Keeping in line with ZD Net Asia’s article, let us discuss why firms in Singapore should go gaga over Google Apps. Google App advocates would acknowledge the concerns of an initial user, we welcome feedback and address them.

Change is not always a bad thing. I would say that not every practice that exists for a very long time is a good one. A key concern is just overcoming the learning curve. Let’s make it universally relatable, it’s like acquiring a new job. Assuming you look for monetary benefits and opportunities for self improvement in the long run, zooming out further, the initial learning curve is merely a (small) trade-off.

But still, I’ve always maintained that Google products are user-centric, to make things easier for you, they keep themselves aligned with your needs. With Google Apps’s automatic feature updates, users are freed from cumbersome download processes, no spinning wheels and hourglasses. It’s always about continuous improvement to usability. What’s more, their inspiration for these updates come from the users themselves (with Google Product Ideas).

..Especially when it’s cost effective. Companies just have to pay a one time yearly fee and everything is taken care of for them. There is no need to handle operating system upgrades, anti-virus systems updates and software patches. In the table below, the costs of email solutions are broken down to a per month usage in scenarios with different employee staffing. Read more on the comparative cost analysis study by Forrester Research :

The whole 99.9….9% hoopla ..Is not unsubstantiated, it’s an ongoing service agreement for the uptime that Google offers regarding the security of their servers and services.

One of my favorite analogies about on-premise email versus cloud-based email; in a Q&A with CNet’s Stephen Shankland, Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt says,

“.. for purposes of argument 99 percent, will conclude that the analogy about the ATM machine is correct. Eventually the convenience of using ATM machines and the bank outweighs carrying the money around with you. Initially you think, “How do I trust the bank?” You work out the problems and (eventually) people have enough experience to know even if there is a problem it will be fixed.”

Remember, it’s about ongoing rapid innovation. Sure, there are limitations..for now. But Google is always seeking to improve users’ experience with continuous feature enhancements. On the issue of offline access, there’s the alternative of Google Lab’s offline mode and Google Gears. All you need is just a little bit of configuration on your computer. Or if it’s about working on your Google documents, there’s the feature of exporting your files too (before setting off on the plane). It’s not perfected, but in more ways than one, Google is bridging the gap.

So, are you an ‘early adopter, late adopter, or in the middle’? It’s been said that ‘Enterprises IT’s trust level of Google will increase‘, will conventions prevail for you? Or would the move of organizations like MOE and NRG Engineering over to cloud computing be substantial precedents for your use of Google Apps?

If it is the latter (and my long-windedness was insufficient), just drop us an email or give us a ring.