Item: Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft Teams
Rating: 6
Author: Guy De Backer

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We're currently using Skype for Business alongside Microsoft Teams. [In] the past few years we used it as a communication and collaboration tool to host 1 on 1 calls and meetings. But Since a year we're [phasing] out the use because Microsoft is pushing Microsoft Teams as part of the Office 365 suite as the preferred replacement for Skype for Business.

Pros and Cons

Voice calls over the network
Chat in real-time with [colleagues]
The possibility of video-chatting with coworkers

The mobile client uses a lot of data (not suited for mobile data)
Voice quality is not always good

Return on Investment

By using Skype for Business, we could meet without using expensive video [conference] hardware.
The chat adds a nice way of communicating with coworkers as a go-between for e-mail and calling.

Alternatives Considered

Microsoft Teams

Well, we currently keep using Skype for Business because we're still migrating to the Microsoft Cloud solution MS Teams. It is our backup solution for situations where we have to collaborate with external partners who not yet moved to Teams. But we're phasing out Skype for Business in favor of this newer product.

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?

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?

Other Software Used

Microsoft Dynamics 365 (formerly Microsoft Dynamics CRM), Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365), Qlik Sense

Likelihood to Recommend

On a good Local Area Network, the voice and video quality [are] most of the time quite well. And it facilitates talking, chatting, and video offering with coworkers in branches in other locations and countries. The mobile client allows you to have similar functionality on the go using your smartphone. The presence detection is also a neat feature.

Skype for Business was our communication channel for chat and voice calls

Overall Satisfaction with Skype for Business (formerly Lync)