YOUR GOOGLE BUSINESS HOURS ARE WRONG AND IT'S COSTING YOU WEEKEND CALLS

You know what's worse than not showing up on Google?

Showing up... with the wrong damn hours.

Think about it. Some homeowner's toilet is overflowing on a Saturday morning. They grab their phone. Google "plumber near me." Your business pops up.

And right there, under your name, it says "Closed."

So they scroll right past you and call the next guy.

Money. Gone. Just like that.

This Happens Way More Than You Think

Here's a stat that'll make you sick. Over 60% of small business owners have inaccurate information on their Google Business Profile. And hours are the number one thing that's wrong.

Maybe you set up your profile two years ago when you were still doing 9-to-5. Now you take calls on weekends. But you never updated Google.

Or maybe your nephew set it up for you and just guessed at the hours.

Or maybe Google "suggested" an edit and you didn't catch it. Yeah, Google does that. They'll change your hours based on user reports. Without telling you.

Fun, right?

How Much Is This Actually Costing You?

Let's do some quick math.

The average emergency plumbing job is worth $300 to $500. Weekend and after-hours jobs? Often more because of the urgency.

If your Google profile says "Closed" and you lose just 2 calls per weekend, that's roughly $600 to $1,000. Every single weekend.

Over a year? That's $30,000 to $50,000 in lost revenue.

From wrong hours.

Let that sink in. Pun absolutely intended.

Here's How to Fix It (Takes 2 Minutes)

Step 1: Open Google Maps on your phone or computer.

Step 2: Search for your business name.

Step 3: Click "Edit profile" (you need to be signed into the Google account that owns the listing).

Step 4: Click on "Hours."

Step 5: Update every single day to reflect when you actually answer the phone.

That's it. Done.

But Wait. What If You're Available 24/7?

A lot of plumbers take emergency calls around the clock. If that's you, set your hours to 24 hours for every day of the week.

Google lets you do this. And it gives you a huge advantage because when someone searches at 2am with a burst pipe, Google is more likely to show businesses that are listed as open.

Being listed as "Open 24 hours" is like a neon sign that says "Call me. I'm here."

Don't Forget Special Hours

Holidays matter too. Google lets you set special hours for holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's.

If you work holidays (and let's be real, pipes don't take holidays), mark yourself as open.

If you don't, set those days as closed so people aren't calling and getting voicemail. That leads to bad reviews. Which leads to fewer calls. Which leads to... you get it.

The "More Hours" Trick Most Plumbers Don't Know About

Google Business Profile has a feature called "More hours" that lets you set specific hours for specific services.

So you could set:

1. Main hours: Mon-Fri 8am to 5pm
2. Emergency service hours: 24/7

This tells Google (and customers) that you're available for emergencies anytime, but your regular office hours are weekday business hours.

Most plumbers don't know this exists. Now you do. Use it.

Check Your Hours Right Now. Seriously.

I'm not being dramatic. Pull out your phone. Google your business. Look at your hours.

Are they right?

If not, fix them. Right now. Before you finish reading this.

Because every hour your profile says "Closed" when you're actually available... that's a customer calling someone else.

Your Website Should Match Your Google Hours

Here's another thing that trips plumbers up. Your website says one thing, Google says another.

Google actually checks for consistency. If your website says "Available 24/7" but your Google profile says you close at 5pm, that's a trust signal problem.

Make sure your website and your Google Business Profile match. Same hours. Same phone number. Same address. This consistency is key for local SEO.

This isn't just about customers. It's about Google trusting your business enough to rank you higher.

One More Thing. Turn on Google Messaging.

While you're in there fixing your hours, turn on the messaging feature. And don't forget to update your business description while you're at it. This lets customers text you directly from your Google listing.

Some people don't want to call. Especially younger homeowners. Give them the option to message. It's another way to capture leads that would otherwise disappear.

The Bottom Line

Wrong Google hours is one of those problems that's so easy to fix, most plumbers just assume theirs are fine. And they lose thousands of dollars because of that assumption.

Take 2 minutes. Check your hours. Fix them. Move on.

And if your whole online presence feels like a mess... your website's outdated, your Google profile is half-finished, you're not showing up where you should be...

Get a free website audit from us. We'll show you exactly what's broken and how to fix it. No pressure. No sales pitch. Just straight talk.

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P.S. Still think your Google hours don't matter? Ask yourself this. When's the last time YOU called a business that Google said was closed? Exactly. [Fix your hours or let us help fix everything.](/#contact)