A new feature from Google, 'Talk to a Live Representative', could soon help you avoid getting stuck on hold and forced to navigate menus of robocalls. This experimental feature is available in Google Search Labs now. You can call a company on your behalf and then navigate the company's retention system for you. When a human is on the line, it will notify you.
This works just like 'Wait for me'a feature introduced for Pixel owners in 2020 and currently exclusive to Google Pixel 3 phones and newer. 'Talk to a live representative' was detected by user Pound sterling, who also pointed out the similarities with “Hold for me”. However, unlike “Wait for Me,” this new feature will also call a company on your behalf, so you don't need to activate it once you're on the call.
#Google Labs added a “Talk to a Live Representative” experiment that sounds like #GooglePixel.CC's great “Wait for Me” feature @9to5Google @NexusBen #GoogleLabs pic.twitter.com/GeW8wbAJRNFebruary 15, 2024
The post shows three screenshots, one from Google Search Labs explaining the feature. The second displays a search page with the “Talk to a Live Representative” option above the “Request a Call” option. Finally, the third image shows several dropdown menus from companies that are currently supported.
“Talk to a Live Representative” is currently only available in the US. You can also use it with the Google app for both. Android and iOSas well as Chrome for the desktop.
To use this feature, simply search for a company's customer service number. If supported, Google will display a “Request a Call” button. The example shown in the original post included several US airlines, phone companies, and retailers on the list of supported companies.
After Google makes the call, you'll receive SMS updates about your progress and your phone will ring once a human representative is available.
It's unclear when it will be available to all users or if it will ever become a permanent fixture in Google search results. If rolled out to all users, “Talk to a Live Representative” could become an invaluable tool to help navigate the increasingly robotic customer service phone lines that have become more common.
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