In the second article of our 4-part series, this article will highlight the benefits your credit union should be taking advantage of, specifically speaking, Skype for Business. 

Many credit unions have migrated to Office 365 and implemented the many features it comes equipped with into their daily routines. Skype for Business for credit unions is one of the many features your employees could be using if you’re looking to serve your members with the most effective and productive solutions. Skype for Business offers an abundance of features that boost productivity and encourage collaboration:

Instant Messaging – Instant messaging through Skype for Business helps move projects and solutions instantly through the pipeline. Instead of using the traditional form of email communication, allow your credit union employees to communicate more effectively with one another. Not just for internal use, instant messaging could also transform the way your credit union handles vendor relations, using its Federation feature.

Web Meetings – Skype for Business makes setting up, scheduling, and conducting meetings so easy, the time your employees gain from solving otherwise time consuming projects or problems will speed up all of your business processes. While building relationships is a benefit from in person meetings, utilize Skype for Business for quick collaboration meetings among branches or when your credit unions wants to cut down on travel expense.

Versatility – Skype for Business operates on all devices, from your desktop to your smartphone, making it simple for users to link up and communicate with each other and helping stay on top of their business, ideas, projects, and more. Again, this versatility allows employees to get work down no matter where they are, which pushes progress forward.

Cost Efficient – Skype’s price tag is among the most affordable in the industry. It’s easy to install and the learning curve is minimal since it integrates so well with Office 365 and products that everyone is familiar with when it comes to its operation, saving money on training costs. The whole idea behind Skype for Business and Office 365 is to ensure your communications don’t operate in silos, truly embracing the Unified Communications philosophy and helping your credit unions reach your bottom line with the most cost efficient solution available.

Collaboration –  A powerful feature of Skype meetings is the ability to share your desktop, or allow other employees or co-workers to have control and show their desktop.  Rather than explaining what button to press on a demo or what slide everyone should be on, this quickly allows everyone to have the visual they need for the conversation at hand. Branch managers can simultaneously work on a document or easily transfer files and images. Integrated real-time co-authoring, desktop sharing, shared hunt groups, application sharing, and PowerPoint presentations are the features that will push your credit union past the competition.

Skype for Business can transform the way your credit union completes work. The efficiency Skype for Business offers is vital to the success of credit unions, large or small. The integration with Office 365 allows employees to get in touch with someone on IM to get quick answers, view their calendars to check availability, schedule Skype meetings within Outlook and join in a single click from your calendar, set up video conferences and web meetings on the fly, and much more. To effortlessly implement Skype for Business into your daily operations consider partnering with an expert in the field like AltiGen.

Next in this 4-part series we will go more in-depth and demonstrate the benefits of Hosted Skype for Business.