Want to ride Google Apps reseller train? Hop aboard

Stan Beer
Wednesday, 14 January 2009 12:44

Business IT - Networking

Google has taken a step closer to entering the business office productivity space dominated by Microsoft Office with the launch of an authorised reseller program for its online Google Apps Premier Edition for businesses. The Google Apps Premier Edition suite includes Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Sites, Google Talk, and Google Video for business and is a paid subscription service.

While some larger consulting firms, notably Cap Gemini, have been reselling Google Apps to large business since 2007 under pilot programs, the new announcement appears to signal an effort to greatly expand the reach of the online product suite to the SMB sector.

One of the factors holding Google back in the office productivity space is the lack of contact and direct support small business end users have with the supplier of the service - namely Google.

According to Google, the newly launched program, will enable authorised resellers to sell, customise and support Google Apps Premier Edition for customers of all sizes.

Unlike, the standard version, Google Apps Premier Edition is not advertising supported and costs subscribers US$50 a year. It also contains an expanded list of features, such as 25GB storage, enhanced security, email and telephone support, 99.9% uptime service level agreement, and single sign-on API, among others.

"Google Apps has reached a level of maturity where it's useful and valuable for almost any business," said Dave Girouard, President of Enterprise, Google.

"This program gives IT solution providers an easy way to introduce cloud computing to their service offerings, while helping more businesses make the transition to this new era of technology."

Google will provide resellers with training, support, and tools for sales and marketing, as well as access to tools for integrating Google Apps into their customers' businesses.  Resellers will bill their customers directly.  Resellers can also bundle additional services and support with Google Apps.

According to Google, it has already rolled out the program successfully to more than 50 pilot partners worldwide.

"Australian businesses are increasingly embracing cloud computing, and our growing local partnerships will help us meet this high demand and better serve companies of all sizes," said Richard Suhr, Head of Enterprise for Google Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia.

 "This new generation of online services is leading to greater collaboration and easier access to information - and most significantly, freeing up IT resources so companies can focus on their core business."

The reseller program will include:

- a portal with a set of business and technical information, and online discussion groups
- sales training, technical training, and customer marketing materials
- reseller tools for setting up business customers, provisioning end users, management, and reporting
- integration APIs (REST-based) for directory synchronisation, migration, reporting, and single sign-on

The Google Apps reseller program is now open for applications from interested firms in Australia.  Potential resellers will be evaluated based on relevant experience and credit worthiness, and can learn more at www.google.com/apps/resellers.  Applications are encouraged from companies with a strong SaaS orientation and a business model built around providing value-added services and solutions.  Authorised resellers will be able to begin selling Apps by the end of March 2009.