Blog / Google Business Profile
Questions Customers Ask Before They Call
Short answer. Before they call, people usually want the trip cost in plain words, how soon you can get there, whether you serve their area, whether you are licensed and insured, and what review comments say. Google does not require this list. They look at your description, hours, service area, and reviews.
What are they trying to figure out?
They are deciding if the call is worth it. A warm upstairs, a leak, a missing shingle, or a dental visit all raise the same kind of questions. What does it cost to come out, or to be seen? How soon can someone look? Do you cover this town? Are you licensed and insured? What did recent comments actually say?
Google does not require you to publish this list. It is a practical set of questions shops already hear. People do look at the profile description, the hours, the service area, and the reviews. Complete information helps relevance. That is not a promise of more calls, and there is no way to pay Google for a better rank.
Where should those answers live?
Put standing facts where people already look. The description can say what you do, in plain words. Hours can say when a person answers. The service area should match towns you actually serve. Reviews speak for visits you already did.
Holiday exceptions belong in special hours, not in a guessed sentence. See how to set holiday hours on Google. A clever description cannot repair a name that does not match the sign. That check is in why your name, address, and phone must match.
Example. This is an example of plain description lines, not a Google template.
"We service furnaces and central air in the towns listed in our service area. The desk answers during posted hours. We will tell you the cost to come out before we roll a truck. Licensed and insured."
Delete any line you cannot say on a real call. Change the trade so it is true for your shop.
What should I say about the cost to come out?
Say the truth in plain words, on the phone and, if you want it public, in the description. Some shops charge to roll a truck. Some apply that charge to the repair. Some dental offices talk about an exam fee instead. The label matters less than a surprise.
Do not publish a number you will not honor. If the honest answer is that it depends on what you find, say that, and say you will explain the cost before work starts. This article states no price, because a made-up figure would misrepresent the shop. If the dispatcher cannot explain the trip cost in one sentence, fix that sentence before it goes on the listing.
How should I answer "how soon"?
Customers ask how soon you can be there, or how soon the office can see them. The answer should match the week you are having. A no-heat day and a quiet Tuesday are not the same. Do not write a permanent promise on the profile that the board cannot keep.
"Call the desk for the next opening" is honest when that is how scheduling works. "We are always there immediately" is a problem the first day you are not. When they call, give a real window or a real "not today." A missed-call text does not turn into a booked slot. That habit is separate, in what to text when you miss a call.
How do I answer license and insurance questions?
People want a straight yes or no they understand. "We are licensed and insured for this work in this state" is the plain version, and only if it is true. If a license covers only certain work, say the limit. HVAC, plumbing, roofing, and dental are not the same credential.
Do not paste a license number into the business name, and do not add a service keyword, a city slogan, or a URL there. That can suspend the profile. If you mention the license, the description is the calmer place. For insurance, say whether you carry it for the work you do. Do not imply a warranty you do not sell. If a property manager needs a certificate, tell them how the desk handles that request.
What should I learn from review comments?
People read the comments, not only the stars. They notice a clear price, a missed arrival, a rude desk, or someone who explained the choice. Those comments are a public list of what the next caller will ask.
A mix of positive and negative reviews often feels more trustworthy than a spotless page. Do not ask only happy customers, and do not pay, discount, or give free work so someone will post, change, or remove a review. A genuine ask with nothing attached is allowed. See how to get more Google reviews.
If comments keep saying nobody explained the trip charge, put that explanation in the description and in the dispatch script. If comments say you do not serve a town you keep naming, fix the service area. More reviews and positive ratings can help local ranking. Your description should not argue with the comments. It should make the next call easier to start.
FAQ
Does Google require a shop to answer these questions on the profile?
No. This is a practical list, not a Google form. People look at the description, hours, service area, and reviews, and complete information helps relevance. Write true answers where those facts already belong.
Should I list a very low visit price so more people call?
No. Do not publish a price you will not honor. Say the real cost to come out in plain words, or say that you will explain it before work starts. A teaser the tech retracts is a trust problem.
Where do people look for hours and service area?
They look at hours and service area on the profile, and they read the description and the reviews. Holiday exceptions belong in special hours. The towns you list should be towns you actually serve.
Should I ignore review comments that complain about wait time?
No. Those comments are part of what the next customer reads. You can reply in a short, specific way, and you can fix how the desk explains a wait. Do not report a review only because you dislike it.
