Microsoft Skype and Oracle Cloud CRM – Be where your customers are!!

This blog article provides insights about Skype IM, its business benefits & on how to Integrate “ORACLE Cloud CRM” Products with Skype.

Introduction:

Skype started in Europe in 2003, got acquired after 3 years by eBay and currently owned by Microsoft (bought in 2011) in a decade long run since its launch.

Using Skype one can call, see, text & share with others – wherever they are.

Being one of the most popular IM tool, Skype is available on computer, mobile, tablet, TV and even on home phone. Latest stats suggests around 300 million around the globe use Skype to stay in touch with those who are most important in their lives, from friends, to family, to business connections. One in three international voice calls is now made using Skype. Few more stats,

To get started with Skype all we need is – Skype installed device with microphone and speaker/headset, a web cam and an internet connection.

Skype (Microsoft) has been investing in technology improvements, these changes are expected to significantly improve the reliability & performance of Skype to provide users with the best experience possible, across devices and platforms.

When you download & create Skype account, the free and paid services are, 

Skype in business world:

Skype, the low-or-no-cost voice-over-Internet service was first launched for individuals and is now popular with businesses too.

If access to information is democratized by Google, then Idea of communications is democratized by Skype.  If Amazon’s cloud services made it easy for start-ups to get in business, then Skype helped tiny start-ups go global adopting Skype as communication platform.

Skype is a good tool for High-tech technical support services, demonstrations & global meetings.

In cases where customers are having issues using a product, service reps could initiate a Skype call (i.e. Video conference & Screen share) with customers to see what the problem or issue is. This helps the service reps to quickly determine the root cause and show the customer how to solve the problem then and there. This also allows companies to have a kind of “face time” with the customers.

For more business use cases – “10 Cool Ways Companies Use Skype”.

Skype with “ORACLE Cloud CRM” Products:

Skype URIs are the preferred mechanism for integrating with the Skype client, and are supported on iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows (8, 7, Vista, XP), and Mac OS X.

Skype URIs enable developers to create innovative mobile, web, and desktop apps that initiate Skype calls and chats, enabling users to reach target group in a convenient yet familiar way.

The below listed Skype features are integrated with “ORACLE Cloud CRM” products using Skype URIs,

Skype Features Integrated with CRM:

1. Click to Audio Call /Audio Call – Conference
2. Click to Video Call /Video Call – Conference
3. Click to Chat/Multi-Chat
4. Group Video Call (GVC)

ORACLE Cloud CRM products:

1. ORACLE Sales (Fusion) Cloud
2. ORALCE Service (RightNow) Cloud
3. ORACLE CRM On Demand

In their pursuit to provide better customer experience companies are identifying suitable channels where thier customers ‘hang-out’ and building processes around them. Skype with “Oracle Cloud CRM” enables businesses to be more customer driven and deliver defined customer experience at the same time reducing transactional costs making the combo the preferred solution 🙂

Special thanks to my good friend & colleague Mohammed Chand Ahmed for his contribution to this article.

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Note: The other means to integrate Skype is to use Desktop API’s and these API’s were launched nearly 10 years ago. Microsoft has decided to decommission these API’s by the end of 2013 to improve the overall Skype Experience. Also, URIs based Integration approach is  much easier & simpler compared to desktop API’s for integration.

Information sources on decommissioning API’s: Skype Developer, Skype to retire Desktop API support by end of 2013 & Skype says it will kill its Desktop API by end of 2013

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