If your business is currently running a Microsoft Exchange server, switching to Google Apps will almost certainly save your company a lot of money and reduce headaches. Not currently running an exchange server?… you should still read on.
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- Throw out the cost of hardware. E-mail systems that depend on on-premise hardware carry the cost of hardware which carries a typical lifespan of 3-5 years. While hardware costs have been reduced through commoditization and Moore’s law, the cost of purchasing, maintaining and powering a server are still very real. With Google Apps, there simply is no server hardware to maintain, and therefore simplifies your IT infrastructure.
Throw out the cost of maintenance. Traditional mail systems require extensive maintenance, both proactive and re-active. Ask any Microsoft Exchange administrator about managing Information Stores, quotas, archivals, business continuity, etc. Costs can vary from a few dollars per user per month to tens of dollars per user per month strictly on maintenance. With Google Apps, maintenance is not eliminated 100% but in our experience is eliminated by about 90%. The functions that remain are typically end-user support and how-to tasks.
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- Untether yourself from the office. Google Apps is more than just email. It allows you to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations and log onto another system anywhere else in the world and continue right where you left off. In fact, people in your organization can simultaneously view, or even edit the same documents from different computers in real-time. No more emailing documents back and forth and creating multiple versions that live on different computers.
- Run your business from your smartphone. Whether you’re on an iPhone, Android or BlackBerry smartphone, you can have your contacts, calendar and email be up-to-date in real-time with your computer and online account. Being able to write, respond and interact from anywhere at any time, in our experience, helps speed up business and increase revenue.
- Enjoy Peace of Mind Security. On-premise mail systems now-a-days require complex security infrastructure in order to have some peace of mind. Everything from a comprehensive firewall to a spam filter, intrusion protection as well as physical premise security all come with real costs and only when paid close attention to, do they generate some peace of mind. With Google Apps, all security aspects are managed rigorously by Google as they themselves use the solution for their own global workforce. At Nerds On Site, we’ve been using Google Apps globally for some time and have been enjoying increased stability, benefits and features – not to mention the cost savings!.
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