We are a Google Apps for Work reseller and have been for several years now. We haveve also used Google Apps in our business for nearly 5 years now. This post is about why you should consider using Google Apps.
Low Ongoing Cost
People are always amazed when I explain to them that we can set up an email solution where the ongoing cost per user can be as low as $5AUD per month. Compared to traditional offerings such as exchange, this is very affordable. We have a varying initial setup cost for Google Apps based on a few different requirements – however it has never exceeded the cost of an exchange server!
You can still use se your own domain
If you’re using an @gmail address or @hotmail address for your business you probably shouldn’t. With domain names currently at such low prices there really is no excuse to not identify your brand in your email.
Sync between Devices
Do you find sometimes if you’ve drafted an email on one devices, or sent/deleted etc on one device the changes don’t sync to your other devices? Using Google apps your changes sync across devices. If you’re using an iPhone, and Android or the website the changes are reflected everywhere so you can be sure that you are seeing up to date information and not be worried about whether you may or may not have already sent something.
Distributed Network
You have the advantage of Google’s own servers hosting your email. In the several years that we’ve sold and supported Google Apps the only outages we’ve ever come across had nothing to do with Google. It was either people had let a domain expire or they had changed settings that should not have been changed. Google have multiple servers all over the world that provide the Google Apps service.
You aren’t running the risk of that one computer in your office that handles your email suddenly failing when you use Google Apps – it’s all stored in the cloud, so as long as you have the internet – you’ll be able to get your emails.
Accessibility
Google Apps will work on a web browser, iPhone, Android, iPad etc. The major devices as well also now have apps that do specific functions from the Google Apps suite for example the Sheets App for spreadsheets or the Docs app for documents.
File Sharing
If you’re a client of Instant Technology you would be aware that we share all documentation with you after we complete or update any of your equipment. We do this using Google Drive. It is secured by email i.e. if you invite a person to a file or folder they are the only person that can see it. Even though you can restrict access you can also allow some files to be public – you may want to do this if you have a page on a website that uses content from a file to update.
One of the other great things about Google Drive is the ability to work collaboratively. If you click here you will see a great example of how this can work. Remember as well you’ve got the ability to collaborate with people outside of your business using these tools as well.
Advanced Search & Spam Filtering
One thing I’ve loved demonstrating to people before they jump on board with Google Apps is just how powerful search is. You can search for the contents within an email, you can specify if you want to see things that include attachments or do not, a persons email. If you’re neat and organise things into folders (Google refers to these as “labels”) you can also search within a label very easily. I know some people that have not even bothered to use labels as they find that the search functionality is powerful enough to find them what they need quickly.
Google also monitors your email for any incoming spam messages and appropriately allocates them to a Spam folder. From there you can either mark them as not spam if they were incorrectly tagged – or – you can click delete forever. Google then uses this data to make sure that both yourself and other Google users don’t ever have that email enter your inbox ever again.
Other Common Questions We Get Asked
Can I use aliases?
The short answer is yes. Google have two ways of using aliases, if only one person needs to see that particular email address you can just add that alias to a user.
If you want multiple people to receive that email then you can add a group that has public posting permissions. There is currently no additional charge for alias addresses or group email addresses with Google.
Can I transfer my existing emails to Google?
Yes – however depending on your current service offering this may take some time to transfer the data. Especially in Australia with our poor upload speeds we have had some transfers that have taken several days to fully upload.
I’m currently using hotmail won’t I miss emails being sent there?
No, we ask a lot of questions before we get started with setting up Google Apps, one being who is your current email provider. Nearly all hosts allow you to forward your ongoing emails into your new Google Apps account, so you shouldn’t miss a thing.
Will I Still Have a Calendar?
Yes, and just like sheets and Gmail the changes will sync across your devices as long as you’ve set them up that way. You have the ability to share calendars with your colleagues as well.
Is it secure?
Yes – we recommend that everyone uses two-step authentication with Google Apps (and really with any application that supports two-step you should use it). On top of using two-step authentication Google also have a site called My Account (https://myaccount.google.com/) that can give you data on where someone last signed in, and provide advice on keeping your account more secure.
Remember though security is really in the hands of the user, never share your passwords, never use simple or easy to guess passwords and make sure that you have policies or procedures in place for if someone loses a device or has a device stolen.
How do I get started?
If you are interested in using Google Apps or have any further questions please get in Contact with us so we can discuss your specific requirements. You will need an existing domain name and your login details for it (or we can register one for you if you don’t have one), a list of the email addresses you would like to use if you are brand new to email – or – a list of all of the current email addresses that you currently use.
It is also great if you can let us know what email service you currently use, but if you aren’t sure don’t worry as we can find out easily for you.
We look forward to hearing from you!