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Google Hijacks Restaurants Booking System Leading To No Reservations Being Available. (www.seroundtable.com)

submitted 2 weeks ago by Tea@programming.dev to c/technology@lemmy.world

31 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Imagine you own a restaurant and you get all your reservations online through your booking system; you even tell people to book online when they call, via an automated message. But then, all of a sudden, Google decides to hijack that booking link and replace it with Google Assistant's calling feature.

So instead of Google linking to the booking system you selected, let's say OpenTable booking integration. Now Google uses Google Assistant to try to call the restaurant and speak to a person. But no person will answer the call, the call goes to a message to tell people to book online. So the next thing that happens is that Google gives up calling, thinks there are no reservations available and tells those trying to book online that there are no reservations available.

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[–] BombOmOm@lemmy.world 129 points 2 weeks ago (16 children)

While that is shit, if I call a restaurant to make a reservation and they just tell me to go to their website, I’m probably going elsewhere anyway.

Why even have a phone number if it is useless?

[–] jet@hackertalks.com 17 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

Why even have a phone number if it is useless?

forgotten glasses
arranging a special event
deliveries and business coordination
employees calling out
etc

[–] zout@fedia.io 40 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

These all require someone to actually pick up the phone, instead of playing an automated message.

[–] Atherel@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 weeks ago

You can have both.

Welcome to restaurant. For reservations please visit our website on restaurant.com. For any other requests, please hold the line.

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