Cloud-based workplace tools are no longer niche. Companies from small startups to Fortune 500 giants like Whirlpool and PwC have realized that servers are expensive, teams need real-time collaboration and employees need access to email, calendar and collaborative editing tools on their phones. For many companies, deciding to move on-premises systems to the cloud is a no-brainer. Figuring out which cloud solution delivers the most return on investment when both major providers claim their tools are “mobile-friendly” and offer “real-time collaboration” is the tough part.

To provide customers with concrete data on the benefits that productivity, mobility and collaboration can bring to an organization (even after moving to the cloud), Google commissioned independent market research firm Forrester Consulting to conduct a Total Economic Impact (TEI) study. Forrester surveyed seven companies in North America, EMEA and APAC in a range of industries — including professional services, retail, real estate, IT and media — who migrated from an alternate cloud solution to Google Apps. For a composite organization based on feedback from the interviews, Forrester found that switching to Google Apps for Work resulted in the following benefits in a three-year period:

• 213% return on investment (ROI)
• Payback in just 1.9 months
• Nearly $ 1 million in collaboration and productivity gains

In addition to these hard numbers, Forrester uncovered a few common themes that customers experienced after switching from their previous cloud solution to Google Apps for Work:

Google Apps “just works”

People crave simplicity. With Google Apps, teams can create a new document in seconds or add a conference room to a calendar invite with a single click. Customers reported there are no headaches with Google Apps — whether on a desktop, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, Android or iOS, Google Apps works exactly as they expect it to.

Quick adoption results in speedy ROI

It’s no surprise that most companies want their employees to use the tools they pay for. Popsugar reported that Going Google saves the organization $ 100 thousand each year in annual enterprise volume software licenses — an agreement that their IT director says included software the company neither wanted nor needed.

After switching to Google Apps, customers reported that overall platform adoption increased significantly compared to engagement with the previous solution. Many interviewees attributed this rise in engagement to the intuitive nature of Google Apps and broad employee familiarity with Google products like Gmail.

Collaboration is a breeze

While the interviewees’ previous cloud solution claims users can work together at the same time, their former customers told Forrester they struggled with browser and device compatibility, and had difficulties working with colleagues who had different license types. Google Apps works from any device on any modern browser, and all users can work together, regardless of what type of license they have.

Easier collaboration means that employees are productive, and when employees are more productive, companies save money. When it comes to creating content, Forrester found that productivity increased by 20% due to the ease and mobility of real-time collaboration offered by Google Apps — particularly when it comes to Docs, Sheets and Slides.

Customers’ voices matter

Everyone likes to be heard. Customers said they felt more supported by Google than their previous provider: issues are resolved faster, customers feel like they’re an important part of the product development process, and they reported they were happy to find that feedback can be easily submitted directly from the admin console.

One customer described Google’s 24/7 phone, email and chat support like this: “The previous platform provider resolved only 3 of 10 issues satisfactorily and often took 12 to 14 hours to do so against an 8-hour SLA. Google is closer to 9 of 10 and always within the 8-hour window.”

Visit our Insights page to learn more and download “The Total Economic Impact™ Of Google Apps For Work: An Analysis Of Cloud-To-Cloud Migration Value.”