Google is reportedly informing small businesses owners about the possibility of having to pay for email services and apps, after 10 years of no charge. A small business owner said, “They’re basically strong-arming us to switch to something paid after they got us hooked on this free service.”
It New York Times reports that Google informed small businesses earlier this year that they would no longer be able to use a customized email service and other workplace apps for free. For many business owners, this felt like a betrayal after years of using Google’s products.
It NYT spoke to one business owner, Richard J. Dalton Jr., who operates a scholastic test-prep company in Vancouver, British Columbia. Dalton, a Google employee email was set up for his company, Your Score Booster in 2008. “They’re basically strong-arming us to switch to something paid after they got us hooked on this free service.”
Google stated that G Suite legacy edition users, which provide access to applications such as email and Docs, but do not have to begin paying $6 per business email account, will need to change to a paid subscription. The business will have to switch to a paid subscription by June 27. If they don’t pay by August 1, their account will be suspended.
Small business owners say the price of the service is not the issue, but Google’s handling of the situation. Patrick Gant of Think It Creative is a Ottawa-based marketing consultant firm. “It struck me as needlessly petty. It’s hard to feel sorry for someone who received something for free for a long time and now are being told that they need to pay for it. But there was a promise that was made. That’s what compelled me to make the decision to go with Google versus other alternatives.”
However, while some business owners have considered switching to a Google alternative, they say the company’s communication on the issue has been extremely poor. Samad Sajanlal is the founder of Supreme Equipment Company. The company provides tech consulting in McKinney. “I don’t mind you kicking us off. But don’t give us an unrealistic deadline to go and find an alternative while you’re still deciding if you really want to kick us off in the first place.”
Learn more on the New York Times here.
Breitbart news reporter Lucas Nolan reports on issues such as free speech and onlinecensorship. Follow Lucas Nolan on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address [email protected]
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