Skype Usefulness – Take 2

Another example of Skype usefulness within the enterprise environment… Today our Deli Chocolate Lady, Duff, called IT wondering if we could install Skype on a computer for her to use, say in the next 20 minutes? We have a reputation for fast response so this was a good challenge. What was more interesting was that she wanted Skype. Duff has been working on a project with Askinosie chocolate in Springfield, MO to craft a special chocolate bar for Zingerman’s and they were in the final stages of packaging – Shawn, from Askinosie, wanted to show Duff the wrapper before they sent it out and he is a Skype video user.

I dropped the Skype installer on a USB flash drive and headed to the north side of town. We used the reception desk computer (an iMac running Win XP) to install the software and got Duff set up with a Skype account. Five minutes later we had a Skype chat request coming in from Askinosie and Shawn full screened. Duff spent 10 minutes working with Shawn on the look of the packaging (it was perhaps printed too high up, or maybe not) and then Shawn gave Duff, and her now gathered group of Deli staff, a visual tour of the chocolate factory with a brief hello to all the staff using his wireless Macbook.

Duff was pleased with the experience and I was left thinking that a lot of relationship just got built within 20 minutes thanks to the technology. There might be a use for it yet.