Exchange Versus Google Apps

July 3, 2012 By admin

Today there are many email and messaging choices for businesses to choose from. At first glance, choosing a cheaper or free email service may have its appeals. If you’re debating between Microsoft® Exchange and Google Apps Premier Edition, hopefully this information will help you see the differences between the two products for the business world.

Google created an easy and free solution for email and has made it suitable for the workplace. Gmail Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook allows you to use Outlook with Google Apps instead of Microsoft Exchange server. You can manage your email, contacts and calendar within the Microsoft Outlook interface. However, the Gmail Outlook connector does not support all of the Outlook features. Since they are not fully functional, you will have to go to the web client to do some things or some items will be dependent on your single install of Outlook.

Microsoft Exchange is definitely the more robust email option. Not only does Exchange have more features suitable for the workplace, but it also facilitates collaborative employee correspondence. These are a few features that will be missing with Google:

  • Calendar sharing is limited with Gmail; attachments are stripped from appointments, so information could go missing
  • Gmail users cannot use permissions and delegation to share mail or contact folder
  • With Gmail, users can’t delegate permissions and access to others, such as administrative assistants

Security is also a prime concern for any business, and Microsoft has its advantages over Gmail in this area. Microsoft provides SSL by default, while Google SSL support varies by service. Encrypted mail is also included with Outlook, but it is an extra fee with Gmail. Google does not support Information Rights Management, which allows users to specify access to documents, workbooks, and presentations, to prevent sensitive information from being printed, forwarded, or copied by unauthorized people.

Additionally, Google does not provide the technical support that Hosted Exchange has for its customers. It also cannot provide Microsoft Office software, which is a common tool necessary to any business. Choosing to work with a Microsoft Partner will provide even more personalized support catered towards your business. Someone like Enterhost works with clients to assess their current needs and develop a plan for moving forward.

Overall, Microsoft Exchange offers more benefits and services to its users because it allows on-the-go access and team productivity with calendar sharing capabilities and task delegations. If you need a better way to communicate with other employees, then Microsoft Exchange is a more robust solution for businesses. For more info, watch Microsoft’s Exchange Overview.

Filed Under: Email, Microsoft Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Email Etiquette Refresher

June 20, 2012 By admin

The last thing we want to do is come across as uptight, but if you see a million emails a day like we do you can’t help but want to scream! Email is a great way to communicate your message quickly, but if you don’t make time for the basics, you could end up with your foot in your mouth. Clicking the wrong recipient or leaving out a word could cause embarrassment everyone involved. We know we are all going a million miles a minute between our desktops and our laptops and from our tablets to our smart phones. But seriously, one wrong email can cost you the business.

So here are a few pointers we put together that will hopefully keep you out of the dog house.

1. Don’t get all emotional. Try to just convey ideas or factual information in your emails. Keep the heavy stuff for face-to-face meetings or phone calls.

2. The subject line is there for a reason – so use it! Summarize the message in this line so the recipient knows immediately what it is in regards to. Helps when going back and searching through emails, too.

3. Say their name, say their name. Stay away from general greetings that make the recipient feel like they are just another person on your email list.

4. Privacy rights. If you are sending to a large group, please use “blind copy”. This helps keep others private emails, well, private.

5. Don’t spread your germs. Don’t forward chain emails. Those viruses will start spreading like wildfire. Read more to figure out how to avoid spam.

6. Signed, sealed, was it delivered? Only use “delivery receipt notification” when it’s imperative that you know if the intended recipient received it. It can get super annoying for everyone involved if you abuse this feature.

7. Keep calm. All caps through your whole email can come across like you’re shouting. Unless you are prepared for the repercussions, just don’t.

8. Parting words. Don’t just rely on your automated signature line to close your e-mail. Instead, close with a few words that let your recipients know that a real person is sending them a message.

9. Read it, and then read it again. Although e-mail can be an informal way to communicate with people, make sure you use spell-check and read through your note before hitting send.

10. Expiration date. I know we all get so many emails daily. But even if you cannot yet provide an answer, replying to someone’s e-mail within a day lets the sender knows you received it.

-Courtney Summers, Marketing Director

Filed Under: Email Tagged With: , , ,