The Exchange Hosting server system enables the sending and receiving of e-mail, and other types of interactive data, as well the ability to share other business critical information, such as Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express, electronic mail, shared calendars and tasks, and supports mobile and web-based access to information, including storage.
To reduce costs and technical resources, many organizations outsource email functionality. WAN links and cumbersome client-server protocols, have in the past, presented problems, making outsourcing to companies that provide Microsoft Exchange services, much more practical.
There are numerous considerations for organizations to address, when thinking about outsourcing (where a third-party service provider hosts a family of integrated applications and infrastructure services). The various types and sizes of organizations that hosted exchange appeals to, are many.
The reality is that flexible working is more than a fashionable buzzword - it is becoming a business standard, even if only on a limited basis. According to the Office of National Statistics, 1.5m people (1 in 20) don't work in a traditional office. Even more employees spend at least some of their time working in client offices or elsewhere.
Below is a list of types of companies likely to utilize and benefit from Exchange Hosting:
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Companies that are in the office together all at once, on a minimal basis. The Microsoft hosted exchange solutions, can enable continual access to email, business communications amongst themselves and clients, while allowing that they can be equally effective wherever they are. On the rare occasion that there is no connection available, they can still work, since Outlook maintains a synchronized copy of all the information needed, on their laptops.
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Virtual companies, that have never had a central office, are prime candidates for Exchange hosting services. Usually, the employees of these companies live far distances from each other. Often, everyone works from home, on the move or from client sites.
- Sales and customer driven companies, whose lifeblood is the relationship with its business customers, often need to be in the field most of the time. For those types of companies, often, consultants and employees are out of the office, more than they are in. Exchange hosting allows them to stay in touch with the office, their clients, and amongst themselves.
- Companies that have made the decision to save the average central office cost of around $50,000 per year, less the costs of buying and maintaining an email server, are another kind of company, that, if not for the fact that they can save on operating costs, may not be able to be in business at all.
- Companies that have high turnover, for whatever reason, are another type of business that is well-suited toward Exchange hosting. When there is high turnover, training can be cumbersome, however, with setting up a new hire with a mobile email device takes a mere number of minutes: a phone call to order the device, and a few clicks to get the activation code in place. Virtually everything else, is handled by the hosting company.
- Firms that do not have the financial resources to dealing with having a technical support team, have access to a 24/7 helpdesk, with outsourced exchange services. Executives, operations and sales people, can then deal with the areas that they specialize in, rather than having to address techincal support issues. All of the hen I get a problem report from a user, I can forward it to Cobweb and then forward their reply to the user.
- As companies expand, so do the responsibilities involved in maintaining communication systems. Since communication systems are the lifeblood of any organization, maintaining the systems in place are critical. Having a single, well-managed email server that is properly run and supervised 24/7 is more than simply a "comfort," it is a necessity. If clients cannot reach sales, support and other staff, they will go elsewhere. And that will hurt business. When customers and staff can access their email at all hours, it will only serve to better support the business overall.
- Companies that rely on up to date information at all time, will highly benefit from Exchange hosting. Not only will the date by current, but it will be secure, and always available. That kind of service in-house, is usually unattainable. And to maintain those services in-house, is astronomical, from the hardware, software, to staff costs.
- Firms that rely on the necessity of sharing information, to cut out needless duplications, can also highly benefit from Exchange hosting, which allows for one place that each client's information is stored. Therefore, people don't have to spend their time trying to find critical data, in order to handle customers. Everyone involved, can immediately see and access, all of the documents that relate to that particular client.
- Companies that have limited resources, often need to rely upon being able to use a web browser to access email. The webmail option gives access to calendars, task lists, and contacts lists, as well as email archives, often resembling the very same regular email program. This is an added benefit, for those who utilize different computers to access information.
