Advantages to using Gmail for Business
If you own or manage a business and have the freedom to choose your company’s e-mail service, Gmail for Business is one of the best options on the market. While plenty of people utilize Gmail for personal correspondence, it also has elite functionality for businesses as well. Let’s take a look at Gmail’s unique advantages from a business’s perspective.
Easy Access
Instead of using an e-mail client program for message transmissions, Gmail makes use of a web browser. It is hosted in the cloud and all e-mails are backed up and protected to prevent permanent loss. Since Gmail is supported by the cloud, e-mail messages can be accessed by employees no matter where they are located as long as they have an Internet connected device. This is an enormous advantage over server based e-mail programs that limit an employee’s access to e-mail services. Gmail will also update on its own and new features are seamlessly integrated.
Significant Storage Space
Gmail provides 25Gb of storage space for businesses so that companies can hold onto plenty of messages, including large files. This is far superior to e-mail services that require the use a corporate server or hard drives.
Compatibility
Gmail accounts can be easily synced up with Microsoft Outlook as well as Blackberry devices. Both of these platforms are quite popular amongst a wide range of businesses. When employees are using their BlackBerry devices and Outlook, quick and simple access to Gmail messages boosts their efficiency and productivity. Gmail users can also be simultaneously signed in to Gmail with multiple computing devices as well as Google Apps.
Interactive Elements & Bonus Apps
Gmail empowers employees to conduct instant messaging (IM), calls and video conferencing with a few clicks of the mouse. These interactions can be saved within Gmail as well. This makes referencing of past IM and video chat content quite simple. Users aren’t limited to merely initiating a phone call from Gmail’s Integrated Hangouts. They’re also able to receive phone calls as well. Aside from these Integrated Hangout functions, Gmail users are also provided with access to Google Drive, Google Calendar and Google Sites.
Add-Ons & Customization
Since Gmail has millions of users, it boasts a plethora of useful add-ons that help a wide array of businesses. These include Signals by Hubspot, sales tools like Yesware, branding tools, e-mail scheduling tools and many more within the Google Apps Marketplace and the Chrome store. Gmail can be further customized to use a company’s specific domain name (@company name.com). Branding can be adding, advertisements can be removed and there’s a wide range of unique business level controls as well.
Organization Capabilities
Gmail boasts numerous features that empower employees to quickly and effectively organize their e-mails according to subject matter and importance. Gmail’s labeling system groups message content with an unparalleled efficiency. Users can even combine their Yahoo e-mail accounts and Hotmail accounts with their Gmail account to consolidate all of their messages.
Security
Gmail for Business accounts are backed up on Google’s platform that guarantees uptime as well as consistent service. Data is transmitted through a secure SSL encrypted connection and there is a two factor authentication security safeguard. Users can confirm their ownership of a Gmail account for immediate access by producing the correct password associated with the account or through mobile authentication.
Gmail for Business provides all of the above features for a very competitive low cost of only $5 per month per user. This is a small price to pay for diverse functionality and access to an ever-evolving e-mail service used by the most innovative companies, universities and governments in the world.