Google Assistant is one of the leading AI techs. We’ve made it to the point in history where we have access to our own personal digital assistant to complete mundane tasks for us, such as playing your favorite song or learning how to bake a turkey for thanksgiving. All while just saying a prompt phrase, like “Hey Google.”  These handy automations can also make your daily tasks easier like, reading your emails or texts out loud, giving you directions and warning of traffic issues, setting reminders and dates in your calendar, and now, making appointments on your behalf. 

The real question is: what does this mean in a business sense? Can Google Assistant or even Alexa make appointments for your law firm to improve your intake process? And can it help with law office automation?

In this blog post, we’ll briefly go over what Google Assistant is, a new feature of Google Assistant that could help you out, and answer the question about whether Google Assistant really helps you with law office automation.

Related: Could a Voice Assistant Make Law Firm Life Easier?

What Is Google Assistant?

Google Assistant is a digital AI assistant capable of carrying out simple tasks like setting reminders, reading emails and texts, checking news updates, sending messages, and even setting restaurant reservations. Google Assistant is voice-activated. All you need to say is, “Hey Google,” to begin prompting the assistant for tasks. This service is free and available on many platforms, including it’s own Google Home device. Once you have said your key phrase, “Hey Google,” you can have your assistant automate a task for you.

This service can be quite helpful for day-to-day tasks in a work or personal setting. If you have Google Smart Home devices, you can even control your lights and thermostat. If date night is coming up and you need a reservation for dinner, Google Assistant can even make that call on your behalf. These tasks can be quite convenient, but there are some limitations.

Limitations with Google Assistant

If you want to take advantage of a recent feature where your Google Assistant will call and place a reservation on your behalf, you may run into a few issues. One being, Google Duplex. If the business you are trying to set a reservation with hasn’t signed up for Google Duplex, they can’t receive calls from Google Assistant on your behalf.  While this feature is relatively new, many businesses still haven’t signed up for Google Duplex. Many may not be aware of this service.

Don’t worry, business owners. This feature doesn’t mean you’ll be bombarded with automated calls if you decide to sign up. Google insists they have set the program not to spam business owners. Once Google Assistant is prompted to make a call, it can determine if the call has been answered, ask specific questions, and relay information back to the customer. Google Assistant can connect a call to any business listed online, but automated voice calls on your behalf can only be done with businesses that have signed up for Google Duplex.

So, Can Google Assistant Make Appointments?

Yes, you can prompt Google Assistant to save an appointment to your calendar using just your voice. This feature can particularly be convenient in a work setting. You must tell your Google Assistant to set the time, day, and title. You can also set it to give you reminders, so you don’t forget.

Will your Google Assistant make appointment arrangements with co-workers or clients? No. It can only save appointment information to your calendar with the information you have already made arrangements for. Google Assistant, along with various other voice assistant services, is very convenient and should be utilized in a work setting. Just make sure to utilize the “do not disturb” settings on your stand-alone devices if you are speaking in confidentiality. Frivolous tasks can be easily automated through voice assistant services like Google Assistant.

 What About Law Firm Automation? 

For law firm automation, you will want to look into a new client intake bot, like our LawDroid. Google Assistant is not designed to help automate anything for your law firm. While you could use Google Duplex, your clients would need to have Google Assistant. You would also need other backup methods for the automation of appointments. When automating something as sensitive as client information, you’ll want something geared specifically toward gathering that information that is easy and convenient for both you and your potential client.

LawDroid offers chatbot software that is easy to use to automate intake effectively. If you enjoy the convenience of using your voice to automate tasks, LawDroid also has LawDroid Voice! If you’re looking for an automation tool to use for clients to book appointments with you, take a look at our legal chatbot and LawDroid Voice!

Using LawDroid can increase intake and provide convenience for you and your potential clients. Get your 30 day free trial of LawDroid here.