Item: Dropbox Business
Rating: 9
Author: Andy Ryan

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I use it internally to back up my files. I like to work from anywhere and DropBox allows me to keep all my big files in the cloud and not have to carry around a laptop with a lot of memory to work on projects. I sync only the files I'm working on during a project. It's great when working for or with clients and other virtual assistants. The most obvious case is when we are creating a video. We keep all the media files in a folder for the project and we all work out of that folder. The videographer can upload the footage to the folder, then the editor will use the footage from that folder. Then if there is another editor to finalize things, they will have access to all the original files and project files so that they can easily make changes. DropBox for business also allows me to add team members so that they can share the massive storage we pay for. When they are done with a project I can remove them from the team and remove all the files from their device they used to connect to the shared folder. I also use DropBox to back up documents and media from different computers. That way there is a central library that I can find everything I need.

Pros and Cons

Sync files that you're currently working on onto a device
Removing files from devices remotely

File previews. Dropbox is not the best at allowing you to preview the file. A lot of times people will have to download the file to view it. We've done video work and the client will review it with the Dropbox preview and the quality is very low. This causes the client to thing the video file is low quality.
Pricing is a bit on the high side compared to other cloud storage solutions.

Return on Investment

Has given me a secure solution for collaborative projects
Has allowed for massive media files to be shared easily

Alternatives Considered

Google Drive and Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service)

I like the way Dropbox gives me control over the media that gets shared out to other devices. If I work with someone on a project and bring them in as a user in my account, I can remove them and remove all the files remotely without their input. It's a great way to work with virtual assistants and clients. Sometimes virtual assistants get fired from a project and sometimes clients don't pay their bill. Dropbox makes it easy to remove the files from their devices.

Support Rating

I give it a nine because I haven't ever had to use the support or help. I would give it a ten but since I've never had to use them, I can't really give a full review of how their support works. I've talked to market research teams from Dropbox about new features, but have not had to get any assistance with a problem yet.

Key Insights

Do you think Dropbox Business delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Dropbox Business's feature set?

Yes

Did Dropbox Business live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Dropbox Business go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Dropbox Business again?

Yes

Likelihood to Recommend

I think in most cases with the circles that I run in, that DropBox Business is a great solution. It works on all kinds of devices and also from a web browser. It can hold any kind of file you want to throw in it. The sync options are robust and work really well. It's amazing for people who work remotely like I do. It's great for teams and collaborative projects. I would say it's not appropriate for businesses that are really small, not media heavy and are already using a solution like Google Drive for their cloud file storage needs. It does start at a higher price point for their lowest plan. I guess they justify the price with the features. I've never had to contact customer support for anything in the 10+ years I've used DropBox.

DropBox Business is Great for Media Projects

Overall Satisfaction with Dropbox Business