Setting up Skype in your business

A bit more about our experience with Skype as the key form of communication in our office. 
I previously outlined a few of the benefits, this post will get you to the deployment stage and then I will get to the day to day use on my next post.

Firstly I need to qualify that our business is only small so we have few staff members, consequently using Skype exclusively is not a problem for us, for larger businesses with more team members it may be more practical to use Skype in conjunction with your office system.

Here is the process we used to deploy Skype in our business

Skype Manager

Set up Skype Manager : The first thing you will need to do is sign up for Skype Manager for your business, Skype Manager allows you to set up and control user accounts, distribute subscriptions and many other functions.

Follow the instructions on the Skype Manager quick start guide to set up:

Register for Skype Manager : It is recommended that you create a new Skype account using your business name.

Add members to Skype Manager : it is possible to add users with personal accounts to your Skype Manager but these accounts will have restricted functionality so it is recommended that business accounts be created for team members.

Add Skype Credit : You will need to purchase Skype credit for your company, this credit can then be used to purchase products/subscriptions which in turn can be allocated to your team members.

Assign features to members : You can then allocate subscriptions, credit, numbers and other features to members

Numbers, subscriptions and credit

Request Skype numbers : You will need to request some Skype numbers, unfortunately it can be a bit of lucky draw and a pain staking process trying to secure some suitable numbers. We purchased a number for each user and an office number. You do have the choice of which area code you would like but the actual number is a matter of scrolling through the pickings and try to find some in sequence.  

Purchase some subscriptions : next you will need to purchase some Skype subscriptions, you will need to purchase these on a per user basis. There are some great unlimited subscription deals to be had, most of which give you unlimited calls to landlines worldwide for 12 months from less than $140.00.

Once you have purchased numbers, subscriptions and credit you will be able to allocate these to your members from within Skype Manager.

You should be all set and ready to go now, more about how to get the best out of Skype on a day to day basis will follow in my next blog…

Using Skype for flexibility and cost effectiveness

Changing your business phone over to use Skype may not have been a great idea a few years ago with call quality and other issues but now with the increase in internet speed and other improvements, using Skype for your business is a very viable option, the call quality is excellent and its very financially effective.

Most people relate the use of Skype as a useful way to keep in touch with family and friends by skype to skype calls or video but it can be so much more. Skype can be used very effectively in your business, even to he point of replacing your office phone system which is exactly the path we have taken. There is still some downside but the upside more than makes up for the this.

This is what we have done and what you can do to implement it in your business:

Skype number : you can request a Skype number, this is a local number and you are able to request the area code for where you are based. Clients/customers that call this number as a local call and you get to answer it where ever you are working from at the time even overseas. The cost of each number is AUD40.00 for 12 months.

Skype subscription : Skype subscriptions are great value, you can save huge amounts on your call costs, Skype currently has an unlimited premium subscription that includes unlimited calls to landlines and mobiles in over 50 countries for only AUD116.49 for 12 months. You will need to buy a subscription for each user but there is no doubt that each user is currently costing your company much more than this amount each year for their calls.

Call Quality : Forget about the bad old days of noisy lines and delayed voice, Skype call quality is very close to as good as landline and for overseas calls better, there is still a ever so slight delay but with a good internet connection this is hardly noticeable.

Instant Messaging : The other major benefit of using Skype is using the instant messaging function, I know there are plenty of other IM options out there but the whole idea is minimize the number of platforms you are using rather than switching from one to the other. One of the other benefits of using IM is that you can see when the person you would like to chat to is online. We use Skype IM as the main form of communication during the working day between staff members working from different locations, it is very effective.

This is a brief summary of the benefits and uses of Skype in your "Working from Anywhere" office or even for your bricks and mortar office, there is much more that I will address in a future post.

Time to start again

I recently spent some time with my sister Karen at her place "Sharing Bali" in the hills above Ubud in Bali. Traditional antique balinese bungalows all slightly different with outdoor bathrooms are set among the rice paddies in one of the most calming peaceful places you could ever imagine.
I spent a wonderful 4 nights at this amazing place, experienced some great jungle treks, canyon tubing, a flying fox, some fitness sessions with trainer Jo Sharp and some amazing fresh, tasty and healthy food.
My time at this wonderful place gave me the time to reflect and the motivation to get back into blogging about how I have created a lifestyle for myself by converting my conference and event management business to able to "work from anywhere".
There are so many benefits that have been realised from this change and I feel its worthwhile sharing. I will be sharing the why, how and the results with the hope that this encourages others to consider working towards this great lifestyle.

The Mexican Story

Following is an extract from the book "The 4 Hour Work Week" written by Tim Ferriss, a very simple explanation of why bigger is not necessarily better...

The Mexican Story

American consultant was at a pier in a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow-fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The Mexican replied only a little while.
The consultant then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish?
The fisherman said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs.
The American then asked the Mexican how he spent the rest of his time.
The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, senor.”
The American consultant scoffed, “I am business consultant and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and, with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution.
“You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise.”
The Mexican fisherman asked, “But senor, how long will this all take?”
To which the American consultant replied, “15-20 years.”
“But what then, senor?” asked the fisherman.
The consultant laughed, and said, “That’s the best part! When the time is right, you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public. You’ll become very rich, you would make millions!”
“Millions, senor?” replied the Mexican. “Then what?”
The American said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”

Discovering Briancon

No work today, it's Sunday!!
Go up and out on the bike early keen to finish the challenge, nice and easy ride on the flat for 22kms and mission accomplished...at last!!!
I had decided on a road trip (in the car for a change) for today with the historic township of Briancon the destination of choice. The weather was a complete contrast to yesterday with hardly a cloud in the sky and the mountains looking magnificent with all the new snow.
The drive over included part of what I had ridden earlier in the month over Col du Lautaret, much easier in the car, then it was down the other side to Briancon, about a 80km trip over.

Briancon is the highest town in Europe, I spent my time there exploring the Cite Vauban of Briancon, a medieval old town that was a military city in the eighteenth century and is surrounded by fortifications. It was very easy to spend a good half day there wandering around in absolute awe of the structures, views and history.

Waking up to snow falling

This morning I woke up and looked out the window to see snow falling, quite amazing really considering the fact that summer starts next week. Anyway it was a good excuse to have a bit of a sleep in as well as a good opportunity to catch up on some more work.
I worked away up until just after lunch and then got tempted by the break in the weather to get out on the bike, another motivation was the fact that I had signed up for an online challenge to complete 813kms of riding between 13 and 26 May and I still had 123kms to go with only today and tomorrow left.
I headed out and found a couple of new hills to challenge the legs and then added a nice scenic traverse along another balcony type road that was more or less on the opposite side of the valley to the one I rode the other day.
Didn't get back until after 6pm and managed to clock up 104kms for the afternoon, leaving a mere 20kms to do tomorrow to complete the challenge.
Good day all round really!!

La Berarde - don't look down

Firstly for all you critics, I actually put in close to an 8 hour day of work today, ok maybe closer to 6 hours. Very inconvenient meant that I didn't get out on the bike until about 2pm, I'd decided to ride out to La Berarde which is a bit further on from the ride I'd previously done to Venosc, a good bit further on as it turned out.
The climb up to Venosc wasn't too bad and I'd done that one before but then the climb out of Venosc was a nice steep tough one, then a short bit of flat stuff beside the river before another tough climb up to St-Christophe-en-Oisans, after which the grade lessened off somewhat but still uphill. What a spectacular road and scenery though (again). another narrow road that seems to hang over the edge of the mountain, this one however didn't have any guardrail or wall of any sort so it was a case of "don't look down".
Another great ride and some more spectacular, remote mountain landscape!!!!