Should I use Skype for Business?
Can you? Yes. Should you? No!?
The reason is simple…it is not designed as a business tool. Unlike other video telepresence systems, Skype was designed around the consumer and not the business. It simply does not have the security/privacy and encryption tools that businesses should have. And not to pick on Skype specifically, but business owners and managers should be leery of all free or “cheap” answers for video telepresence and conferencing.
Another key concern regarding free or low-priced systems is bandwidth management. Systems designed for business address the issues of bandwidth management and network performance is extremely important in the workplace.
Consumer telepresence tools/apps expose end-users to spammers and telemarketing/tracking, where professional systems do not.
Telepresence tools range from free to tens of thousands of dollars (and higher). Free is good for friends, family for light or quick conversations. Free is not good for guaranteeing quality, performance and privacy.
While some of the free video telepresence applications can do multi-site (connecting to multiple people at the same time), and showing content (documents, presentations), quality can be an issue. As you move into the higher quality systems you add tool sets for collaboration; document or content sharing and even control of the other person’s desktop. Bandwidth requirements have a major impact but is a much longer discussion.
The expression “There’s no such thing as a free lunch” comes from the days where saloon owners promised a free lunch if you consumed a certain number of drinks. What was the price of those drinks…or in this case…what is the price that your business might pay in the long run?