Itella allies with Google-specialist to launch SME digital service

Itella Mail has signed a letter of intent with Google’s Finnish service provider GAPPS that will see Finland’s postal operator offering web services for small businesses. The company has developed a service called Itella Verkosto (Itella Network), which promises to allow small companies to run much of their day-to-day routine activities through a single digital platform.

It will allow entrepreneurs to centrally manage activities including billing, sending and receiving documents and document storage, and correspond easily with customers.

Under initial plans, the Itella Verkosto service will be made available to customers during the course of the next year, Itella said.

Itella Verkosto business manager Pasi Ketonen said the GAPPS partnership was about Itella sticking to the business activities where it is the best, and bringing in partners to help fulfill other needs of customers.

“Our goal is to create a business network environment in which buyers and service providers can meet and where the customer’s purchasing is easy,” said Ketonen.

Apps

Helsinki-based GAPPS is Google’s authorised partner for its Google Apps business, working to support Finnish businesses with various Google business applications, from email and calendar management to digital document archiving and social networking.

Solutions are provided as a cloud-based service, so that all applications are available via any Internet connection, including through mobile devices.

Itella said GAPPS’ current customers included both private and public sector organisations.

GAPPS chairman Perttu Ojansuu said partnering with Itella would prove interesting. He said: “I can see Google’s offering of email and office tools to support the selection of extensive service offering for companies as very beneficial. The resulting service package will be very attractive to companies of all sizes all over Finland.”