Powering Collaboration with Google Workspace

About Africa’s Talking

Africa’s Talking is a leading technology company providing communication and payments APIs to developers and businesses across Africa. With a mission to empower innovation, the company enables seamless integration of SMS, voice, USSD, and mobile payments into applications, making it easier for businesses to scale and connect with their customers. Headquartered in Kenya, Africa’s Talking has expanded across multiple countries, driving digital transformation for startups and enterprises alike.

The Challenge

Africa’s Talking has always been at the forefront of innovation, but as the company scaled, so did the need for seamless collaboration. Before Google Workspace, teams relied on Microsoft tools, courtesy of a startup package deal. When that expired, the reality of purchasing individual licenses for a growing team hit hard. The costs were piling up, and working across different applications created inefficiencies. Sharing documents, managing email storage, and collaborating was difficult and inconsistent. It was time for a smarter, more integrated solution.

The Process

The transition to Google Workspace was smooth thanks in part to most employees being familiar with Gmail and other Workspace tools that they used in their personal lives. The tech-savvy team at Africa’s Talking took to it almost instantly. Unlike other organizations where change management can be a nightmare, here, it just made sense. Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Meet all worked together seamlessly, removing the friction of switching between multiple platforms. The biggest hurdle? Convincing the finance team to let go of Excel. Spoiler alert: they didn’t. But for the rest of the organization, the shift was a no-brainer.

The Solution

Google Workspace became the backbone of Africa’s Talking’s operations. Whether it was real-time document collaboration, smooth email management, or effortless meetings via Google Meet, everything just clicked. Features like shared drives and instant email autofill eliminated the chaos of lost files and misaddressed messages. And as hybrid work became the norm, employees could access everything they needed from anywhere, with zero disruption. The IT team breathed a sigh of relief too—no more panicked calls about lost data. Everything was securely stored in Google Drive, ready to be accessed from any device.

The Results

The impact was immediate. Collaboration skyrocketed, decision-making got faster, and internal and external email engagement improved thanks to Google’s email layout feature. No more emails lost in spam folders. Storage headaches disappeared, and the IT team had fewer fires to put out. Africa’s Talking also leaned into Google Workspace’s automation features, reducing the reliance on external tools. Employees adapted fast, and with ongoing training from Incentro, they continue to unlock new efficiencies. As one team member put it, “Why weren’t we using this before?” The answer? Sometimes, you just need the right partner to show you what’s possible. - Kevin Murithi, IT Operations, Africa’s Talking