When Google released Google Allo chat application last year, it seemed like it was heading towards nowhere in the long run. However, the company kept releasing a number of updates and kept improving Allo over the months. However, with this update – it looks like Allo finally has some purpose.
If you notice the screenshot above, you’ll notice that the fourth option on the first image from the left is that of ‘message’. In the past, this used to be ‘Share’ or ‘Download’ depending on what type of places you’ve clicked up on. However, following this update to Google Maps, you will now be able to contact businesses and message them in one tap! The second image shows the default message the business sends you to initiate the chat. This is indeed an interesting update from Google and it appears that Allo is now competing with the Facebook Messenger.
The Facebook Messenger too, has been an effective tool of communication between companies and users for years now. Recent updates have introduced bots which help users troubleshoot problems, as well as communicate with company representatives. Similar to the Facebook Messenger, this Google Allo integration in Google Maps too, has a default message which is displayed first. Moreover, another striking similarity is the response time – as Google Maps will tell you how quick a business is in responding to messages! This will ensure that companies respond faster to keep customers satisfied as response rate information is publicly visible. As of now there’s no word if this is a country-specific update, but we’re likely to know more over the next few days. Source: r/Google
