Certain is a leading provider of enterprise Event Automation software to Fortune 1000 companies. The vendor’s value proposition is that Certain gives users everything they need to plan events, engage attendees, and achieve sales and marketing results. The vendor says their software helps data-driven marketers and event professionals capture and integrate rich buying signals and attendee insights into omni-channel marketing campaigns to improve sales and marketing results and deliver credible…
$9,990
per year
Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
Score6.5 out of 10
N/A
Skype for Business was an online messaging and conferencing tool, now superseded by Microsoft Teams.
Performance & Compatibility of Online Events Software
Comparison of Performance & Compatibility of Online Events Software features of Certain Event Automation Software and Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
Feature
Certain Event Automation Software
-
Ratings
Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
8.0
195 Ratings
1% above category average
High quality audio
00 Ratings
9.1191 Ratings
High quality video
00 Ratings
9.0185 Ratings
Low bandwidth requirements
00 Ratings
5.0181 Ratings
Mobile support
00 Ratings
9.0146 Ratings
Screen Sharing
Comparison of Screen Sharing features of Certain Event Automation Software and Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
Feature
Certain Event Automation Software
-
Ratings
Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
7.0
191 Ratings
13% below category average
Desktop sharing
00 Ratings
9.0191 Ratings
Whiteboards
00 Ratings
5.0120 Ratings
Online Meetings / Events
Comparison of Online Meetings / Events features of Certain Event Automation Software and Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
Feature
Certain Event Automation Software
-
Ratings
Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
9.3
188 Ratings
13% above category average
Calendar integration
00 Ratings
10.0174 Ratings
Meeting initiation
00 Ratings
9.5182 Ratings
Integrates with social media
00 Ratings
8.182 Ratings
Record meetings / events
00 Ratings
9.0143 Ratings
Slideshows
00 Ratings
10.0115 Ratings
Online Events Collaboration
Comparison of Online Events Collaboration features of Certain Event Automation Software and Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
Feature
Certain Event Automation Software
-
Ratings
Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
7.5
173 Ratings
8% below category average
Live chat
00 Ratings
8.5171 Ratings
Audience polling
00 Ratings
7.094 Ratings
Q&A
00 Ratings
7.094 Ratings
Online Events Security
Comparison of Online Events Security features of Certain Event Automation Software and Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
Feature
Certain Event Automation Software
-
Ratings
Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
6.8
156 Ratings
17% below category average
User authentication
00 Ratings
9.0142 Ratings
Participant roles & permissions
00 Ratings
8.5148 Ratings
Confidential attendee list
00 Ratings
3.0109 Ratings
VoIP system collaboration
Comparison of VoIP system collaboration features of Certain Event Automation Software and Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
Certain is very well suited for any type of event or tradeshow that require specific fields from registrants and an automated email sequence to keep them engaged. It's less appropriate for one-off events, since setting up those pages can be quite complex if you're used to the types of Eventbrite/Sympla. If you don't really build event pages regularly, I'd recommend a software that's more simple, which should address what you need.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft Teams is a remote/virtual team collaboration tool must have...especially if you already use Microsoft tools. Of course, since it now part of an MS 365 subscription, it really doesn't make sense to use anything else. It is easy to use and just works. I'm not sure how anyone who works with digital files/documents and needs to work with other people doing similar work can be effective without such a tool. Of course, there are a number of alternatives like Zoom or Webex, but why pay or use another separate tool if you don't need to. :-)
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
Instant messaging to anyone who we know only by name/email. Even if they're offline, they get the message in missed convos and a notification automatically goes to them via Outlook mail. All conversations are saved and accessible via Outlook.
Video and voice calls are a norm in the WFH scenario, and an average employee has around 4-5 calls a day. Skype gives notifications for upcoming meetings, allows easy scheduling via outlook calendar, and its audio/video quality [is] reasonably good compared to the amount of data it consumes.
Status availabilities - in the WFH scenario, you could be off for lunch, out of office, busy, sharing screens - and might not want to be disturbed. Skype allows you to do that, and in case you're off, ensures that you know that you have missed messages.
Screen sharing - we have to share screens at least once or twice a day with a coworker when working on some issues/features, and Skype easily lets us do that. One of the best things about Skype is that the screen can be shared without being on a video/voice call - which is of immense advantage because oftentimes, you could prefer sharing the screen, while it [is] too noisy to talk.
Dashboards: It's quite important for leadership to get a visual of what their event registrants look like (with graphs, for example). Now, Certain does not present a feature to create dashboards, so we have to export their reports and create our dashboards ourselves.
UX when setting up an event: Now this can be quite complex, as it's not as easy to use or intuitive. Many different tabs with many different sub-items can present a confusing experience for newcomers when building an event.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
Connection issues can be hard to diagnose when they come up(as some knowledge of server information may be needed to reestablish as the connection troubleshooting options on the sky are not as user-friendly as the rest of the platform.
Some issues setting up camera/sound could use more info on troubleshooting options with playback sound, video, etc.
Statuses sometimes are unreliable and do not display correctly .
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
The software is simple to install and configure. It is rather simple to explain for correct use. It is possible to profile users for the different functions offered. It is integrated quite completely with Outlook and with Active Directory security. It performs all communication functions well with one or more interlocutors and the possibility of granting control of your computer is convenient.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
Very easy to use. Even though Microsoft Teams has a lot of features and integrations, as a user I feel completely comfortable on finding what I need, getting information about the app extensions and using them. It's a very comprehensive tool, intuitive design and does not make me feel tired to be using it. I am glad with the current experience.
I have only had to reach out to the Support team at Skype for Business once with an issue, and I was pleasantly surprised and encouraged by the quickness and thoroughness of their response. The wait time was short and my question was dealt with politely and clearly, so I would say the support team has it together.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
Skpe for business is utilized company wide in regards to my company. Everyone not only uses it, but uses it often. It is an effective way of communicating. It also integrates very nicely with outlook and all conversation history is pushed to a folder within the outlook system. We also have it so that if someone misses a message, they are sent an email reminder saying that there is a message that went unread.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
My company selected Certain and continues to use Certain because it is quick, easy, and efficient. We create up to 20 registration links a year and Certain allows us to create templates to copy and create annual event links very fast. I also love that there is someone there to speak to if I ever need assistance
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
For the below reason I will always choose this app over its competitors: Better audio and video quality, Little to no disconnections or freezing when on a call/video conference Integrates well with mailbox/ calendar/ one drive, and SharePoint is easy to use
Certain helps to deliver a great customer experience, since it facilitates automatic email delivery and your company can keep them connected well before or well after an event.
Certain presents a wide variety of reports, which perfectly addresses any request for visibility coming from your organization.
Certain's configuration settings are quite complex, so our newcomers are not comfortable using the software at first.
In case you need a more visual representation of your audience, Certain, unfortunately, does not generate dashboards.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
Skype for Business has enabled a migration in part away from fixed line telephony and introduced the user to mobile working with a headset which cannot be overstated as being a game changer.
Being able to schedule Skype for Business meetings through Outlook has meant meetings with colleagues without a meeting room has been a great enabler.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info