business class email solutions - cotton rohrscheib
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Business Class Email Solutions
Business Class Email Solutions
Cotton Rohrscheib
Few people try the last name…
Partner / Co-Founder of Pleth, LLC
Award Winning Web Development & Interactive Agency
Offices in Batesville, Jonesboro, and Conway
Our core products include:
Managed Web Hosting
Web Design & Application Development
Graphic Design, Print Production
Business Class Email & Groupware Solutions
Social Media Consulting
Host of ‘The Cotton Club’ Podcast & Blog
Rackspace Consumer Board of Advisors (NASDAQ: RAX)
Have been in the IT industry over 10+ years.
Businesses Class Email Solutions
Business Class Email Solutions
• What We Will Discuss…
The importance of Email to your Business
Why Free Email Accounts are Bad for Business.
Microsoft Exchange
Alternatives to Microsoft Exchange
Email and Your Industry (Regulations, etc.)
Businesses use different tools to communicate today than they did 20 years ago…
Business Class Email Solutions
Today’s Business Communication Tools…
Cellular Phones and Text Messages
VOIP (Vonage)
Instant Messaging (MSN, Skype)
Social Media (Facebook, Twitter)
Email is still most widely used & accepted...
Business Class Email Solutions
The Importance of Email to Your Business
It’s assumed that you have email.
Interact with Employees or Team Members
Transmission of Sales, Product Information, etc.
Fastest Method to Transmit Information Globally
Interact with Vendors / Strategic Partners
Interact with Consumers / Customers
Technical Support, Troubleshooting
Pre-Sale Questions
No one sends Letters Anymore
Fax Machines are Dinosaurs…
The Times Have Changed
Business Class Email Solutions
Business Class Email Solutions
• Wireless Devices
Being able to respond to Emails from your
wireless phone allows you the freedom to
move around in other areas of your
business rather than being chained to
your desk.
After hours situations happen more
frequently than you might think, being
able to address those instantly with your
wireless device has tremendous value.
Most business class email solutions come
bundled with synchronization tools that
interact with your desktop machine,
keeping your contacts and calendars
synchronized.
Free Email Solutions are Bad for Business. Period.
Business Class Email Solutions
• Free Emails for Business??
Reliability. Free email solutions from Yahoo, Microsoft Hotmail, and Gmail are great for
personal email accounts where missing an important message isn’t going to
cost you money.
Business Class Email Solutions
• Free Emails for Business??
Reliability. Free email solutions from Yahoo, Microsoft Hotmail, and Gmail are great for
personal email accounts where missing an important message isn’t going to
cost you money.
Security.Free email solutions are often supported by advertisements. This doesn’t
usually generate enough revenue for providers to justify the costs of added
security.
Business Class Email Solutions
• Yes, This Does Happen…
Business Class Email Solutions
Business Class Email Solutions
• Free Emails for Business??
Reliability. Free email solutions from Yahoo, Microsoft Hotmail, and Gmail are great for
personal email accounts where missing an important message isn’t going to
cost you money.
Security.Free email solutions are often supported by advertisements. This doesn’t
usually generate enough income for providers to justify the costs of added
security.
Perception. Your email address says more about you and your business than you might
think. Let’s ask ourselves some questions…
Business Class Email Solutions
It’s About Perception…
What does your email address say about your credibility?
What does your email address say about the credibility of your company?
How does your email address look on business cards & marketing material?
Which of the following email addresses would you buy a car from?
Business Class Email Solutions
Microsoft Exchange
Business Class Email Solutions
Business Class Email Solutions
The most popular and widely used business class email solution on the market.
Combines support for e-mail, calendars, tasks, notes, and contacts
Supports collaboration between co-workers with shared calendars, shared
contacts, assigned tasks, etc.
Requires hardware purchase, lease, etc.
Requires software licensing, renewals, etc.
Requires dedicated IT Person or Service Contract to run in-house.
Most Exchange users in our area have Exchange in-house.
There are options to in-house Exchange that knock the entry costs and
maintenance fees down dramatically.
Business Class Email Solutions
• Microsoft Exchange Costs
Corporate Account / Small Business w/ 30 Users
Hardware Costs & Equipment - $8000.00
Entry Level Software Licensing - $2500.00
Periodic Software Licensing Renewals - $500.00
Spam, Antivirus, and Backup Solutions - $3000.00
The Average Business w/ In-House Exchange has about $12-$15k invested.
Important to Remember…
The stability of your entire email platform is dependent on the consistency of
your internet service provider. If your internet goes down frequently, your
emails could be held delayed dramatically.
The Cloud Brings Alternatives…
There are several service providers today offering cloud or hosted Exchange
Solutions for small businesses that only require a small monthly fee per seat, or
account.
Alternatives to Microsoft Exchange Server…
Business Class Email Solutions
Business Class Email Solutions
• Microsoft Exchange in the Cloud
Same Exact Functionality as In-House Exchange
No Investment in Hardware Needed
No Software Licensing Required
Reduced Headaches for your IT Staff
Flexible Storage Scalability
Inexpensive Point of Entry, Affordable Monthly Fees
Business Class Email Solutions
• Choosing Alternatives to Exchange
There are several other comparable products on the market similar to Microsoft
Exchange. Have your IT staff research all of the available options and make a
recommendation based on the individual needs of your organization.
When deciding an alternative for Exchange, keep in mind the need for future
scalability as well as support for wireless devices issued throughout your
organization.
Many of the solutions on the market today come with contractual commitments,
be weary of entering into long-term licensing contracts. It’s very easy to find
service providers who offer Business Class Email Solutions on a month to month
basis.
[Disclosure: My company offers an Exchange alternative called Plethware that
has all of the same features of Exchange at a fraction of the cost. We can also
deploy hybrid solutions where you have users on Exchange and other users on
Plethware.]
Spam & Antivirus
Business Class Email Solutions
Business Class Email Solutions
Email Archiving & Data Retention Regulations for Your Industry
Business Class Email Solutions
Business Class Email Solutions
• Email Archiving & Data Retention
Open Meeting Laws - Intended to promote transparency & access to
government records
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) - Gives greater access to government
records, updated in 1996 to encompass electronic records
Healthcare Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPPA) - Wraps
stiff penalties around violations of electronic data retention and privacy
regulations
21 CFR Part 11 - Imposes FDA-mandated policies for electronic records
management on pharmaceutical companies
SEC 17A-4 - Places stiff SEC-enforced rules around retention and access to
records related to securities transactions
Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) - Addresses auditing and reporting for corporations to
combat corporate accounting fraud
Gramm-Leach Bliley Act (GLBA) - Enacts regulations around data security in
the financial sector
FRCP - Sets limits around electronically produced and saved documents that
are required as part of legal compliance
Business Class Email Solutions
• Healthcare Industry
Business Class Email Solutions
• Healthcare Industry Regulations
Healthcare Industry
Hipaa
Sarbanes-Oxley Act
Freedom of Information Act
Consequences for Regulatory Non-Compliance:
Inability to secure certifications
(relationships w/ vendors, patients, & insurers)
Civil Penalties & Fines
Criminal Penalties Including Jail Time
Legal Fees Defending Non-Compliance
Questions?1-888-276-0848
Email Accounts Starting at $4.95 monthly.