Gmail Email versus Business Email

We have seen in the press recently about permissions issues within Google’s Gmail service.  This is the free email service Google has provided for quite a number of years.

Many of our clients use Gmail as part of their business, though they also use the business email we provide them with, such as Fred@mywebsite.co.uk.

Gmail is used by over 1 billion users, but recently there have been reports that external Application systems are able to access users’ emails if within the Gmail system.  It’s quite frightening.  We don’t use it for any business email; only for business Analytics purposes.  But if you do, it might be worth reconsidering your email solution.

Take a look at the page on the BBC News website about Gmail Messages.  We tend not to publishing links to many news websites are we are not also certainly of their authenticity, but when it comes to the BBC, we can be pretty sure it’s correct.

If you want to have your emails on a Business Email account, get in touch with us.  It’s very easy to setup; we have some customers who use our service solely for business emails, and not for websites.

Why do people use Gmail service?

This is a good question, and it’s fairly easy to answer.  Gmail is a free service.  Much like Hotmail of its day – it’s free.  It can be access from just about any mobile smartphone device, and of course through a browser.  There doesn’t appear to be much of a storage limit, and fairly good spam settings.

You can also share documents through it, which seems to be popular.

So why don’t we use it?  Simple answer is, we prefer ‘business email accounts’, not a @gmail.com email account.  We feel business email account like fred@mywebsite.co.uk looks more professional.  For small local companies like plumbers, plubs, painters and the like, gmail works ok. But we find that for corporates, and even the aforementioned businesses as well, a formal email account just LOOKS BETTER.

If you see on the side of someone’s van www.mywebsite.co.uk, but their email is fredplumbing@gmail.com, does it say professional, or does it say “cut corners” in their service?  This is entirely down to your own perception.

For a company that has used gmail for a long time, it is extremely difficult to step away from it, and only a business email platform.

But given this news that your Gmail account maybe being looked at and/or used for advertising or other such App abilities, it does make one think again about the email service chose for one’s business.