Use automation to keep customers updated when techs are on the way
Automation is useful when it carries a real business decision forward. It is dangerous when it pretends to know more than the team, the record, or the current permissions actually allow.
Local Business Pro now includes a Function platform and builder experience for configuring typed automation behavior, including supported On My Way ETA and location activity. The point is not another mysterious “AI action” button. It is a clearer way to define what an automation needs, what it can return, and which dependencies must be in place before it runs.
A function has a job to do
Functions use defined inputs and outputs. The catalog-driven builder helps an operator select supported configuration and validate the dependencies that make the action meaningful. If an input, connection, or permission is required, the team can identify it before relying on the workflow.
That is especially useful when a small operation affects a customer expectation: confirming a visit, communicating an ETA, or carrying context into follow-up work.
On My Way activity stays permission-aware
The On My Way workflow adds supported ETA and location activity where the relevant field workflow, permissions, and device conditions allow it. It can help an office ground a customer conversation in actual field progress instead of a generic assurance.
It does not promise autonomous dispatch, perfect location accuracy, or an update when the necessary context is unavailable. Local Business Pro should surface what the workflow can support—not manufacture certainty.
For examples of assistance around jobs and estimates, see AI automations for home-service workflows. For a configured customer-notification pattern, see appointment notification automation. The scheduling context still governs the appointment, so review scheduling-confidence improvements and the calendar feature alongside any ETA workflow.
Frequently asked questions
What is an automation Function?
It is a supported, typed operation configured through the builder with defined inputs, outputs, and dependency validation.
Does On My Way track every technician automatically?
No. ETA and location activity depend on the supported workflow, relevant permissions, and available device context.
Can a Function replace a dispatcher’s judgment?
No. Functions help carry configured operations forward; scheduling, assignment, and customer decisions remain business responsibilities.
