Hosted Exchange vs POP Email

Full Mailbox Access

Anytime, anywhere access from multiple locations and/or clients; via Outlook Web App, Outlook for PC or Mac, etc.... With POP mail, if you download messages to your mailbox, they are stored on the local client and taken off the server, preventing the ability to view the data from other locations on other devices. (If you elect to 'keep a copy on the server,' you will still only be able to see your Inbox − not any additional folders).

Sharing and Collaboration

The only thing that takes more time than attending meetings is planning and scheduling them! When you use Microsoft Exchange with Outlook, you can quickly and easily check availability of coworkers, conference rooms and shared resources by viewing multiple calendars side by side. No more chasing down people and keeping track of responses. No more confusion and time lost having to reschedule. With POP mail, there is no sharing or collaboration. In addition, you are not limited to sharing just a Calendar! In Exchange, you can share any folder in your mailbox and any files. What you save in time management, easily makes up for the price of an Exchange mailbox.

Backups

How often does your PST file get backed up? Up to 70% of your business data is traditionally in your mailbox. If your hard drive crashes, you will lose all of your data. With Microsoft Exchange, a copy of all of your data is stored on your local desktop, laptop or other client device. Another copy remains on the server. If a computer crashes, with Exchange, configuring a new computer with the existing mailbox information is easy. All of the data, once thought lost, can be brought from the server, in its entirety, to the new computer.

Synchronization with Mobile Devices

Throw away your sync cable or cradle. Stay in contact with your customers and colleagues whether you are in the office, on the road or at home. Access your email, contacts and calendar from your iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and Windows Mobile devices. Full synchronization does not occur with a POP/web client.

The key factor in determining whether the financial cost of Microsoft Exchange can be justified will depend upon this:

How much is your employees’ time and productivity worth?

Free email services such as POP or webmail are often the electronic collaboration tools of choice for small businesses just starting out. For some of these small businesses this is good enough. But for businesses that have a mobile workforce, rely heavily on information and document exchange via email and/or work from multiple locations, a more comprehensive collaboration tool is needed to increase productivity as well as more timely and accurate communication with customers. It is important for your business to uncover every advantage that will allow you to grow and constantly remain a step ahead of your competition.

Small businesses can utilize the same technology as a Fortune 500 company, at a
price they can easily afford.