Is Skype ready for business? The answer is a solid Yes if you count Skype Extras – third party products that can be used to enhance the basic calling features of Skype. For example, customer relationship-management software vendor Salesforce.com (CRM) has integrated Skype into its application.
The Basic Skype Calling Service According to Skype, more than 30% of Skype users are already tapping the service for business. About 97% of them pay for SkypeOut, which allows for calls from a PC to a phone. Among the business users, about 31% list a SkypeIn number on business cards. That service lets people call into a PC from an outside phone.
Compared with fixed landline, one great advantage of using SkypeIn is that you can answer the call anywhere in the world. Your customers simply call a local phone number (SkypeIn number), and Skype routes the call to your computer, such as your laptop computer while you are waiting for your fight in an airport. Similarly, non-U.S. companies can get U.S. numbers and send their incoming calls to agents anywhere in the world.
The baisc Skype calling service, however, lacks some critical business features, such as music on-hold, auto attandent, automated outbound calls, and customizable IVR capabilities.
Skype Public API The Skype solution for the lack of business features is its open Skype API, which allows third party developers to create products that work with Skype. Since its inception, there are thousands of developers in Skype developer programs, and hundreds of software and hardware products created based on Skype API.
Setup Auto-Attandent As shown in the following video demo, it only takes a few minutes to set up an auto-attandent system for your SkypeIn number using Voicent IVR Studio. The vidio demo can be accessed at Voicent’s website.
Setup Custom Support IVR System To design a customer support IVR system normally takes more work. For example, an IVR system might present different options to different callers based on their purchasing history, which normally stored in a company-wide customer database. With IVR Studio, developers can easily implement these features using the tool’s extension methods. More information can be found in IVR Tutorial.
Automated Outbound Calls Whether for service reminders, emmergency notifications, or lead generations, you can take advantage of another tool called Voicent BroadcastByPhone Autodialer. To use the product, all you need to do is create your call list, record your voice message, and click dial. The software takes care of the rest, such as leave a message on an answering machine or a voice mail system. It also allows call transfer to any phone number, such as your cell phone number. So when the person called is interested in your offering, he or she can press a key to have the call transferred to you.
Download and Give it a Try
You can download the whole software package and give it a try. There is no time limit on the trial version.
Andrew Kern – Technology evangelist for automatic phone technologies, including Autodialer, IVR, and Predictive dialer.
Author: Andrew Kern
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Programmable Pressure Cooker
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