In a recent paper by Guy Cranswick, advisor at Intelligent Business Research Services, wrote, there was emerging evidence that Google Apps Premier may have some appeal compared with other vendor products.
Despite questions over Google's capability and experience with channel partners, deeper investigation is worthwhile.
"Organisations assessing Google Apps Premier must determine not only total cost of ownership, as Google does not have a model template to assist with that but also whether the channel relationships will endure, as Google has almost no experience in running such programs," wrote Cranswick.
Speaking to CRN, he said, until the launch of the reseller program Google's prospects with the office work space market had been inhibited by lack of contact and direct support.
"A pilot Google Apps reseller program had been running ahead of the global launch of the Google Apps Authorised Reseller program in January 2009," he said.
"Google is working with smaller firms (small VARs, and IT consultants); larger firms (global systems integrators; large professional services firms); ISPs and telecommunication companies and also other SaaS vendors."
Cranswick said the vendor's channel initiative hasn't been examined in-depth in Australia and Google could be an "interesting" partner for resellers.
"Clearly in the larger software context, it's still early days for it to be in competition with Microsoft," he said.
"What should interest the channel is what the vendor is doing through resellers in these times.
"In troubled economic times the status quo can change, between a reseller and their customer."
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