Though it started selling software to universities and small businesses, Google has pervaded more large businesses during the past year with Google Apps, the company's suite of messaging and productivity software. Analysts say Google Enterprise, the division of Google that runs Apps, has added many features to the product that make it more attractive to enterprise IT departments.
JohnsonDiversey, a company that sells commercial cleaning products, is Google's most recent win. It moved its 12,000 employees over to the premier edition of Google Apps, which includes Gmail, instant messaging, documents and spreadsheets (among other apps) for $50 per user per year.
"Google listened hard to what enterprises wanted, and they delivered much of that," says Matt Cain, a Gartner analyst. "They have developed true proof-points, where companies are saying that they have been successful. Now we're seeing more true enterprise interest in Google, rather than just curiosity."
Source: CIO