The Gifts of Google (now with free 411)

As a business owner whose revenue is built on long-term relationships with clients, where do you want to be in the mind of your people?

A. Yes! Free 411 from Google. 1-800-GOOG-411!

B. Finally! No more $1.79 charges from AT$T.

Those were my first two thoughts when I heard Google was offering a free 411 service. Google is building a brand experience around providing free, instant information. Free search, email, maps, photo services….now free 411. It’s Google info, via mobile audio. Officially it’s Google Voice Local Search.

Not only is it free, it’s better than 411:

• search for a local business by name or category.
  You can say “Giovanni’s Pizzeria” or just “pizza”.
• get connected to the business, free of charge.
• get the details by SMS if you‚Äôre using a mobile phone. Just say “text message”.

As a result of these fine, accurate gifts, we use these services. We also tolerate Google’s smart ads that are associated with them (though none are currently built into the 411 service). By giving us what we want first, we reciprocate by tolerating ads when they come (and you can bet they will). And even the ads are useful in that they are contextual to the search query we make. So basically Google gives me the gift of ads I might actually care about.

So why can’t AT&T (and other carriers) offer free 411? Who wants to be my provider of information? Who wants to be top of mind when I need to get data?

What happens when Google offers me a free mobile phone?