Google AI will soon call your customer on your behalf for an appointment. Are you ready?

Your phone is ringing. It's not a Men's on the line.

You're standing on a ladder, halfway through a job. Your phone rings, an unknown number. You think: I'll call back later. What you don't know is that the call wasn't from a customer. It was Google. And Google doesn't wait.

That sounds strange, but it's what Google announced at Google I/O 2026. Their AI agent, powered by Gemini, can now independently make calls on behalf of a customer to book an appointment. The customer types something like “book a painter for next week” and Google will search for relevant companies, assess their profile, and call them in order of relevance. Whichever company answers and is available gets the job. Those who don't answer are skipped.

This is not science fiction. Google Duplex, the technology underlying this, has existed since 2018. At the time, an AI called a real hairdresser for the first time to make an appointment, live on stage at Google I/O. In 2026, that technology will be embedded in the regular search function, and the Netherlands is one of the rollout markets. You don't have to wait for this. You need to be ready for it now.

What is agentic AI and why is it unlike before?

Agentic AI is an AI that independently carries out tasks on behalf of a user. No suggestions, no list of options where you still have to click. The AI just does it. Searching, comparing, calling, scheduling and confirming an appointment. All in one go, without the customer having to do anything other than enter the initial search query.

Google Assistant used to say: here are three businesses nearby, click on one to call. That was already a step easier than searching yourself. But the customer still had to choose and still had to call themselves. That is now a thing of the past. The AI chooses and calls. You, as the customer, don't have to do anything anymore.

This changes the game for local businesses in a way most entrepreneurs haven't seen yet. Because previously you had influence through your website, through word-of-mouth, through a sign in the neighbourhood. Now an algorithm determines which business gets called first. And that algorithm is based almost entirely on your Google Business Profile, your reviews and how active you are on that profile.

The technology behind all of this is Google Duplex, combined with Gemini and the new AI Mode in Google Search. In 2024, Duplex was already being used more than two million times a month globally. These numbers are growing rapidly. In countries like the US and India, agentic booking is already active. The Netherlands is planned for the second half of 2026.

The scenario that you a job costs

A customer in Oisterwijk wants a gardener for a quote next Saturday. Previously, that customer would Google “gardener Oisterwijk”, click on a few sites, look at the prices, and then decide to call someone later that day. Perhaps not even that same day.

This will work differently now. The customer types into Google: "Book a gardener in Oisterwijk for Saturday, quote for garden renovation." Google AI will look at the three most relevant companies based on their Business Profile. Availability, services, reviews, and how recently the profile has been updated. The AI will then call them, in order. Company number one answers and says they can do Saturday. An appointment is made. The other two aren't even called anymore.

That's the scenario. And the scary thing isn't that the AI is calling. The scary thing is you're on the ladder and you don't pick up your phone, while your competitor does. In that case, you've already lost the job before you even knew about it. No second chances, no callbacks.

But there's another step before that moment. Namely: the AI needs to know you. If your Company Profile is empty, outdated, or not detailed enough about your services, you won't even make it into that top three. Then you won't be called at all. Then you'll lose the job before the phone has even rung.

What Google needs from you Company Profile

Before the AI agent decides to call you, it reads your Google Business Profile from top to bottom. That profile is your digital business card on Google, and it’s the only thing the AI uses to determine whether you’re the right person for the customer. Your website, your Instagram, your flyer in the letterbox – none of that counts at that moment.

What the AI uses to rank: your category and the services you have entered. Not just painting company, but also exterior painting, window frame painting, wood rot treatment. Those details are what the AI matches with the customer's search query. The more specific you are, the greater the chance you will match.

The AI also looks at your opening hours and whether you work at weekends. If a customer wants someone on Saturday, you have an advantage if you've listed that in your profile. The AI also looks at your reviews, not just the star rating but the content too. If a review says something like "quickly on-site" or "provided a good quote", that matches search terms like "fast painter" or "painter with quote".

Finally: your phone number must be correct and it must be recorded. The AI needs your number to be able to call you. Surprisingly, many companies have an incorrect number listed, or a number that forwards to a voicemail that is never checked. That’s a gap you can plug straight away.

5 things that you you can already do

You don't need any technical knowledge to prepare for agentic booking. It's about the basics of keeping your Google Business Profile up-to-date and complete. Here are five concrete steps you can take today.

1. Detail your services. Not just a handyman service, but also the specific things you do: laying laminate flooring, bathroom renovations, cleaning gutters, interior painting. The AI matches keywords in your services. The more detail, the greater the chance you'll be found for specific jobs.

2. Check your phone number and ensure you're reachable. Go to your profile, check the number, and make sure you answer if someone calls. Voicemail is an option, but then you'll miss the agent booking, as they won't wait for a callback.

3. Stay active on your profile. Post a photo every two weeks of a completed job, a seasonal offer, or a tip. Google sees profiles that have been inactive for 30 days as less relevant. This directly costs you visibility, both in regular search results and for agentic bookings.

4. Collect reviews the right way. After each job, send your customer a text or email with your Google review link. Simply ask. No discounts, no tablet on the counter. The AI weighs the content of reviews. A review that says "helped within 2 days" works better than five stars without text.

5. Get your opening hours just right. Do you also work on Saturdays? That needs to be in your profile. The AI filters by availability. If a customer wants Saturday and you don't have Saturday in your opening hours, you'll be ruled out. Even if you actually work on Saturdays.

Frequently asked questions about Google AI booking