We had spent a year using Google Apps with much success and at virtually no cost.  Using Thunderbird (free) and web access we successfully manage our email, docs and calendars.  No outages, no problems, easy configuration – lots of new, fun bonus features over time and ways in which to embed/integrate all over our blogs etc (with web 2.0ish widgets etc.)

Along comes a friend of mine with a small business (3-4 employees) who has been running a server with Microsoft Small Business Server (SQL + Exchange + all other stuff Microsoft).  Renewal time is coming on licenses, renewal time is coming for virus and spam software, consultants are circling to harvest several thousand dollars to update everything.  His server is in rough shape and needs a rebuild or replacement.

We go for lunch.  I hear his story and tell him about Google’s alternative approach that we’ve used.  He’s a little excited.

So what do we do?  Jump in – I charge him a fraction of the server + software + consulting hours he was facing to get him all set up.  We replace his mail server with Google’s.  We setup his calendars.  We swap Thunderbird in for Outlook and him and his 2 staff adjust within a couple days. 

Blackberries synch faster than they ever did through Exchange – emails are nearly instantaneous.  Postini is activated on Google Apps and SPAM drops from hundreds daily to near-zero.  His server is relegated to a fileserver and network hub for domain logins from his 2 laptops.

Next step, selecting a means of safeguarding his files centrally with redundant safe, easily backed up storage and eliminating a domain based network – because I ask, what is the point?

He’s saved money, he likes the results thus far, it was relatively quick and economical and eliminates costly software/licenses.  He’s on the verge of evaluating Salesforce.com too (which of course I will assist him on if that is where he wants to go).

Wondering how many other businesses (particularly small ones with a handful of employees) could benefit from this kind of transition?  What are companies in the business of doing? Making money through the products/services they offer.  If office communications technology is a facilitator for their commerce that is fine – but this technology should meet their needs at the lowest cost possible, should it not? I don’t see it as in a small business’ interest to make big payments to Microsoft for software and to Dell or others for new shiny servers and to enter the perpetual cycle of maintenance and upgrades of soft/hardware.  All this does is steal money from the bottom line.

I don’t think I’ve quite mastered the perfect configuration as this isn’t exactly one size fits all, but this is a good way to approach dismantling the mounting costs of IT for small businesses.

We’re working on our status of becoming certified Google Apps Resellers – give us a little while and I’m sure we’ll get there!  If you or someone you know might want to benefit from these kind of services – CONTACT US.

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Write comment

Name

Email

Website

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment