Microsoft announces new Skype Professional Account targeting instructors and SMBs

Microsoft today announced the new Skype Professional Account targeting small business owners and instructors. Skype Professional Account will allow them to do their online business easier with new features like meetings, payments, notes support and more.

A typical instructor who works online uses a combination of different platforms to give sessions across Skype. They use an email to arrange a Skype call, calendar software like Outlook to manage their Skype meeting schedule, and a third-party provider like PayPal to coordinate and accept online payments. Microsoft’s new Skype Professional Account will allow such users to do all these tasks from one app. Microsoft will release a Skype Professional Account desktop client in the US soon and it will be available for free during the preview period.

In addition to the meeting and payments related features, Skype team has come with an enhanced profile page to help SMB owners improve their online presence in Skype. Also, only the instructor or a SMB owner needs the Skype Professional Account and the preview desktop client, their customers and clients can continue to use their existing Skype consumer app. To improve the reach of instructors and SMB owners, Skype will soon allow its users to search for businesses in addition to their friends and groups within Skype.

Skype Professional Account will make it easier for thousands of service providers to connect with their customers and conduct their business—all in one place.

Microsoft has limited spots for Skype Professional Account preview, fill out this survey here to join it. In addition to the features described above, Microsoft has many other features planned for Skype Professional Account.

Source: Skype