Popular business Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provider RingCentral is making waves in the unified communications industry after teaming up with Google earlier this year. Google sought out the communications provider for help in creating a unified communications solution that could put Google in close competition with other communication companies.
They chose RingCentral because their customer base was similar and overlapped closely with Google Apps for Work; so collaborating on a product only made perfect sense. Plus, the partnership works both ways: RingCentral gets access to Google's large customer base, while Google gets to boast a broader range of services under their umbrella. And both of them and work together against the Skype for Business threat. The duo worked together in order to push RingCentral Office Google Edition to consumers, a product that is in direct competition with the popular Microsoft Office 365 application.
The RingCentral Office Google Edition is unique: it is available per user and allows users to integrate RingCentral cloud communication features into the Google apps they already use. For instance, users can use their Google credentials to log into the RingCentral system, and can even use Hangouts or make calls directly within Gmail. They can also get access to Google Docs and Google Drive, too. This unique pairing of services allows users to work in whichever environment they choose, from wherever. The application is available to both new users as well as existing Google for Work customers.
Aric Bandy, the CEO of Agosto, one of the largest Google Apps resellers, revealed to The Daily Cloud why the partnership of RingCentral and Google works so well:
"Our customers are trying to move their business operations to the cloud and they can’t get there with Google alone,” Bandy said. “RingCentral is one of the few cloud solutions that matches the on-premise solutions on a feature-by-feature basis. We see this as a very cohesive solution in the cloud.”
Microsoft Office 365 is an all-inclusive unified communications solution that gives consumers access to their work on a desktop, tablet, or mobile device. It gives users professional tools, collaboration tools like IM and video conferencing, built-in security, and more. All with 99.99% uptime. And for some customers, Microsoft will even bundle Microsoft Office 365 with their new and improved Skype for Business. The goal of these products is to make communication tools seamless across devices and locations, with access to chat, files, and updates from anywhere.
RingCentral was founded in 2003 and continues to provide high-quality VoIP plans to more than 350,000 businesses worldwide. They are a leading provider of business VoIP with a specialty in cloud PBX solutions.
RingCentral Office is their business VoIP phone system, which is a cloud-based system that enables mobility, thus allowing users to make calls, receive calls, and manage their phone system from nearly anywhere. Their plans differ based on two factors: the number of users on your system and the type of contract you would like to sign up for. Thus, they make it easy for you to purchase a phone system that fits your budget and contract desires.
Their plans also have a number of perks that businesses will find beneficial: mobile apps, unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada, included toll-free minutes, online meetings, Glip (their real-time group chat & video chat), integration with third-party applications, and more. Plus, RingCentral also includes free phone system and call management features with their plans. Features like call forwarding, call park, call screening, intercom, voicemail, voicemail to email, dial-by-name directory, music on hold, auto receptionist, and more. And with a cloud-hosted solution like RingCentral Office, there is less maintenance and less to worry about. RingCentral manages everything, so there is no on-site PBX or hardware to either install or maintain. And with 27/7 customer support in addition to easy setup, RingCentral makes switching to VoIP an easy, hassle-free task. More info can be found here
