Google Apps for Business is quickly becoming a viable alternative to standard email and IT solutions, especially for small businesses looking to move more of their workflow to the cloud. But for many people it can be tough to transition to a new way of working, especially if they’re deeply familiar with older programs like Microsoft Word and Outlook. New startup Synergese aims to take the pain out of transitioning (and lighten the IT burden) by providing real-time Google Apps training right inside the browser window. Synergese’s CTO Majid Manzarpour worked at Google training users in Apps, and two other founders are also ex-Googlers, so they’re approaching the businesses with expertise and experience in training.
As of now, Synergyse is offering training in Gmail, Google Calendar and Drive, the three building blocks of scheduling and document sharing within the Google ecosystem. Unlike a more traditional video tutorial, lessons take place inside the browser, allowing you to learn by interacting with program you’re looking to learn. It’s a more intuitive and interactive approach that allows quicker learning, but lessons are scheduled at your own pace, so there’s no rush.
Synergyese is available to individual users at only $10/year, and businesses can sign up multiple employees at a rate of $10 a year too. Students can access the training for free. Businesses can also monitor employees’ progress through the lessons to ensure everyone is completing training and, at least theoretically, on the same page about how to use the system.
If you’re considering moving your workflow to Google Apps, having such robust training should make the transition easier. Google doesn’t offer much in the way of support for everyday users, and Synergyese is filling that void. Do you use Google Apps for Business? Have you considered it? Let us know in the comments – and if you don’t want to switch, let us know what’s holding you back. Maybe we can help!