Voip-News had a column yesterday on how to best use your personal Skype communication software. For you big Skype fans in the crowd, be prepared for a wealth of great users tips. I'm part of a Skype "swarm" with about forty or so other people. The experience is a remarkable one for a host of reasons. The experience is like working in a small office with a bunch of really smart people. Great ideas come bundled with small-talk.

Here are my five favourite ways to improve the Skype experience:

1 Call Forwarding
Whether you've set your Skype account up on your home or work computer, the fact is, you are occasionally going to get important calls when you aren't there. Thankfully, you can simply forward those calls to another Skype account or even a cell phone or land line. That way, even if your computer at work is shut down, as soon as a call comes in to your Skype account, the call will immediately ring on your cell phone, your home computer and your home phone line, meaning that no matter where you are you'll be sure to get it.
To forward a call click on the "Tools" menu and select "Options." From there set the forwarding number in the "Call Forwarding & Voicemail" section.

2 Providing Customer Support
Got a small business online? Want to offer some customer support without spending a fortune on telephony costs? Skype's graphical click-to-call SkypeMe buttons are ideal for this. Create your SkypeMe button (free account needed) and embed the code in your website, weblog, template, email, or wherever you want it to appear. When someone views your web page (or email message), the button will indicate whether you are online and accepting Skye calls, busy, or offline. If you're on the go and (...read more...)