Office 365 For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 15Getting Empowered by Skype for Business

IN THIS CHAPTER

Making an impact with Skype for Business

Finding out about new ways to converse with your team members

Running effective online meetings and web conferencing

You know that little-known tool that people all over the world use to connect with friends, families, and loved ones? Yes, the one that makes 3 billion minutes of calls each day. And yes, the one that more than 35% of small businesses use as their primary communication service.

If you still haven’t guessed, we’re talking about Skype. This free messaging tool that not only connects people all over the world but also bridges the language barriers with its translation capabilities was acquired by Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5 billion.

True to Microsoft’s vision to transform communication and collaboration with software, the business version of Skype is now part of the Office 365 family. Skype for Business takes advantage of all the good things about the Skype we know, as well as Lync, the former communication platform for Office 365.

In this chapter, you will discover the benefits of using Skype for Business as the communication solution for your organization. You’ll learn the new meaning of the word presence as it applies to Office 365 technologies. As you become familiar with the application, you will be able to take your organization to the next level of collaboration by integrating Skype technologies with Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and Office applications. ...