GE Looking To Escape Microsoft Office?

Just read a blog post over at AccMan about how two different software sales teams are going at it tooth and nail over a contract for 400,000 office application suite seats at GE.

The most interesting thing about the story? Neither of the two companies involved is Microsoft.

Instead, Google Docs and Zoho are both rumored to be in contention for a huge win at GE. Zoho is already installed in some GE locations, and the iconic American manufacturer is said to be close to making a vendor decision (indeed, some have already called it for Zoho). The implications are clear:

Regardless of the long term reality, the fact a company like GE is evaluating/collaborating with Zoho tells me that the office productivity saas story has been validated. This is a crucially important for saas as office productivity suites lie at the heart of what drives professionals' businesses.

Whichever company wins the contract, the step into software-as-a-service office apps by GE is likely to have a positive impact on other companies' perceptions of web-based office collaboration tools.

If you're curious yourself, here's a good picture of what's available online these days:

http://jeffnolan.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/200809220939-tm.jpg