Google to make it easier for Egyptian small businesses to run their business online

Google Apps for Work are now 40% cheaper and more affordable for Egyptian businesses

Google today announced Egyptian businesses will now be able to purchase Google Apps for Work at a reduced price. The online productivity suite will now cost Egyptian customers USD30 per person per year, down from USD50 per person per year. The 40% reduction in price is designed to help more small businesses experience the productivity and security benefits of working with online tools.

Google Apps for Work consists of professional email, online storage, shared calendars and video meeting tools including Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs and Hangouts. To get started all users need is an internet-connected device. Companies can securely access all their work files and services from a mobile phone including Android, iOS, or BlackBerry platforms, which is good news for Egypt’s growing mobile internet user base.

With a 99.9% availability guarantee, zero scheduled downtime and 24/7 support, Google Apps for Work, offers businesses security and support, while removing the hassle of managing hardware, security updates or software patches. In addition to the productivity benefits of being able to work from anywhere at any time, small businesses that use online tools rather than on-premise technology, grow faster and build better customer engagement.

“With Google Apps, business owners get a professional email address, the flexibility to work from any device at any time, and the security and controls they need.  By making Google Apps more affordable in Egypt, we want to make it easier for small businesses to use great online tools and help them focus on what they do best — running their business, not managing their IT” explained Abdel Bendaoua, Head of Google for Work sales in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Egypt is home to around 2.45 million^[1] small to medium businesses, of which only 7% are online.^[2] Making Google Apps for Work more affordable in Egypt is not the only initiative from Google to help Egyptian businesses make the most of the web. Earlier this year, Google launched the SMB Partner Academy, a dedicated effort to train and mentor partners on digital skills. Google also launched an effort with the Ministry of Communications and Technology to certify more than 1000 young ICT graduates in Android Fundamentals in the effort to grow entrepreneurship in mobile app development.

Egyptian businesses have the option to buy Google Apps for Work on an annual or monthly plan. The Annual Plan costs USD30 per user per year, while the Flexible Plan costs USD3 per user per month. Customers need to be based in Egypt and can pay with an Egyptian credit or debit card or contact one of Google’s partners such as CloudyPedia, Brams, Cloud11, SSBS, iSolutions amongst many others to arrange for other payment options.

Find out more about Google Apps for Work: https://www.google.com/intx/ar_eg/work/apps/business/

^[1] http://www.uabonline.org/ar/research/economic/1575160416051588158516081593157515781575/7690/0

^[2] Google Study on SMBs in MENA, 2013