I've set up Google Apps for Business / Domains for so many SMEs and this thing is definitely cutting the Office grass under a certain competitor's feet. I'm not saying said competitor is not enjoying amazing revenues: all I'm saying is Google is hurting other office suites sales with Google Apps for Domains.
People are delighted with this "free" solution. Now I'm going to have to bill them at least $50 / user per year and they'll start thinking about buying Office from another competitor again.
I understand Google needing to make money with this, but IMHO it's way too soon. They should have waited to "bait" way more SMEs into their net before doing such a move.
This is a really important point. Google owned the default position for me in setting up domain email for people. Their service is great and using it for a business was a pretty easy call. Most of these folks wouldn't have ever even tried google docs without their domain being tied to it. It is win win for google.
Now its all changed. $50 per user isn't a huge amount but it is more then zero. Google has taken the default choice for many people and made us rethink it. It can only work poorly for them.
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It's too soon IMHO.
I've set up Google Apps for Business / Domains for so many SMEs and this thing is definitely cutting the Office grass under a certain competitor's feet. I'm not saying said competitor is not enjoying amazing revenues: all I'm saying is Google is hurting other office suites sales with Google Apps for Domains.
People are delighted with this "free" solution. Now I'm going to have to bill them at least $50 / user per year and they'll start thinking about buying Office from another competitor again.
I understand Google needing to make money with this, but IMHO it's way too soon. They should have waited to "bait" way more SMEs into their net before doing such a move.
This is a really important point. Google owned the default position for me in setting up domain email for people. Their service is great and using it for a business was a pretty easy call. Most of these folks wouldn't have ever even tried google docs without their domain being tied to it. It is win win for google.
Now its all changed. $50 per user isn't a huge amount but it is more then zero. Google has taken the default choice for many people and made us rethink it. It can only work poorly for them.