estimate when you need to see the job first. I’m curious whether booking through Google’s AI will get more real jobs on the calendar faster or just add more noise. It’s worth keeping an eye on, especially if asking AI to find and book a contractor becomes routine for homeowners.

  • WiringByron's avatar
    WiringByron
    Verified Community Coach

    I'm stuck in Canada, so I can't actually use this one, but just to answer your question about direct bookings. I've had full online booking and scheduling for years. I would never change it, and I really feel this is super important for businesses to have. If someone wants to give you money and book work, why would you get in the way. If you don't want them booking work, they should at least be able to book and schedule an estimate.