Google seems busy extending its business hand for users as the extension ropes in Google+ Pages for businesses, FINALLY! It is a win-win situation for those who were waiting for business pages on Google+. But Google has plans to play Santa Claus for such users, a month and more before Christmas. Google has announced that users of Google Apps for Business ‘enterprise ready’ would get full support 24×7.
A user of the said service would get full 24×7 telephone support now, as the search engine giant seeks to add to its appeal for CIOs considering Google’s paid collaboration suite as an alternative to Microsoft software.
Google had launched Google Apps Premier Edition in February 2007, which was later on called Google Apps for Business. The price tag it came with was $50 (£31) per user, per year, or $5 (£3.13) per user, per month under a flex plan.
The service suite included Gmail, Google Docs, Google Sites and several other apps that are offered in the free standard edition. The only difference was that the free version did not have the phone support or the enhanced messaging security, which is available in the business version.
On one hand, Google executives have provided a detailed note the services, trying to convince the users and competitors that Google Apps for Business is on track to be a true enterprise solution. The 24/4 phone support announcement came at the company’s Google Atmosphere cloud computing event today, made by Amit Singh, Google’s vice president of enterprise sales and operations. He even noted that the said service would be for all small, medium and large Google Apps for Business customers for all issues affecting the Apps services.
Extending an arm of support to Singh’s statement, Jocelyn Ding, vice president of Google enterprise operations had a supporting blog post, wherein he noted, “Our customers may also receive support through our web-based support portal, online help forms, and online help center.” he even stated , “All support cases are handled directly by trained Google Apps experts.” The post even had Ding noting that Google hopes this overture will help boost its approval rating among business customers from to 95 percent from its current 80 percent to 90 percent customer satisfaction range.
The support phone numbers are 1-877-355-5787 for US-based Apps for Business users and 1-404-978-9282 for international customers.
The efforts might please the users, but words from rivals are still to be noted. Especially Microsoft, who leads in earning businesses for enterprise solutions. Singh noted that Google, with Google Apps has been earning a number of businesses and a notable number are those who have shifted from Microsoft.
Earlier, Microsoft product management executive Tom Rizzo, who works on Office 365, in a blog post, “I question Google’s commitment to businesses.” He even said, “Is their focus really on delivering great business solutions, or is it on protecting their advertising business? I see the answer in the way they treat customers.”
Interestingly, a few stats below, show that Google Apps is gaining real strength:
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Four million businesses with 40 million users are using Google Apps at a rate of 5,000 businesses per day
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62 of the top 100 schools are on Google Apps
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97 percent of the “top Silicon Valley startups” are on Google Apps
Singh stated that thousands of businesses are switching from Microsoft to Google Apps each day. Some new customer wins include Burberry, Casio, Equinox Fitness, Goodyear, Guardian Life Insurance, Logitech, New York’s Museum of Modern Art, Raley’s, Softbank, and Trinity Mirror.