Fairfax Media to provide all employees with access to Google’s world-class collaboration and productivity tools, Google Apps for Business

| | No Comments

Screen shot 2012-07-05 at 5.09.55 AM.jpgFairfax Media will provide all employees with access to Google’s world-class collaboration and productivity tools, Google Apps for Business, making Fairfax one of Google’s largest enterprise clients in the region.

“Adopting a cloud-based solution is a very exciting development for Fairfax and an important, innovative step towards meeting our goals,” Fairfax Media’s chief information and technology officer Andrew Lam-Po-Tang said.

“The changes are part of the company’s Fairfax of the Future program and will enable all employees in Australia and New Zealand to work more collaboratively and flexibly. The tools will deliver real benefits to our employees in terms of usability, convenience and collaboration.”

Google Apps for Business are a suite of simple and powerful collaboration and productivity tools. Tools include Gmail, Google Docs, Drive, Talk, Hangouts, Google Sites and Google Video for Business.

A Google Apps pilot program at Fairfax was recently completed involving Fairfax New Zealand and the Marketplaces divisions.

Stuart McLean, Head of Google Enterprise Australia and New Zealand, said: “We could not be happier to see Fairfax provide Google Apps for Business to all its employees. A key part of Fairfax’s business is about quickly, efficiently and expertly providing information and content to their readers and customers – and we believe that Google Apps provides the fast, innovative and collaborative workplace environment that will keep them at the very forefront of their industry.”

Screen shot 2012-07-05 at 5.12.23 AM.jpgFairfax will work with Google’s partner, Cloud Sherpas, to ensure the company-wide rollout goes smoothly. It is anticipated that all Fairfax staff will have access to Google Apps by November 2012.

“There will be plenty of training and support, although I’m sure many of our staff are familiar with or already use some of the Google tools,” Mr Lam-Po-Tang said. “While all staff will have Google Apps, we recognise that some staff will still need access to Microsoft Office applications. For these power users, Google Apps will supplement, not replace, Microsoft Office.”

Since 2008, Cloud Sherpas has transitioned over 1.5 million workers worldwide from on-premise systems into the Google cloud, enabling messaging, collaboration, customer relationship management, social business services and custom development for the web and mobile devices.