Homebase says it can cover a sick-day call-out

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• Homebase says its assistant can cover a sick-day shift

  Homebase says its new assistant can drop a schedule or a job post from hours to minutes, and the owner still signs off. On a sick-day call-out, founder John Waldmann says nobody is contacted until the owner agrees, and then the assistant reaches out until someone accepts the shift.

  Why it matters: If your hourly crew uses Homebase, a sick-day call-out can start a search for cover, and nobody is contacted until you agree.

  Source: SiliconANGLE · October 20

• Yelp charges $30 a month to reply to leads

  Yelp is charging business owners $30 a month for Smart Lead Reply, where the owner sets how the assistant talks as it replies and works to qualify a lead. The same update lets a person send a voice assistant to call a restaurant about the wait and text the result.

  Why it matters: If quote requests come through Yelp, that $30 a month pays for an assistant that answers them, so check the wording you set before it writes back.

  Source: TechCrunch · October 20

• Calendly's email assistant now handles zones and one-off times

  Calendly says Callie, its email scheduling assistant, now accounts for the other person's time zone and marks times open for both when they use Calendly too. You can ask it to change a meeting's length or place, offer hours outside the usual schedule, or book over an existing event.

  Why it matters: If customers book estimates through a Calendly email, Callie can suggest a time in their zone, including a one-off slot outside your usual hours.

  Source: Calendly · October 20

• Google adds a small-business page in the Gemini app

  Google says a business page in the Gemini app is beginning to roll out in the coming days globally for all Gemini app users. From that page, Google says you can connect Google Business Profile, Google Ads, Workspace, and Xero or Shopify, and turn receipts or spreadsheets into charts.

  Why it matters: If you use the Gemini app and a Google Business Profile, this is the page Google says will connect them, once it shows up on your account.

  Source: Google · October 20

• ChatGPT can hide a single chat behind a PIN

  OpenAI is rolling out locked chats on free and paid plans, except ChatGPT for Healthcare, and it may not show up yet. A PIN hides it from the usual list, but OpenAI says it does not change how long the chat is kept or the improve-the-model setting.

  Why it matters: If a shared shop phone holds customer details in ChatGPT, a PIN hides that chat from the next person who looks, a reset deletes locked chats, and a group chat cannot be locked.

  Source: TechCrunch · October 20