- By Ryan Jones
- 7/9/2024
Small Business Cloud Services Part 1
In the not so distant past, small enterprises were very limited in the things that they could do to present a more professional image to prospective customers. Emails were often, and let’s face it, still very much are, a generic free email account ( Ex: bobsbusiness@gmail.com). While this approach certainly gets the job done, it screams small business and can often set a negative image in the eyes of prospective customers.
I must admit that I’m guilty of not contacting a business because they have a Gmail account ( or any public free email account). My thought process is that in this day and age it’s relatively simple to buy a domain and host your email. It’s even easier to buy your domain and have Microsoft or Google, being the two most popular options, host your email. I’m sympathetic to the fact that a generic email comes with a glorious cost of $Free. However, these hosted services start at approximately $5 per user and include more than just an email account.
In the case of Google’s Gsuite, you get access to a Word processor, an Excel type application, a Slide deck tools similar to PowerPoint, lots of ancillary tools such a note-taking tool and cloud storage ( GoogleDrive) for all your documents and pictures. There is a Google email client as well as a client for almost all of their other services available on Android and IOS/iPadOS. Along with lots of Gmail compatible clients some built into to your favorite Operating Systems ( Mail in Windows and macOS).
For Microsoft you get, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Cloud storage ( OneDrive). Like Google, there are mobile clients available for both Android and IOS and dedicated desktop clients, for Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote. Microsoft also provides a web version of these applications, albeit with less functionality than their desktop cousins. Additionally, every user can install these programs on up 5 devices, a mix of computers and mobile devices at no additional cost.
Whether you are an established business or a new business you should give these services serious consideration. And of course, if you need help picking which offer is right for you or even help getting set up you can always get in contact with us