Google Enterprise VP explains how Google Apps is being steadily adopted

Amit Singh, VP for enterprise at Google, is really high on Google Apps. Not just because it’s his job, but because many people are choosing it over Microsoft Office and he’s seeing real examples of how it works better.

Companies like Jaguar, Genentech and Motorola have already adopted Google Apps, and the company is picking up traction with more companies looking for cloud-based document and communication solutions. On stage at CloudBeat 2011, VentureBeat Editor-in-Chief Matt Marshall highlighted Journal Communications as a 3,000-employee company that has rigorously adopted Google Apps. Journal Communications owns the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper, 33 radio stations and 13 television stations.

Singh said it wasn’t hard to convince communications professionals to switch to Google Apps because they appreciate real-time editing and collaboration abilities. They liked being able to use the applications through the browser, which means less time is dedicated to local software.

“They showed an editor and showed a real person writing a story,” Singh said. “They were seeing the changes in real time. The point was ‘how quickly can I get this in?’ and their demands were being met.”

Singh said Google’s social network, Google+, is part of what’s bringing the tools to enterprises and re-shaping the social plane. Although Google+ is a consumer-focused product, business can use the social product in certain cases to help them communicate faster.

“Imagine Circles with your teams,” Singh said. “Imagine meetings with your teams with Google Hangouts. As more and more people adopt it, the whole idea will be simpler.” The Google VP also noted that Google Hangouts and Google Apps can help with worldwide collaboration.

When it comes to competing with and taking criticism from Microsoft, Singh said the company is happy to be competing and that most people are switching from exclusively using Microsoft to Google. And there are even more customers to come.

“We’re past the early adopters,” Singh said. “We’re moving to mainstream companies and large corporations. In the next few weeks, we’ll announce another set of Fortune 500 companies.”

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