I really love using Googles products. Great stripped down functionality that gives me what I want, and doesn't confuse me with unneeded garbage.
I started off using Google search, just like everybody else. Then I discovered their other services.
Today I am hooked. When I get an email it arrives in my Gmail account. I open attachments from that account to my Google Docs accounts. Which by the way I store all of my really important documents on.
The same password allows me to access my Blogger account, and all of the photos and images that I post here are on my Picasa account. I trend my site visitors using Google Analytics, I manage my feed using Google Feedburner and I am able to synchronize my offline documkents with my Google docs using my version of OpenOffice.
Heck, even the search engine for this blog on the side is a Google Custom search engine.
I did try Zoho - but it wasn't the same. Even if some of the functionality was pretty good. I am waiting for Google Project, and Google Webinar so that I don't have to jump in and out of other free online programs right now as well.
Great...whats the point.
It is very hard to close the gap on Google isn't it?
If you wanted to challenge Google, then you would have to come up with not one very good product, but an entire ecosystem of products. All with interconnecting and complimentary elements that hit on my daily web experiences.
I think there is an element of the extra-ordinary in this. Extra-ordinary consultancies are offering the next interconnected service or product while they are still wowing them with the existing projects.
Have a look at Accenture. That company doesn't engage it nests. I have worked alongside them a few times and they are truly frightening to e around. Why? Because once they land at a client your days are most probably numbered.
They start with the primary engagement, then push outwards. Increased value through increased dependency.
Until they reach a point where it is similar to me saying, sure "Google Webinars" sounds like a good idea. Their other stuff is great...click.
