Increasing numbers of companies are seeing the benefits of using cloud-based services, with Google as the leading provider on the market.

Google Drive is a cloud based service available for individuals and businesses that allow users to store, manage, and collaborate on documents with their colleagues.

Chances are you already use a Google service. Google hope your familiarity with, and trust in their services will convince you to start using Google Drive to store and manage your files and workflow.

Facilitating collaboration

Google Drive has been specifically designed to maximise online collaboration through making it as simple as possible.

Google Drive allows all types of file (including Microsoft Office files) to be safely stored, then invitations sent to colleagues to view, download and collaborate on these files. This eliminates the need to keep sending email attachments, improving version control.

Greater collaboration improves the efficiency of projects, whilst reducing ‘silo’ working and isolation across your business. Joined up working increases productivity and reduces errors, and Google Drive can be an important tool for businesses to improve their working culture by making collaboration and openness their standard working model.

Flexible and scalable capabilities

One major advantage of Google’s offer is that it’s free to use for up to 15GB of memory for each user, with three pricing options (Basic, Business, and Enterprise) for users requiring more memory and features. Google’s pricing options are on a month by month basis, making it easy to scale up and down – ideal for companies using contractors during peak periods or major projects.

Data protection and support

As a major provider, Google have extensive resources that can be dedicated to keeping client’s data safe whilst on the cloud. Google Drive and Google Drive data centres are SSAE 16 / ISAE 3402 Type II SOC 2-audited and have achieved ISO 27001 certification. Google Drive also adheres to the Safe Harbor Privacy Principles.

Customers can also access 24/7 phone and email support, alongside support forums where users can ask questions and share best practice.

G Suite applications

Google Drive comes with a comprehensive suite of business applications that are easy to use and offer significant functionality. These include word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation applications that create files that customers can invite colleagues to collaborate on and contribute to.

The wide range of applications provides solution to common business processes – for example expenses can be managed through scanning receipts, letters and statements. Drive then instantly stores these as PDFs which can be accessed by your company expenses team.

When deciding whether to make the change to Google Drive you could benefit from professional help –  Cloud M specialise in managing and delivering the changeover to cloud computing on behalf of businesses, saving them  the time and resource of doing it themselves.

Conclusion –  benefits of the change

Google Drive can bring significant benefits to your business; as well as providing secure, easy to use, and versatile features, its collaborative model can drive a more efficient, joined up way of working across everything your business does.