Rejoice, PwCers, you all are joining the late 20th century!
PCWorld reported today that PwC has partnered with Google to pimp out Android and Google Apps to clients, in an agreement that will also benefit PwC:
For PwC, a closer relationship with Google puts it in a better position to cater to the needs of customers seeking to shift from IT infrastructures anchored on premises and in desktop PCs to cloud computing and mobility. The deal is bidirectional, so Google will also be referring customers to PwC.
In addition to pushing Google products to its customers, PwC will also eat some of the dog food, rolling out Apps for email, productivity and collaboration to 45,000 of its employees in the U.S. and Australia, and building new security monitoring services for its customers on top of the Google Cloud Platform infrastructure- and platform-as-a-service products.
Can I just say "PwC will also eat some of the dog food" is the best thing I've read all year?
Anyhoo, there's also the obligatory press release, which humblebrags about how this move will put PwC head and shoulders above of its heel-dragging competitors that think Lotus Notes is acceptable in 2014. Oh wait, doesn't PwC use Lotus Notes now?
PwC and Google Inc . (NASDAQ: GOOG, GOOGL) today announced the launch of a joint business relationship to bring new and innovative services to companies around the world. The rapid pace of innovation in technology has fundamentally changed how and where work gets done, driving organizations to transform their businesses for the future. Together, PwC and Google can help that transformation happen.
From Google, companies get unprecedented innovation, technology platforms and Internet scale; while PwC brings deep industry experience, a broad range of business services and cutting – edge client insights, from strategy through execution. Together, PwC and Google will help companies collaborate more effectively, better use technology and information, and adapt to the disruptive forces shaping the world.
“For our clients, acquiring the knowledge most important to their operations, securing that information and using it optimally are critical – now more than ever before,” said Mike Burwell, PwC’s Vice Chairman – Transformation. “PwC is teaming with Google to offer our joint knowledge and capabilities to clients – giving them one place to go, maximizing experience and assets from both organizations.”
Yeah, guys, Gmail is sooooo disruptive. I mean, it is in the cloud after all. Then again, if you're used to Lotus Notes, then yeah, Gmail is going to feel like Web 2.0 did after we all got used to Flash animation and lots of blinky icons on cluttered web pages.
The press release continues:
“Millions of companies, large and small, look to Google to help them launch, build and transform their businesses,” said Amit Singh, President, Google for Work. “We’re delighted to enter into a relationship with PwC — a leading advisor for businesses around the world — to bring the best of Google to work and help companies innovate. It's great to see PwC lead by example, accelerating their own journey to the cloud that will lead to enhanced collaboration, greater speed and ultimately, transform their business for the digital era.”
We give PwC credit for discovering the awesome power of Gmail, Google Apps, etc. However, it's sorta like discovering Wilco in the 21st Century. Most of us are like, "Yeah, we've heard of 'em; where you been?"
