Why Rentokil opted to use Google Apps

Kinsella: Google Apps was right for our business

Rentokil Initial chief information officer Bryan Kinsella seems like a no-nonsense man – probably not scared by mice or cockroaches, and certainly not scared by new technologies such as the Google Apps cloud computing solution, which he will roll out to 35,000 company staff by 2010.

The business services company, which provides pest control, washroom services and courier services among other things, had been using a Microsoft server-based system comprising 180 different email domains and 40 mail systems.

“It was a cumbersome system that caused communications problems and required a heavy IT presence,” Kinsella told Computing.

The company, which operates in 50 countries across the world, began to look at alternative solutions 18 months ago.

There were three options, according to Kinsella: the company could employ a standard server-based system; opt for a mixed system with a standard server at one end and an open source at the other, or opt for a cloud-based solution.

“The cloud option for email was very new 18 months ago, so we looked into employing a standard server across our businesses. We reasoned after six months or so that both the standard server solution and a mixed solution would take too long to implement and be too expensive. Less than 20 per cent of our estate is currently using Microsoft Exchange, and we would have had to invest in a whole lot of new kit,” he said.

“By this time Google Apps was more widespread and seemed like a viable solution. As we looked into it, we realised it would resolve several issues across our company. In addition, our staff already knew how to use Google Apps because they were using it at home."

Kinsella estimates that the investment in Google Apps was between 50 and 70 per cent cheaper than a standard server would have been, but argues that the primary motive for opting for Google Apps was business efficiency.

Google Apps replaces the original 40 mail systems with one, and offers a calendar, integrated chat, email translation and video communications.

Kinsella explained how Rentokil Initial will benefit from these applications.

“As a global company, email translation will help business efficiency, and video communications will help us deliver regular training," he said.

Google Apps will be rolled out to 35,000 employees by 2010. Of these users, 20,000 will be regular PC users with 15,000 being on-the-road staff. The remote workers, who did not originally have a company email account, will now be able to access Google mail from any internet-connected device such as a PDA or home computer.

The company is also looking into setting up kiosks that remote workers can use to access their email. Although Rentokil Initial employs 78,000 staff globally, many of them are casual staff such as cleaners.

"We would not look to roll out Google Apps to more than the 35,000 we have targeted because the casual nature of the rest of our workforce means that they won't benefit from it," said Kinsella.

Before the company opted for Google Apps, the system was trialled with interior landscaping firm Ambius, a division of the company, for 100 days. The trial involved 800 users in several international locations and was completed successfully.

The decision to roll out Google Apps is part of a company-wide five-year technological overhaul that will see the network, datacentre and desktops upgraded. The company also recently decided to deploy PDAs throughout the group.

Kinsella said: “Many of our workers are mobile and without immediate access to a PC, but when they are servicing clients – such as those working for pa ckage delivery company City Link in the UK and the pest business in Thailand – they need to be able to receive information regarding their customer jobs.”