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Google has acquired Synergyse, the developer of an interactive training app for customers of Google Apps for Work.
In a statement May 2, Google did not disclose details of the acquisition but said that Synergyse’s virtual coach for Google Apps will now be available for free to all customers of Google Apps for Work and Google Apps for Education.
Up to now, Synergyse charged $10 per user per year for business organizations and government customers with up to 5,000 users. The company also charged $10 per user per year for employees at schools and other educational institutions, but offered the software free for students.
Synergyse Training is a Chrome extension that installs a virtual guide inside Google Apps. The app offers voice-based modules as well as searchable, interactive text modules to train and help users use Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Drive and other Google productivity applications.
Synergyse has positioned the tool as something that organizations can use to get workers quickly up to to speed with existing product functionality in Google Apps for Works as well as with new features as they are rolled out.
According to Google, organizations that use Synergyse have a 35 percent higher adoption rate of Google Apps for Work than organizations that don’t. As a result, such organizations also tend to get more business value out of the productivity suite than others.
Synergyse claims that more than 4 million people across 3,000 organizations around the world use the training software. Peter Scocimara, senior director of Google Apps operations, said the company’s decision to purchase Synergyse stemmed from its popularity among Google Apps users.
“Given the enthusiasm that exists for Synergyse already, we want to extend this service to all of our customers,” Scocimara said in the blog post announcing the acquisition. “That is why we’re happy to announce Synergyse will be joining Google, and we intend to make the product available as an integral part of the Google Apps offering later this year.”
Google’s Apps Learning Center currently offers numerous tools and tips to help consumers who are new to the company’s portfolio of productivity applications to quickly learn how to use the products and take advantage of the functions embedded in them. The learning center offers everything from quick-start guides for Google email, calendars, video meetings and other apps to product FAQs, cheat sheets and tips on how to migrate from another vendor’s platform to Google Apps.
Synergyse isn’t the only organization to offer training for Google Apps; others include BetterCloud and Google UK partner Refractiv, with its Google Apps Tips.