Hosted Exchange vs. Gmail for the SMB

There was a good debate article in Computerworld this week that had two experts weigh the merits of Microsoft Hosted Exchange vs. Gmail. I have been thinking quite a bit about how Microsoft’s Hosted Exchange partners compete and win against Gmail in the SMB and I loved seeing this debate publicly aired. The points of discussion centered around security/privacy, richness of features, enterprise quality SLA, and value for price. As I talk to partners and customers around the world I am convinced that customer service and SLA are the two key ingredients to deliver a superior service and compete in the market.

The article was interesting but I am always looking for proof points and there is nothing like customer quotes or a solid case study!

Allen Clark, industry director, hosting business, Microsoft Communications Sector