Business Technology · Guide
Still using @gmail.com for business? Why a domain email matters
A free Gmail address is fine for personal use. For a business, an address on your own domain builds trust, keeps company email under company control and looks the same as your website.
Many businesses start with a free Gmail address because it is quick and costs nothing. As the business grows, the limits start to show. This article explains what changes with a domain email and how to make the move without losing messages.
Customers notice the address
An email from name@yourcompany.com tells a customer, supplier or tender committee that they are dealing with an established business. The same message from a free address can look less professional, and is easier for someone else to imitate.
Company email should belong to the company
With personal Gmail accounts, each mailbox belongs to the employee. When someone leaves, their messages, contacts and customer history can leave with them.
With email on your domain, the company manages the accounts. When a person leaves, you keep the mailbox, can forward new messages to a colleague, and can give access to past emails.
What changes for your team
- New addresses on your domain, for example sales@ and info@ as well as personal names
- Shared calendars and contacts that work across the team
- Security settings managed centrally, including multi-factor authentication
- The same email on phones, laptops and the web
With Microsoft 365 Business Basic, your team also gets Teams for meetings and chat, 1 TB of OneDrive storage per user and Office apps on the web and mobile.
How the move works
- Domain: use the domain of your website, or register a new one
- Mailboxes: create an account for each person and any shared addresses
- Migration: move existing emails, contacts and calendars from Gmail
- Switch: point your domain’s email records to the new service, timed so no messages are lost
- Devices and training: connect phones and computers, and show the team the basics
Tell customers and suppliers about the new address and keep the old Gmail account forwarding for a while.
What it costs
Microsoft 365 Business Basic from EDS costs 2,000,000 LAK per 5 users per month on an annual plan, including setup, migration, security settings, training and local support. Read our practical guide to Microsoft 365 for more detail.
