Get Your Business Skype’d Up
Get your businessSkype’d upLessons learned fromSkype for Business adoption
On the rise with Skype for BusinessRecent figures from Microsoft found that 90% of Fortune 500 companies and over 100 millionTransformation with Skype for Business: six steps to deployment successusers worldwide actively use Office 365 in their organization today.We have put together this ebook of advice for global organizations looking to make a success out of deploying Skype globally.The topics cover everything from voice skills to user adoption. We hope you find it useful.Contents2 On the rise with Skype for Business3 Business case:Building a unified communications business case4 Video and new use cases:Exploring what is possible with Skype for Business5 Voice and PBX replacement:Voice skills central to Skype deployment success6 End-user satisfaction:Providing the tools that users want7 Managing global deployment:Preparation key to avoiding global pitfalls8 About managed Office 365 Cloud PBXGet your business Skype’d up 2
Business caseBuilding a unified business caseIn this age of tightly-controlled IT budgets, building a solid business case based on tangible costsavings is essential for any type of technology deployment – and Skype is no exception. To builda convincing business case and properly calculate any potential savings, you need to understandand measure what Skype is replacing.While Skype is a strong candidate for PBXreplacement, it doesn’t just replace telephony,it replaces a wider range of services. Thisincludes all services that come within theunified communications (UC) remit, includinginstant messaging (IM), presence, videoconferencing, web conferencing and audioconferencing.Measuring the cost of all these variedcommunications services for multinationalcorporations is a challenge. Differentcommunications services are usually underdifferent contracts sourced locally, from arange of budget holders. Allowance shouldbe made for infrastructure costs andservice management.For example, having many fragmentedcontracts is a high management cost andcan also create difficulties identifyingownership for resolving faults.Benchmarking costsThe actual act of carrying out an assessmentcan spark hostility amongst local staff whooften see this as a precursor to restructuring.An alternative approach to measuringspending across the global communicationsestate, is to use benchmarking data that wehave collected based on the type of serviceand the location.Once you have calculated the total cost ofownership (TCO) for the existing setup, youneed to compare it to the projected costof the migration for Skype. This needs toinclude all associated costs, such as thecost of migration, maintaining and managingthe Office 365 Skype for Business CloudPBXenvironment.At Orange, we build these business casecomparisons to help IT departments makethe case for investment to their board.We always calculate tangible costs savings –rather than softer benefits such as improvedcollaboration, new ways of working and moreproductivity. These can then be enjoyed asan added benefit!Four steps to a Skype business case1. Don’t just base your business case onvoice, extend the analysis to include allunified communication services2. Measure cost of infrastructure, people,contracts and service management3. Use benchmarking if actualmeasurement is too challenging4. Calculate actual cost savings, ratherthan soft benefitsGet your business Skype’d up 3
Video and new use casesExploring what is possible with Skype for BusinessConsumer use of video is putting visual communication at the front of many enterprise plans forSkype. However to make video in Skype a success, IT departments have to break out of theirtraditional network-based mindset around video conferencing and provide services, that meetuser demand and help transform working practices.Skype is a perfect vehicle for bringing videoto the wider enterprise with easy desktopintegration and a wide selection of third-partyapps, that take advantage of this videofunctionality. One example is the SkypeRoom System, which combines whiteboardsand video conferencing. With it, userscollaborate using shared whiteboards andvideo, and extend the conference roomexperience to the desktop and mobileendpoints. This makes meetings moreeffective and provides a simple way forparticipants to agree and log all meetingoutcomes.Another consideration in deploying video isthe need to provide proper training andensuring that the technology works asexpected from day one. With the higherbandwidth demands of video, you willneed to properly size the network anddeploy optimization technologies to ensuresmooth operation.“Skype is a perfect vehicle forbringing video to the widerenterprise with easy desktopintegration and a wide selectionof third party apps”Four steps to communicationstransformation with Skype1. Don’t just provide vanilla videoconferencing – look for added-valueapplications2. Consider the disruptive value of Skypein communications-rich environments,such as the contact center3. Provide training to ensure problem-freeuptake4. Ensure the network is properly sizedto handle the additional bandwidthincreases of video and collaborationapplicationsGet your business Skype’d up 4
Voice and PBX replacementVoice skills central to Skype for Business deployment successAs a fully-fledged unified communications (UC) platform, Skype poses a new type of challengeto IT departments looking to take full advantage of its voice functionality. Despite the advanceof converged communications, voice skills are still in short supply in many enterprises. They areseen as old-fashioned by many IT departments, but are essential in helping size networks,configure gateways and size networks AND configure gateways.This knowledge gap can be a significantproblem or enterprises looking to migratetheir voice services as part of a voice rollout.Ensuring a seamless transition requires adiverse set of skills, which need to be inplace right from the outset of the project.For example, consider the issue of networksizing. This information needs to be collectedfrom all sites when auditing the currentcommunications infrastructure. However,collecting essential information on theinstalled base and call usage patterns can bequite challenging for global companies andrequires specific voice skills and expertise.Our voice engineers have developedmethodologies to accurately estimatethese figures based on a combination ofcustomer cases, industry standards, metricsdrawn from our “call analytics” reportingsystem and the nature of each site (sizeand criticality).Managing voice capacityCapacity management is a key voicerequirement, and voice engineers have beenusing the Erlang algorithm for years toensure that there are sufficient lines into asite. This is further complicated by audioconferencing, which is another keyfunctionality in Skype, but which has acompletely different usage profile to standardvoice calls.Three key factors in voice success1. Ensure that the project includes voiceengineers from the outset2. Accurate data collection will helpensure success3. Be sure to take the specific requirementsGet your business Skype’d up 5
End-user satisfactionProviding the tools that users wantThe success of any technology project will ultimately be judged on how many people actuallyuse the technology. The business case for adoption will never be made if users are resistant tochange. If they don’t like what they have been given, they will even go out of their way to use analternative method for communication.To prevent this from happening, users needto be involved from the very beginning of theproject to help test and fine tune thefunctionality. Furthermore, don’t take a bigbang approach to deploying Office 365Skype for Business CloudPBX – either interms of multiple geographies at the sametime or even introducing all the functionsat once.Define upfront what you want to achieve interms of the solution, which will allow you toidentify the core services. Deploy these first,and once they are operational, look to addthe additional features and functionality. Youwill know if the deployment is successful,because people will be approaching youwanting to extend the solution further.“Define upfront what you want toachieve in terms of the solution,which will allow you to identify thecore services”Pilot including wide variety of usersThe first step in a phased rollout should be apilot on one site. This is typically a couple ofmonths long and should involve a widevariety of types of users in the organization,because both power-users and technophobesprovide valuable feedback. This informationshould be gathered by regular meetingsmonitoring progress. Once the pilot iscomplete, the learning you take from it canbe fed back into the overall project plan.The quality of the solution both in the pilotstage and in wider roll-out is imperative,because if the tools don’t work properlythen users will soon tire of them – and maynever return. This requires that issues withvoice quality and video sizing are completelyresolved before rolling out any voice or videoconferencing functionality, for example.Ensure that you have a comprehensivecommunications plan in place for adoption.This should include demos, e-learningprograms and 1-2-1 training for seniorexecutives. We have developed a range ofuser-adoption packages with partners thatcan help get users up to speed with thesolution and how to use it.Six steps to user satisfaction1. Involve users from the outset2. Define what you want to achieve fromSkype to allow to identify the corefunctionality to deploy first3. Run a pilot including a wide range ofusers4. Ensure that the service quality isguaranteed before providing tools5. Put a comprehensive communicationsplan in place to train users6. Continue to measure satisfaction withend user surveysGet your business Skype’d up 6
Managing global deploymentPreparation key to avoiding global pitfallsAs we have shown, deploying Skype holds many challenges. These challenges are exacerbatedwhen looking to deploy the solution worldwide. Broadly you have the choice to either take ado-it-yourself approach, which will typically involve working with a number of local providers,or working with a global provider such as Orange Business Services.Time and money are the most importantconsiderations in making that choice. Andone of the biggest factors in that are theavailable skills. One a global level, it is vitalto have skills on the ground in all yourdestination countries in order to properlycarry out the local installation and manageit in the run phase. In addition, differentcountries are likely to have different legacytechnology, which will need to be managedin any transition to Skype, requiring specificskills and interoperability testing.“Time and money are the mostimportant considerations in makingthe choice between providers”Four lessons from experienceWith over 18 years of experience in helpingenterprises with their global Microsoft LCS/OCS and now Skype deployments, we havelearned a number interesting lessons thatwe’d like to share to make your transition toSkype as smooth as possible.Private dial plans: Many enterprises haveset up a consistent dial plan that worksthroughout the globe. However, Skype takesa different approach to dial plans, which maynot be compatible with how you like yoursystem to be set up. This requires additionalwork and configuration for success.Alternatively you may choose to dispenseentirely with dial plans and use soft clientsonly, but this approach will require additionalchange management and user training.Federation: All of Skype’s communicationsare encrypted as standard. This can causea problem if you try to federate voice withother companies, because authorities willbe unable to intercept calls outside of theorganization. This makes it illegal in somejurisdictions, and companies that proceedwith this approach could face prosecution.VoIP regulation: Historically, voice is ahighly- regulated industry, which means thatthere are restrictions on what you can dowith voice within the organization, such aswhat traffic you can carry on the network,whether a PBX can be hosted in the cloudand what licensing your provider needs tohave. And these regulations all vary widelybetween different countries.Import issues: Getting equipment into thecountry for installation can be verychallenging because every country hasdifferent rules. Skype for Business solutionsincorporate an ecosystem of technologyvendors, which makes import requirementsmore complex. Making the right choiceshere can prevent delays and unnecessaryspending. In addition, it can be hard toimport equipment into any country if youdo not have a legal entity present, which issometimes the case when setting up a newbranch office.Get your business Skype’d up 7
About managed Office 365 Cloud PBX from Orange Business ServicesEnjoy global unified communications and collaboration based on Skype for Business fromOrange Business Services.Our Managed Office 365 Skype for Business Cloud PBX offerincludes pay-per-user pricing and 24x7 ITIL service managementthat is fully ISO certified and SOF certified. As both a globalservice provider and a systems integrator, we can be your singlepoint of contact for solution ownership, vendor management,project management and deployment, regionally and globally in166 countries.Our team understands the drivers behind optimizing yourcommunications infrastructure and will work with you to meet yourobjectives. They’ll also help you navigate compliance, regulatory,security and service-level issues when dealing with customers,suppliers and authorities, which can be a barrier to entry, andespecially in high growth markets. Our portfolio is based on theSkype Operations Framework methodology combined with Orangeexpertise to maximize success. Delivered with a local touch andaward winning “World Class” customer experience (Ocean82 benchmarking’s Voice of the Customer. “Gold award”, 2016), ourprofessionals bridge the gap between technology and what’s rightfor your business to help you overcome challenges and gainmaximum value out of your solutions. We are present in 220countries, with local support in 166 countries.Your next step: Get your business Skype’d up.Talk to Orange. And find out more about managedSkype for Business essGet your business Skype’d up 8
Get your business Skype’d up 5 Voice skills central to Skype for Business deployment success As a fully-fledged unified communications (UC) platform, Skype poses a new type of challenge to IT departments looking to take full
Enjoy widescreen Skype video calls from the comfort of your living room. With Skype on your Samsung Smart TV you can make free* Skype–to–Skype voice and video calls to friends and family, wherever they are in the world. Just plug in a Samsung Skype TV camera (RRP 199. Sold separately), choose someone to
CREATING/RESETTING YOUR PIN FROM THE SKYPE FOR BUSINESS CONFERENCING WINDOW If you cannot easily find an existing Skype calendar event for creating your PIN, you can start the process from the Skype for Business window as described in this section. 1. In your Skype for Business wind
To view a log of your previous Skype for Business Calls, go to the Conversations tab in your Skype window. TAFE NSW Skype for Business March 2017 Page 9 of 9 This will show a list-style log of your previous Skype for Business calls. Yo
Attend a meeting using Skype for Business Web App (Recommended to external guests). . If you do not have a Skype for Business account click Install and join with Skype meetings App . Business Web App (2) First time you use Skype for Business Web App, you need to allow the Lync protocol by clicking the Open URL:lync15 Protocol. .
Skype Brand Guidelines v2.0 Skype, 2015 3. How we look Standard logos 11 Our standard logos These are our standard logos. Use the standard Skype logo when talking to our consumer audience. Use the standard Skype for business logo when talking to our enterprise audience. When there's not enough space, use the secondary Skype for Business logo.
Page 2 Skype Manager User Guide About this guide Skype Manager is a web-based management tool that lets you centrally manage Skype for businesses of any size. This guide has been written for administrators of Skype Manager who are responsible for overseeing their company's u
A picture can be added to your Skype for Business account by emailing Kara McElwrath with ITS Client Services. The pictures need to be 96 x 96 and under 10 KB in size. Help to resize your photo correct can be given if needed. Using Skype for Business Web Scheduler To use Skype for Business Web Scheduler while on campus, go to:
instrumenters via UI, API. - One Instrumenter service per docker engine/server host is supported - Instrumentation jobs are delivered to any authenticated Instrumenter service Compatibility - The Instrumenter service is able to request Qualys Container Security user credentials from Vault secret engine types: kv-v1 and kv-v2. Although supported .
