Item: Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft Teams
Rating: 7
Author: Sarah Bandy

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Skype for Business is being used by our organization to link up Board Members and staff during off-times between meetings in order to have productive conversations and drive forward points on our Strategic Plan. We signed up for Skype for Business in order to have an effective communication tool that supported multiple users.

Pros and Cons

Skype for Business can support large meeting numbers.
Skype for Business is newly refreshed and has very little lag time.
Skype for Business effectively integrates with existing Skype users.

I think the Skype for Business mobile capabilities could use a few small updates, as we have run across a few glitches that may just be due to connectivity issues.
File sharing is slightly clumsy but we have gotten the hang of it as a team.
That's it! Skype for Business is pretty great and easy to use.

Return on Investment

We have used Skype for Business frequently for large group calls, and we have the lower-tier subscription so it's worth it for all of the functionality it provides.
I like being able to listen back to recordings of calls and have had challenges with other alternative programs in the past.
I'm not positive we will renew for another year as so many new options have come to light, but I'm happy with Skype for Business as it stands now.

Alternatives Considered

BlueJeans

BlueJeans is good for having smaller meetings and the ability to communicate with large groups, but I have noticed more lag time and glitches with BlueJeans which led me to look for alternative options. I think BlueJeans also has a less intuitive design and looks less sleek, so I went with Skype for Business as I had used Skype in the past for personal calls.

Support Rating

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.

Key Insights

Do you think Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft Teams delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft Teams's feature set?

Yes

Did Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft Teams live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft Teams go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft Teams again?

Yes

Other Software Used

BlueJeans, Google Charts, Apple iCloud, Google Ad Manager, Adobe Acrobat DC, Adobe Illustrator CC

Likelihood to Recommend

You may be wondering why to choose Skype for Business and pay for Skype when there is also a free option. The free Skype doesn't come with features that would be helpful to a big group as it only has the capability to connect less than 25 participants in any one meeting. If you have a large group of employees that need to meet, Skype for Business is definitely worth the upgrade.

Skype is THE Business!

Overall Satisfaction with Skype for Business (formerly Lync)