Can't Live With/Can't Live Without: Skype for Business

Can't Live with It
'I use Skype regularly to communicate with clients in the U.S., Europe and Asia and sometimes set up conference calls. Although Skype provides a valuable service at no cost, its security is poor and customer service nonexistent. In the spring, I began receiving unsolicited calls at my home and office from Skype-based numbers. I unplugged my office phones and left a voicemail advising people to try me on another number. Clients were concerned--one asked if I couldn't pay my phone bill--and I missed other important calls. I tried calling Skype but there is no phone number associated with the phone service. After searching the web, I discovered you could post issues on one of its forums. Eventually Skype stopped the calls. I determined that my phone numbers had been harvested from my Skype profile. Skype is the de facto standard of international business callers, so despite my fears of further security compromises and poor customer service concerns, I still use Skype upon request."
--George Cohen, president, George Cohen Communications Inc., Boston