Why Should I Use a Google Partner?

Nowadays, businesses want to ensure maximum efficiency in their day-to-day operations. Especially with the likelihood of remote working being here to stay for the foreseeable future.

Many people know that Google is one of the leading companies paving the way for effective and secure working solutions. From this, they have either two options - transitioning to this new service themselves, or with the help of a Google Partner.

Back from his break, Fintan Murphy answers a question that Damson Cloud receives quite a lot: ‘Why should I choose a Google partner over going direct with Google?’

Truthfully, it is a much better option to have a Google Partner on-hand as and when you need them. Not only this, we empower our customers with the right tools and technology to help them achieve their goals easier and faster. We should know - we’ve been doing it for over 10 years!

But let’s dive into exactly why you should use a Google Partner.

Why Is It Better to Choose a Google Partner?

Often, our customers are in one of two different situations. One being a customer coming to Google for the first time - the other being an existing Google customer who wants to maximise their use of the workspace.

We Worry About Everything For You

If it is your first time coming to Google Workspace and you go directly via Google, they do not provide really any of the  services necessary to prepare you for your organisational  transition, apart from an online guide. It is a one size fits all type of solution. You have to do the deployment, migration and change management yourself, meaning all of the work and risk is your responsibility. This is not only a lot of pressure, but also time consuming and ineffective.

Experience

You may know other solutions and your business well - but you may not be experienced in the Google environment. This is where a Google Partner comes in, to help you unlock your productivity and potential. With any system, you can only learn from experience and time - but Google Partners like ourselves have years of expertise to enable you to have a smooth transition.

Bespoke Solutions

With a Google Partner, you’re provided with a solution that’s tailored to your specific needs. Your deployment will be carried out by specialists who have been trained by Google, meaning you can trust them with your data. So, it is a much more personalised and lower risk scenario than doing it all yourself!

Over the years, we’ve collated many anecdotes from customers. One client in the music industry tried to deploy Google on their own, and ended up with staff being split between two systems. This caused a lot of disruption, resulting in outsourcing IT support who then recommended Damson Cloud. We then troubleshooted and deployed the solution together - which is the ideal partnership in our eyes. You know your business, we know Google, and combining these together is what equals a successful transformation.

To put it simply: we make your life easier. As we know Google Workspace inside out, we can help you make the right choice when it comes to the right plans, products and processes.

So How Does a Google Partner Add Value Over Time?

Google Partners are not just here to help you migrate, we’re here to provide you with constant updates and support. More specifically, we can help you with:

Solving Problems Faster

Google Partners have an in-depth knowledge of Google Workspace, which helps you solve problems faster. We pride ourselves on the information and advice we give to the public and our customers, with an aim to maximise accessibility and effectiveness. Our customers come to us because of that expertise, because they know they will get to the solution faster rather than going it alone.

Expert Advice

Our expert advice goes beyond product knowledge. We can advise customers on all of the different facets of the Google ecosystem. It’s Google Partner’s insight of Google Workspace, your business, and helpful third party tools that can solve many challenges customers face - saving not just time - but also money.

Unparalleled Security Knowledge

Security, as we all know, is incredibly important. With ransomware attacks happening more often - customers are really investing in the security of their systems by choosing Google.

That’s also why we run security audits, workshops, implementation plans, incident response plans and even training sessions for you and your staff. This is a huge area that comes first in our journey with clients.

Change Management

Change management doesn’t stop when a customer deploys onto Google. It is a continuous support service. We use Google’s Transformation Labs to help improve the efficiency of your processes and enable you to leverage more from the product you’re paying for. This is another area where we engage with customers who have been using Google for a while, but don’t yet realise how to start making the most of the workspace and its offerings.

Insights and Updates

Google is a system that is ever-evolving for the better. As a Partner, we get first-hand insights into product roadmaps and new interfaces. Plus, we can even influence some products for the better through alpha and beta testing. So, having a Google Partner is a great gateway to prepare you for any upcoming changes or updates that may affect you and your business.

Consistency

Our team is compact, consistent and caters to you. By going directly through Google, you will find it is very common that contacts will come and go. Whereas as a Partner, our team will always be there as your constant contact, helping us support you better with a deeper knowledge of your business that comes through working with you over time. With a Google Partner, it is this connection that you can rely on.

Common Queries Around Google Partners

A lot of people, whether it be on social media or from customers, ask us the following FAQs around Google Partners. So we thought we’d address some of these concerns:

Will I Still Have Admin Access?

The answer is yes, you always have full control, as you are the owner of the account. You can even block access for Google Partners if you want, which many of our customers choose to do for security reasons. However, many want us to be able to access their panel for support purposes. So it is about choosing what option is best for you.

Can I Still Access Google’s Free Support?

Yes, you still can. There’s a wealth of information available to you through both Google and your Google Partner. However, with a Google Partner, you get instant access to support which saves you time and is a lot more convenient for you.

Am I Better Off Going with Google Directly?

No. When you’re going direct with Google, you are one of millions of customers. With Google Partners, they have relationships directly with Google, Google Partner Managers and Sales Representatives which benefits you in the long-run. So they’ll be able to get you better discounts and be an accessible advocate that you can trust.

At Damson Cloud, we have been part of the Google Partner Program for over a decade. In fact, we were one of Ireland’s first Google Resellers. We are a family run business who love to support our own customers. Here’s a couple of testimonials we have received from our customers:

“I highly recommend Damson Cloud! The team at Damson are experts, helpful and very well-organised. I was nervous about organisational change but the team has a process and expertise that takes care of all potential issues.”

• Marcus Isherwood MD Creative Media

“Thanks for all your help over the years, it was a struggle at times but made all the more easier with your expertise. Damson Cloud is genuinely one of the best partners I’ve ever worked with.”

• Julian Corson - IT team at Whistles

If you are interested in hearing more customer stories, or want to check out our latest work as a Google Partner, have a look and feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.

As a longstanding member of the Google Cloud Partner Program, Damson Cloud specialises in bringing people and ideas together through new ways of working. We champion the very best practices in remote working and change management, helping companies and their teams collaborate productively from anywhere in the world. To find out more about our services, check out our library of tutorial videos or our blog.