Implementing Google’s Gmail for my internet marketing startup has enabled minimal and secure IT management of my 8 websites (28+ email accounts). By supporting a mixed operating environment that includes Microsoft, Ubuntu, and MacOS, various browsers, and Microsoft Office document file formats, Open Office is possible and easier with a cloud computing environment like Gmail.
So why would you consider cloud computing like Google Mail for your business, especially an SME (small and medium business)?
In two words: security and compliance. Email security, web security, and message compliance are the underlying benefits of strong business reasons for your mail and office documents to be sent via Gmail.
Compliance with security and retention requirements
Whether your organization is 1 person in size or thousands of people, you are faced with accounting, legal and government regulations and standards that impose acceptable levels of IT security and record retention for all electronic files and emails. Gmail can help ensure compliance, as well as give you real business benefits by streamlining email and document management. Implementing Google Mail is smart business. Some benefits include:
1) Organize and archive (archive) your email the way you want it.
Google uses tagging as a way to archive and organize your emails. You can tag an email with multiple tags. For example, an email from your accountant with tax information might be labeled “Corporate Tax”, “Accountant”, “IRS”, “Canada Income”. No more restriction of having to choose only one file folder to move an email to.
2) Maintain email linked conversations or threads.
Appearing as cascading file folders, emails on the same topic (subject) will be kept together in your inbox or multiple archived tags you have assigned. No need to search for the email trail or the thread of emails on a particular topic. They are visually represented as a group of stacked file folders.
3) A free unlimited storage repository for all your emails and messages forever!
With 7 gigabytes per Gmail user account and growing as of August 2008, Google’s email motto is “you never need to delete another message.”
Takin ‘Care of Business, instead of IT or IT management
Reducing the time spent managing your computer’s storage, security, backup, and recovery allows you to spend more time building your business. Manage all your email accounts completely from one or two Gmail addresses. Once configured, Gmail offers this low-management environment.
4) No email is downloaded or stored on your server, desktop, laptop or PDA. This eliminates any administrative stress or anguish associated with:
– search for emails stored and scattered across multiple client devices – some emails on your PC, some on your laptop, some on your PDA
– scheduling backups of your email, contact list and documents
– recovery (and loss) of email and documents due to loss, failure or theft of the customer’s device
– Expansion of storage capacity due to continuous growth and retention of emails and documents.
– remote or mobile access for all your emails, attachments and documents
– manage, consolidate, and keep multiple email addresses and personalities intact
– off-site backup of selected files for SOHO or small businesses
Easy online document creation, management and collaboration
5) Use Gmail Online Office Suite to create, manage, and store your business documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Read and write Microsoft Office formatted documents, as well as all variants of open documents. Safely stored on Google, remove HDD file storage and backup. No more MS Office license fees for Microsoft.
6) Store pictures and images with Picasa Web Albums. Manage your images on your PC with FREE Picasa software: cropping, adjusting and special effects.
7) Online chat and messaging integrated, stored and managed like your email.
Reduce complex email security threats to your corporate data
8) Google once again has a smart spam filter which checks the content of each message and therefore does not arbitrarily blacklist the email address, only the specific email due to content. Emails are not downloaded to your PC or an office application; therefore, there is no wasted bandwidth and no risk of infected emails on your hard drive.
9) from Google antivirus check it is also done away from your computer. All attachments are checked on the Google server for viruses and if infected are marked / moved to SPAM immediately. No infected email ever reaches your computer’s hard drive.
Traditional servers or computer-based email systems download ALL of your email, passing it through a spam / antivirus filter on your computer. Is this a waste of bandwidth usage (spam email download) and worse, exposes you to the additional risk of spam and virus infected emails approaching data files in your computer’s hard drives?
So why should you seriously consider using Google Mail for all your office needs?
– Complete mobility in the office: through any browser, access your email, documents, images, chat
– Access anywhere, anytime through any browser
– No backups of email, office documents or contacts required
– Manage multiple user profiles and email accounts in one convenient place
– Includes Anti-Spam and Anti-virus checking outside of your PC, laptop or server
– Free unlimited Gmail file space
– Next to Without mail administration.
Gmail is the perfect mobile office utility for small and medium businesses. The Google Mail Cloud Computing environment will allow you to focus on your business operations and growth. Implementing the Gmail cloud computing model for your email security and compliance makes perfect sense.
Keep your head in the clouds!