The New Google Apps Marketplace: 3 Things You Should Do NOW

When SaaS (software as a service) pioneers Salesforce.com launched its AppExchange online marketplace for add-on apps, Forbes magazine likened it to an "iTunes for business." In other words, a one-stop shop for enhancements that integrate seamlessly with Salesforce.com might do for that solution what the iTunes Store did and does for Apple's iPhones and iPods. The new Google Apps Marketplace raises a similar question, in a context with potentially important implications for almost any type and size of business.

Google has long offered Google Apps, an evolving suite of online applications that can create, edit, read and write Microsoft Office files. This compatibility, coupled with pricing that begins at "free," has steadily increased the popularity and adoption of Google Apps, especially among SMBs and in educational and non-profit markets. Editions designed for larger businesses offer additional features and SLAs (service level agreements) that include uptime guarantees and greater security for the Gmail email service. Pricing begins at $50 per user per year.

Google has introduced the Google Apps Marketplace, an online mart offering applications that integrate well with one or more Google Apps. These so-called integrated apps are available for business functions ranging from accounting and finance and CRM to expense, project and travel management; presentation creation and delivery; and Web conferencing. Installable apps include single sign-on with Google Apps and “universal” or shared navigation features. Google Apps Marketplace also offers user reviews and free editions or trials of many apps.

Google Apps has gained significant traction thanks to its low costs and familiarity to users of Google Search, Microsoft Office or the Web in general. Google Apps Marketplace can leverage the success of and integration with Google Apps to lower two significant barriers to exploration and adoption of new applications — cost and complexity. This means that business users and decision makers can browse, explore, download and test actual applications in actual business conditions at almost no risk.

Also, developers of Google Apps Marketplace offerings, with encouragement and support from Google, are likely to be eager to work closely with customers to make their apps effective and reliable. This has proven to be the case among many developers of iPhone/iPod Touch applications offered at the iTunes AppStore.

Rapid, broad adoption and extensive user feedback have proven sufficiently compelling to draw developers to Apple’s platforms in droves, even though most applications are free or very inexpensive. These developments were unlikely to have been ignored or taken lightly by strategists at Google.

When Google Apps was new, it was frequently perceived as an intended competitor for Microsoft Office, Lotus Notes and Domino and other traditionally licensed collaboration and productivity solutions. With the introduction of the Google Apps Marketplace, Google is positioned to treat Google Apps as a generator of “eyeballs” for ads and buyers of advertising, elements of Google’s core businesses and primary strengths. This is a very different approach to business applications than those pursued by more traditional vendors. It is also an approach worth serious consideration by business decision makers seeking to increase IT-enabled business resources while minimizing risks, costs and disruption.

Learn more about Google Apps Marketplace and how you can integrate them with your current business process by following these three steps:

1. Take a careful first/new look at Google Apps. The addition of Google Apps Marketplace enhances an already strong solution set, and creates opportunities to build and run complete business IT infrastructures in the cloud easily and inexpensively. If your company is using Google Apps, Google Apps Marketplace solutions could provide opportunities to expand that usage and its business benefits. If your company is not using Google Apps, the additional functionality available via Google Apps Marketplace could be sufficiently compelling to justify at least a pilot deployment.
2. Explore any apps in the Marketplace that appear promising for your business. Your specific business goals and priorities will determine whether available offerings are worth exploring. If any are found to be so, such explorations should generate meaningful results rapidly and at little to no cost, and enable rapid and economical transition from pilot to production deployment.
3. Leverage the Google Apps Marketplace – as a solution source AND as a negotiating tool. Especially if your company is experiencing untenable growth in software licensing and support costs, alternatives such as Google Apps and Marketplace offerings can help to rein in that growth. And your business’ willingness to consider or deploy those alternatives can be valuable aids in your negotiations with the providers of those traditionally licensed solutions.