Hidden Gem in Office 365
September 26, 2019

Hidden Gem in Office 365

Kaleb-John Loo | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Skype for Business (formerly Lync)

Skype for Business is ideal for hosting large company meetings since it allows for up to 250 participants and can be broadcast to even more people. It has great value as it is included in the Office 365 Suite and integrates with all of the Office applications. Skype for Business is very useful day to day as it is easy to setup a quick call with other members of the organization as you are able to view their schedule and status to see if they are available.
  • Integrates with Office 365 Suite.
  • Good audio and video Quality.
  • Simple to use interface.
  • Other video conferencing offers more capability in terms of capacity.
  • Device support for Linux is still lacking.
  • Microsoft is not backing this product and will stop service after a while.
  • Included with Office 365 increases the overall value of the package, and its integration with other Office products increases the value of those products.
  • Ability to organize calls with a few clicks while also being able to quickly view another user's availability saves a lot of time and confusion.
  • Microsoft has declared end of life for this product.
Skype for Business is the paid version of Skype and thus provides more features and capabilities. As a business with employees worldwide, we require video conferencing software that supports more than 25 members in a call, which is why Skype for Business is preferred over Skype. Also, the fact that Skype for Business is already included with Office 365 means that there is no disadvantage to using it over Skype.
Skype for Business is being retired by Microsoft meaning that the support for the product is lacking. It is easy to use and any support for existing features are available. There are online support articles on the Microsoft website which explain how to get started with Skype for Business. The only downside is that Microsoft is not concerned with improving the product.

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?

I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process

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

I wasn't involved with the implementation phase

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

No

Skype for Business is very useful if you need video conferencing software and already utilize Office 365. Its ability to integrate with the other Office applications allows for a lot of simplification that is already established from having used programs like Outlook, Powerpoint, Excel, and Word. However, if your business does not utilize Office 365 or would like a specifically dedicated video conferencing software, then there are other options available.

Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft Teams Feature Ratings

High quality audio
9
High quality video
9
Low bandwidth requirements
9
Mobile support
9
Desktop sharing
9
Whiteboards
9
Calendar integration
9
Meeting initiation
9
Integrates with social media
Not Rated
Record meetings / events
9
Slideshows
9
Live chat
9
Audience polling
9
Q&A
9
User authentication
9
Participant roles & permissions
9
Confidential attendee list
9