Google India has been trying out several partnerships in India for distribution of apps (earlier with Airtel), but the enterprise industry has mostly been left unexplored.
While Microsoft rules the enterprise world (followed by IBM), Google has taken partnership route to target the enterprise industry.
Google has partnered with TCS to provide web-based business connectivity services to companies in India. They plan to jointly provide business tools such as email, instant messaging, calendar functionality, video and office presentations over the internet using the Google Apps software suite.
The portfolio of business tools, powered by Google Apps™, is a significant move by both parties to bring value-added applications to Indian enterprises while offering localized pricing, billing and support.
The service is simple to subscribe, easy to use and streamlines the complexities of IT while allowing businesses to pay for only what they need. Indian organizations, particularly the emerging enterprises, will now have expanded access to Tata Communications’ cloud-based software services, helping them migrate their IT requirements to a pay-as-you-use business model. Building on Tata Communications’ position as a SaaS service provider, the portfolio will help organizations reduce IT cost and complexity and be more productive. It will be particularly beneficial to companies with fast growing teams, offices spread across the country, or staff who travel frequently.
Google Apps Users in India
Worldwide, Google has close to 2 million customers, amd 25 million active users – numbers for India do not look so healthy. 100,000 customers and 1 million userbase. The TCS partnership, I believe will be more focused towards mid sized companies where there is a fair bit of customization/training/integration that needs to be done.
Focus on Reseller Program?
Small businesses would prefer to run on Google Apps and keep the TCO minimal, but right now the biggest challenge is app discovery.
Apps reseller progam needs more boost. Google needs to work with Indian resellers to help them bring moolahs. Take a look at the pic [“Google Business Email at your own Domain”] – essentially, this resellers sees a huge value in selling the apps program, but doesn’t have the necessary infrastructure/support to market it. Putting up this message on one’s car shows his/her desperation to get the word out [I am sure you must have received a few of those spammy emails from companies claiming they are the ‘only’ resellers in India].
Google India, are you listening?
