We've moved! Visit
The Keyword
for small business news, stories and resources.
Small Business
Tips and tricks for managing your business with Google’s solutions
Google Apps brings Brazos Bookstore into the 21st Century
Monday, May 14, 2012
(Cross-posted on the
Official Google Enterprise Blog
.)
Editor’s Note
: Today’s guest blogger is Jeremy Ellis, General Manager of Brazos Bookstore, a neighborhood institution based in Houston, Texas.
Brazos Bookstore
has been part of the Houston literary community since 1974. In addition to selling a diverse collection of books, we pride ourselves in connecting our community with authors from our area and around the globe. When the store’s ownership changed in 2006 and the possibility of shutting down became known, the community of Brazos fans petitioned to keep our doors open. Thanks to them, we’ve been able to continue our long-standing tradition where we host author events, readings and exhibitions from writers such as Walter Cronkite, Julia Child, Kofi Annan, and P. J. O’Rourke, to name a few.
When I joined the staff in September 2011, Brazos was still operating in many ways as it did in the 70s and 80s. Employees would schedule the author series on a single paper calendar, and only one of our computers had email set up. All of our software was outdated, and the programs that were available ended up causing more roadblocks than value.
We needed a system that could better manage our day-to-day operations. Since I was already familiar with Google from personal use, moving the bookstore to
Google Apps for Business
was a natural transition. Today, all seven of our employees are able to access their email and calendars from any computer in the store, at home, and on their smartphones. This accessibility not only eases communication between the staff, but also keeps everyone up to speed on events, shipments and other activities at the shop.
Scheduling author visits on Google Calendar is easy, instant, and live, and it’s saved us from double-booking authors. I’m now able to easily collaborate with our buyer when we’re planning in-store events, which has streamlined the process for ordering books and helps me track book sales from author readings.
Google Apps has given us the organizational tools we need to continue serving Houston’s literary and arts culture. Our vision over the past forty years hasn’t changed, and now we have the technology to support our store for the future.
Posted by Jeremy Ellis, General Manager, Brazos Bookstore
Labels
Brazil
1
Business Photos
2
Chromebooks
1
consumer surveys
1
Economic Impact Report
3
Education
1
English
419
Events
3
Get Your Business Online
7
Gmail
8
GoMo
1
Google Ads
61
Google AdSense
4
Google Analytics
7
Google App Engine
1
Google Apps
60
Google Apps for Work
2
Google Calendar
6
Google Docs
18
Google Domains
3
Google Forms
1
Google Maps
15
google my business
16
Google Offers
1
Google Partners
2
Google Places
45
Google ReWork
1
Google Search
6
Google Shopping
2
Google Sites
7
Google Small Business
20
Google Small Business Blog
419
Google Small Business Community
9
Google Tags
4
Google+
9
Google+ stories
8
Help Desk Hangouts On Air
20
Holiday
3
Learn with Google
4
Livestream
1
Local Services
3
marketing
1
mobile
13
mobile optimization
4
mobile sites
4
Mobile Speed
1
National Small Business Week
3
Newsletter
3
Online security
3
Primer
2
Research
1
reviews
1
Rio de Janeiro
1
Road Trip
1
site design
1
Small Business Saturday
1
Small Business Week
4
Street View
1
TalkBin
2
Test My Site
1
Training
2
Webmaster Academy
2
YouTube
7
Archive
2018
Dec
Oct
Jul
Apr
Feb
Jan
2017
Oct
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
2016
Nov
Oct
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
2015
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2014
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
2013
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2012
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2011
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2010
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Feed
Follow @googlesmallbiz
Follow
Site Feed
Follow
