ezTalks vs. Skype (discontinued) vs. Webinato

Earlier I was using Skype, but then my colleagues started using it; I found it pretty impressive with all its features which include high video, and audio quality, the ability to share screen or whiteboard and send instant messages. I'm a Team Lead at Cynet Systems and managing a team of 8. EZ Talks made work quite easy to connect to my team members.

Incentivized

Having interacted with a new replacement tool, Microsoft Teams, it is challenging to recommend Skype, as it lacks some essential features, such as being less equipped with the latest updates, and it is not platform-independent, causing issues on PCs and phones, as well as during calls that might hinder work.

Incentivized

Low-bandwidth environments seemed to prefer Google Hangout.

• High quality video and audio.
• Fluid group chat of video / audio / instant messaging.
• Screen sharing and annotations.
• Whiteboard and collaboration.
• Record and play.
• Share Powerpoint presentations.
• Scheduling function, scheduling also allows the organizer to know who will attend and who will not.

Incentivized

• The instant chat function is great. Very straightforward, easy to use, easy to learn, no technical issues.
• Video calls are pretty easy also, user friendly and a mostly stable connection with no issues.
• Voice calls are easy also, eliminates the need for an external landline or the need to use your cell phone. Clear connections, not really any dropped calls.

Incentivized

• Registration page
• On-site technical help

• The free trial plan can be increased from 40 mins.
• Free version doesn't allow to record the session

Incentivized

• Skype is a RESOURCE hog. People who have limited bandwidth will have poor call quality.
• It is hard to figure out how to use emojis and upload images in the chat.
• The background images do not fool anybody....it is clearly not your real background.

Incentivized

• Aesthetics - in short, there are many competiting softwares and web platforms that have sharper visual qualities and more intuitive design. As the digital divide shrinks, users desire simple, easy-to-learn interfaces. More tech-savvy and higher production quality users will dig deeper for the more granular elements that omNovia supports so well. Also even more customizable webinar environments; perhaps more detailed themes.
• Hand in hand with the UI renovaton, I'd suggest a company rebranding. Instead of appealing to the corporate environments, I think the technology and applications omNovia represent can have a much wider use case.
• Mobile - going more mobile than omNovia already is. Products like Bambuser and Adobe Connect have a more integrated and intuitive mobile apps that simply out perform OmNovia.

I have given this rating as this need to give more than that as it's very helpful for us and makes our work more efficient and fast.

Even though OmNovia offers great products, our recent account rep has been difficult to deal with. We are being charged for services we've never been charged for before. She is responsive and helpful but we were not aware of these additional charges when making our deal with our previous rep.

Skype is not as good as Facetime in terms of ease to glance at it and figure out how it works. I think that's a result of Skype trying to be too many things at once. A lot of the menu and UI could be streamlined, and I would jettison some of the additional functions that have been tacked on over the years to simplify. That being said, while some options are slightly hard to find, they all work flawlessly once found.

Incentivized

I am not aware of the current support level for Skype for business, as I have never used even though I have the product. However, the support for Skype's personal paid users is not where it could be. Users who pay for Skype features do not have a clear path to reach out to support. So, rating 6, can be better as soon as I need to use Skype for business support and get a good experience. I will say that I will renew Skype for Business subscription, which is a significant inconsistency on my end. The explanation is that Skype for Business comes bundled with Office for Business, with no additional cost, so why not.

Incentivized

It can be used on the phone via mobile application as well as on the desktop by logging in to the website. Easily installed and ready to use.

Incentivized

It offers features to improve the call, like file-sharing, meeting preparation tools, multichannel communication, and communication management, which helps you get great service in online meetings without any problem. Technical support is really helpful; they'd resolve your queries in no time, unlike other tools. It also runs smoother than other tools which are mentioned above and give's you the best experience connecting to your fellow workers.

Incentivized

We use Skype in combination with Grasshopper. While Grasshopper acts as a routing toll free number with extensions, if we are making calls directly, we do it through Skype. Skype's desktop and mobile apps are easier to use, and provide unlimited local calls at a flat, affordable rate. Allowing our team to use their existing mobile or desktop devices without additional hardware for business office phone calls is important, and Skype makes that possible

Incentivized

Having an assortment of licenses at my disposal with different web platform products was key given the clients included embassies, consulates, universities, etc. all over the world in different bandwidth environments, with different media equipment available, etc. omNovia performed well for the users with moderate to high bandwidth and higher quality equipment. Low-bandwith users did use the audio chat function but preferred less intense platforms that allowed for video. Other products: Watchitoo, Adobe Connect, Google Hangout, WebEx, GoTo Meeting.

The service provided is up to date, as discussed before buying.

• High quality audio and video, this allows us to use ezTalks frequently for meetings and large virtual conferences.

Incentivized

• Skype made keeping in touch with an advisor in Mexico very easy. The initiative there resulted in 5 new partnerships.
• Skype has helped me with account management for at least 3 customers in LATAM--usually it's a fast way to answer a question about a support renewal.
• For about 9 months Skype helped me stay in touch with a colleague in Prague. We would meet once a week to go over sales activities.

Incentivized

• in person networking since OmNovia allows for live events to be streamed. Without this ability we would only have regular webinars and would miss out on the networking opportunity.