Microsoft or Google Ecosystems for SMEs in Finland
As a first-time entrepreneur, it's crucial to prioritize essential budget-friendly applications to save money and time. It also helps that the system that you are using from start grows as your business grows. Currently, there are two significant technology ecosystems available to choose from. If you are still determining which ecosystem is most suitable for your business in Finland, here are some initial tips to help you decide.
Google Workspace
Google Workspace is a remarkably versatile and user-friendly platform ideal for businesses requiring a reliable email service and secure document storage. The platform offers numerous benefits, including budgeting on sheets, drafting contracts on docs, and presenting solutions to potential clients. Additionally, scheduling video meetings through Google Meet is seamless via Google Calendar, allowing you to organize resources like meeting rooms and other resources. The admin console is another valuable feature that makes adding new users and managing the platform easy as your business grows.
Google Forms is another essential feature of Google Workspace, enabling you to conduct surveys with built-in visual analytics. At the same time, the Pages tool allows you to create a simple website using your domain. Although Google Workspace email operates solely online, it is easy to manipulate and compatible with all devices, with scheduling emails for a more convenient time being a hassle-free process.
Google Workspace for Business starts from around 6 euros per month per user, making it an excellent investment for businesses whose clients rely on the platform. With its numerous features, compatibility with various online applications, and convenience, it's a great tool to assist your business in growing and succeeding.
Microsoft Office365
Most B2B businesses in Finland rely on Microsoft Office tools, and Microsoft has made significant advancements from offline to dynamic online platforms with Microsoft 365. This platform is perceived as more secure and reliable for most B2B businesses in Finland. The commonly used Microsoft Office tools such as PowerPoint, Word, and Excel have also evolved. PowerPoint now offers designer options that facilitate easy presentation design, and Excel has PowerQuery, which allows for the insertion of various data formats from the internet and other sources.
In Finland, Microsoft Teams is the preferred choice for most businesses compared to Google Meet. This preference is due to the platform's versatility, evident in its robust PowerApp applications like project management tools, approvals, streams, and custom app creation.
However, it is worth noting that managing the platform can be more complex than using Google Workspace. It requires knowledge of diverse dashboards and applications like SharePoint, Azure, and other admin management dashboards.