Waiting at the boarding gate of Hong Kong International Airport for your flight to Europe, you heave a sigh of relief when the attendants finally announce: Boarding will now begin for First Class and Business Class passenger." Your phone rings at exactly the same moment you're expected to board. The call is from your supplier in Shanghai who urgently needs you on site to sort out a serious manufacturing issue with a major new product you're about to launch in Europe. You can't be in two places at the same time. If only you had set up a decent Skype for Business alternative that connected everyone together. The tendency is to reach for what is already familiar when faced with complex situations. After all, busy senior executives just don't have time find to Skype Business alternatives, they're too busy managing their company, readying products, and reaching out to customers. Finding the right tools for communicating with members of staff, suppliers, clients, and customers is essential to maintain the successful flow of business processes, especially when tricky situations need attention.
What Is Skype for Business? Since 2003, Skype has been the primary tool for online meetings for over a decade now. After Microsoft's purchase of Skype in 2011, Skype for Business was launched to replace their original offering. Microsoft is increasing its efforts to integrate Skype with their Office 365 products in the business software/services marketplace. So it's a natural fit for many entrepreneurs, but what is Skype for Business? And does it really suit a fast-growing small enterprise? Skype for Business provides communication services on many platforms, not just the desktop. It integrates basic chat services, HD video, and phone call capability for both incoming and outgoing calls in a familiar Skype wrapper. The desktop software creates virtual conferencing places where the team comes together across a variety of platforms and software. Of course, it is linked to Microsoft's Office tools as well, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook for calendaring. Outlook calendars are the key ingredient, allowing users to set their current status and availability, so meetings can be coordinated properly across time zones. PowerPoint slides can be presented online, too. Document sharing for financial spreadsheets, legal documents and contracts, etc. is also easily facilitated by the software. The instant messaging and collaborative whiteboard options create options for brainstorming, problem solving and discussion, as well as collaborative editing through the Office suite.