What You Need to Know About Skype for Business Ending

Published on 1 June 2021

As many of you will be aware Skype for Business is ending July 31st 2021. So, what does this mean for you and your business? Will Skype for Business suddenly stop working? What do I need to do?

Firstly, when we say Skype for Business is ending, it’s not going to disappear off the face of the internet just yet. You will still be able to use it, but Microsoft will no longer be supporting it. That means if you have an issue with the software, Microsoft will not be available to help or amend it. There will be no more updated features to improve the running of Skype for Business. Microsoft will still carry out essential maintenance on the software when required, for instance to update security patches, however they will only continue this until October 14th 2025, after that Skype for Business will be completely unsupported.

Well, that’s not so bad, I’ve got loads of time to migrate over to Microsoft Teams, why should I do it now?

To put it simply Microsoft Teams has everything Skype for Business has and more. Microsoft has been carefully listening and responding to their customer’s needs. They continually make changes and updates to Teams to meet their customer’s growing needs and stay ahead of an increasingly competitive market.

Skype for Business has always had its limits. It was built off the back of the original Skype product, created in 2003; which was centred around audio and video calling as well as online chat. Whereas, Teams has all this and more.

Features you will gain from moving over to Teams:

• Search for files, content, and people within Teams.
• React to chat messages to let co-workers know you acknowledge what they have said without having to reply with a generic “Great” or “All good with me”.
• Record and share meetings.
• Share and manage files directly with OneDrive and share files with offline participants.
• Blur your background which is helpful for anyone working from home or in a busy office.
• Sync all your applications, like outlook for arranging meetings, or whiteboard, as well as a strong integration to Microsoft 365.

Benefits of using Teams for your Business:

• Save 45 minutes each week through collaborations with colleagues.
• Gain 8 hours of work time back each week.
• Decrease of meetings by 18.9%.
• Increase Decisions-makers decision time by 17.7%.

It is important to allow time for your employees and colleagues, once they have migrated over, to familiarise themselves with Teams to ensure they are using the software effectively. You don’t want to have to switch suddenly due to a default or bug in Skype for Business’s software after the cut-off date and have to rush to migrate over adding unnecessary stress to your staff.

At Bluebell IT Solutions we will carry out the migration process into Microsoft Teams and make the whole transition as smooth as possible for your business. Call us now on 01908 044202