Google ‘Talk to a Live Rep’ brings Pixel’s Hold for Me to all Search users

Google Search Labs is testing a “Talk to a Live Representative” feature where it will “help you place the call, wait on hold, and then give you a call once a live representative is available.”

When you search for customer service numbers, which Google recently started surfacing for Knowledge Panels, you might see a prominent “Talk to a live representative” prompt. Very simply, Google will call the support line “for you and wait on hold until a customer service representative picks up.” At that time, Google will call you so you can get on with your business.

To “Request a call,” you first specify a reason for why you’re calling. In the case of airlines, it’s: Update existing booking, Luggage issue, Canceled flight, Other issue, Flight check-in, Missed my flight, and Delayed flight.

You then provide your phone number, with Google sending SMS updates. The Request page will note the estimated wait time. After submitting, you can cancel the request at any time.

Supported businesses include: 

• Airlines: Alaska Airlines, Delta Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, United
• Telecommunications: Assurance Wireless, Boost Mobile, Charter Communications, Cricket Wireless, Samsung, Sprint (presumably T-Mobile)
• Retail: Best Buy, Costco, Gamestop, The Home Depot, Walmart, Services
• Services: ADT, DHL, Fedex, Grubhub, Instacart, Securus Technologies, Stubhub, UPS, and Waste Management, Zelle
• Insurance: Esurance, State Farm 

Call me back is something that specific services already offer as an alternative to waiting on the line. Google is offering it a much larger scale, with this Talk to a Live Rep feature having Assistant branding that harkens back to Duplex. 

The last we heard about Duplex is how Google was dropping the web version that could change passwords, make movie ticket purchases, assist in retail checkouts, order food, and check-in to flights. This was to focus on voice capabilities. 

Meanwhile, this is more or less the functionality of “Hold for Me” in the Google Pixel Phone app, but without having to first navigate the phone tree.

Google tells us that ‘’Talk to a Live Representative’’ is available in the US for Search Lab users. It works on the Google app for Android and iOS, as well as desktop Chrome.

Thanks, Sterling