Google Apps for Work: The New Way to Work

As entrepreneur or business owner you’re constantly looking for an advantage or an edge. Every moment and every penny counts.

In an age where today’s technology is yesterday’s news, it’s vital to always be considering or investigating the next innovative tool that could put you in the winners circle.

There is perhaps no other space that is growing as quickly and is as hotly contest as the Google Apps for Work suite.

Google Apps for Work

Launched in 2006, Google Apps for Work (which has gone through a number of name changes) is Google’s answer to Microsoft’s two and half decade reign over the core tools business have used on their desktop; documents, spreadsheets, presentations and file storage, with an interesting twist.

They’re hosted in the cloud.

Gone are the familiar desktop icons you love to click. Gone is the need to be tied to a single PC or device to perform your work. Gone is never having to wait to work on a file, because you “worked on it from home.”

Say hello to documents, spreadsheets and presentations all created, built, saved and accessible from your browser. Accessible from anywhere in the world, so long as you have an internet connection.

This stark change corresponds directly with the changing ways in which we work. Accessibility, flexibility and mobility are at the core of the new way to work.

They’re at the core of Google Apps for Work too. Let’s take a look.

Exploring Google Apps for Work: A Complete Software Suite

Google has managed to pack a lot into their Google Apps for Work suite.

For under $5 per month per user, you get access to a number of awesome programs that cover most of what you need on a day to day basis.

• Gmail – One of the world’s most popular email services, gmail is at the heart of Google Apps for Work. It’s obvious Gmail allows you to send and receive emails, but thanks to a growing ecosystem of companies creating extensions that work in-conjunction, it has become the hub for many professional’s daily operations.
• Google Drive – Drive is Google’s cloud based storage system and main access point for uploading, downloading, organizing and sharing your company’s wide variety of files. Drive comes standard with 30GB of storage, per user account, which should be plenty. Even for power users.
• Google Docs – We’ve written here many times before that content is king and nothing helps you churn out great content like Google Docs. A workhorse for content marketers, Docs is perhaps most effective when working with virtual teams or remote work forces as it allows for real time collaboration and editing.
  
  

• Google Sheets – Hey, spreadsheets aren’t just for accountants. With Sheets your spreadsheets can be transformed into simple and easy to use databases that power live embedded charts and forms on websites. Plus, just like docs, Sheets can be collaboratively built and edited by remote teams.
• Google Talk – These days everyone talks about collaboration and communication. In Google Talk, you get both the ability to chat with your team members, but also other Google Apps for Work users not on your domain. The best part? You get status indication, allowing you to set whether you’re available, away or in a meeting. You can also conveniently start a voice call or Hangout right from the chat window.
• Google Hangouts – Not into talking with your hands? Try Google’s latest communications tool, Hangouts. With Hangouts you can conduct single or multi-party video chats with your colleagues and even share work on your screens.

• Google Voice – Sometimes you have a bad hair day and when that happens you can ditch video and do things the old fashion way – via the telephone. Except this isn’t your traditional telephone, with Google Voice, you get a web based softphone that allows you to send and receive VoIP calls. You even get a free number.
• Google+ – Last (and certainly what most Google Apps for Work subscribers use least), is Google+, the social network Google has been trying to push for several years. Like many other social networks, Google+ allows you to create a profile, connect with friends and share your favorite content with the world.

As you can see there is a lot packed into the Google Apps for Work software suite. From basic word processing to video chats with colleagues in far away places, Apps completely empowers a new way to work.

Now you might not be fully convinced just yet that a new way to work is for you. After all, Google Apps for Work is vastly different than your normal desktop applications that you hold near and dear.

Maybe understanding why others are making the switch, will help make your decision easier.

Why Google Apps for Work: The True Business Benefits

When it comes to making a change to the way you work, you need to first make sure that it’s the right change for you.

Yes, Google Apps for Work is low cost. Sure it’s packed with features. But it still might not be right for.

So how do you know if it is or isn’t? You look at the benefits.

1. Ease of use – Every product in the Google Apps for Work suite is simple to setup and easy to use. There really is no manual or training needed to get started (though if you need one, they are available). This means you can start using and benefiting from Apps fast.
2. Real time collaboration – Thanks to being hosted in the cloud, the entire product suite fosters the ability to collaborate in real time. This is a critical benefit that becomes more important as remote workers and virtual teams are becoming the norm.
3. Available on any device – You need to work anywhere you can these days and Google Apps for Work lets you do just that. Available on all three screens, as long as you can access the internet, you can access the product suite.
4. Share in the cloud – Sending files and managing them on the receiving end is simple when they can easily be saved to your Drive account. Being able to access files from any device, especially while on the go (or waiting in line) allows you to capture those precious working moments that often mean the difference between success and failure.
5. Low cost – Regardless of size, Google Apps for Work is downright affordable. For the cost of a cappuccino each month you get to leverage a powerful and robust suite of products that help you better communicate and create so you can be more effective and productive. What more can you ask for?
6. Security – In this day and age, security is concern for everyone. No one understand or ensures this better than Google. From SSL logins, to double authentication, the entire product suite securely houses your data. Trusted by millions, Google Apps for Work is a safe way to do business.

To that last point, with benefits like these, it’s easy to see why Google Apps for Work is trusted by millions. It’s a list that will only continue to grow as Google continually releases new features and products.

With the internet almost everywhere and the mobile phone omnipresent, Apps is supporting the needs of the worker of today and tomorrow.

Where to Go From Here: Converting to Google Apps for Work

There are two ways to go once you’ve made the decision to convert to Google Apps for Work.

• Self Sign-up – You can go right to the Google Apps for Work website and sign-up. Set-up can be performed in under and hour. With a few basic tutorials, you’re up and running in less than half a day.
• Google Apps Reseller – If you’re not savvy, have the budget or are working with a large number of users, you should look up a local Google Apps Reseller who can help walk you through the process. Google Apps Resellers are certified by Google, so you know you’re getting the right advice.

Which way you go depends on your business, skill level and your convenience preference.

Like the product suite itself, it’s really that simple of a decision in order to convert.

Welcome to a new way to work. Powered by Google Apps for Work.