Gloomy Predictions for the Future of Skype - Customer service needs to come up a notch in 2008

Gloomy Predictions for the Future of Skype
Customer service needs to come up a notch in 2008
(old news - 12:55PM Sunday Dec 30 2007)
tags: business · trouble · VoIP

Skype has long been a leader in VoIP services but predictions for the future of this company are currently not looking up. The past year saw a list of problems crop up for users of the voice communication system. These included the company’s August outage and their little-announced removal of SkypeIn private numbers from a large chunk of London customers who were paying for the service.

The biggest complaint, however, seems to be Skype’s lack of customer service. They reportedly have very little in the way of customer service options and take time in getting back to paying customers about their problems. There are rumors that owner eBay isn’t doing anything about the situation because they might be looking to get rid of their relationship with Skype.

Despite this, reviews here on the site have been positive. And Skype Journal reports positively on the company's top ten (actually eleven) ecosystem accomplishments in the last year.

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Forums » Gloomy Predictions for the Future of Skype


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Mactron el Camino Real Premium join:2001-12-16 CM94sv	Maybe, Maybe not... While I like Skype for outbound calls. I'm still on the fence about renewing. The $15 sign up last year was irresistible. This year I'm wondering if I will. The $39 Magicjack has worked out pretty well. Maybe another $15 offer will do it. -- If only the Verizon CSRs worked this well.
	permalink · 2007-12-30 13:18:24 · Print ·

n2jtx join:2001-01-13 Glen Head, NY ·Optimum Online	Re: Maybe, Maybe not... said by Mactron : Maybe another $15 offer will do it. I feel the same way. $15 would be worth it considering the limited number of times I actually use it for phone calls. $39 is a bit too hard for me to justify at this time. That is even more expensive than the non-discounted rate last year. I guess that is a sign that eBay owns them.
	permalink · 2007-12-30 13:57:23 · Print ·

wdoa join:2001-10-16 Spencer, MA ·Verizon Online DSL	Yup count me as another one who would renew for $15 but not for $3 a month/$36 a year as is their current published offer. I used the service in 2006 when it was free for calls within the US, and signed up as a paying customer in 2007 when they made the $15 for the year offer, but the $36 a year is too much for how often I use it.
	permalink · 2007-12-31 08:00:48 ·

lordie My new year resolution is 1080P join:2001-11-13 Sunnyvale, CA ·Skype	I still don't get it I still don't get why eBay bought Skype.. and for a ludicrous amount of money.. I like Skype, and I use it every day, but nothing that I do with Skype is to the benefits of eBay.. someone needs to get fired... -- litman.com
	permalink · 2007-12-30 13:24:57 ·

Subaru 1-3-2-4 Premium join:2001-05-31 Greenwich, CT clubs:	Re: I still don't get it i ask the same question on why AMD brought ATi.
	permalink · 2007-12-30 13:27:21 ·

ricep5
Premium
join:2000-08-07
Jacksonville, FL

·Comcast Formerly ..

·AT&T CallVantage

·AT&T Southeast

Re: I still don't get it

said by Subaru

:

i ask the same question on why AMD brought ATi.

ATI has more in common with AMD than Skype ever had with eBay.

AMD needed;

1> Fab capacity
2> R&D talent
3> Access to some patent cross-licenses to Intel
4> Positive cash flow from the GPU biz

Clearly, ATI had synergy with AMD.

eBay is already starting to write down the Skype purchase on their books and will continue to before they dump them. It will then make the eventual sale look "positive" on the books, when in reality they overpaid.

They thought that having Skype integrated into the eBay bidding scheme would add value to the bidding process. For what they paid, they could have written their own P2P Voice client.

Not the first company to overreach on hype, and it won't be the last.

permalink · 2007-12-30 20:41:47 · Print ·

supergirl

join:2007-03-20
Pensacola, FL

·Cox VOIP

·Skype

·Cox HSI

·AT&T Southeast

·magicjack.com

said by lordie

:

I still don't get why eBay bought Skype.. and for a ludicrous amount of money..
I like Skype, and I use it every day, but nothing that I do with Skype is to the benefits of eBay..

someone needs to get fired...

Ebay bought Skype almost demanding its sellers use it so buyers could ask questions about auctions. That bombed. I just wonder why Meg "Whitless" Whitman is still the CEO.

Personally, I hope Skype ends up being a money pit for crooked Ebay. Still can't believe they paid $4.5 billion for it.
--
Saving the world keeps me busy. However, I find Earth very primitive from my home planet of Krypton.
-Supergirl

permalink · 2007-12-30 17:48:01 · Print ·

Subaru 1-3-2-4 Premium join:2001-05-31 Greenwich, CT clubs:	Re: I still don't get it holy hell.. $4.5 Billion?? first time for me hearing the price on it.. Is Skype worth that much in the first place?!?!?
	permalink · 2007-12-30 20:03:41 ·

lordie
My new year resolution is 1080P

join:2001-11-13
Sunnyvale, CA

·Skype

edit:
January 3rd, @07:18PM

Re: I still don't get it

said by Subaru

:

holy hell.. $4.5 Billion?? first time for me hearing the price on it.. Is Skype worth that much in the first place?!?!?

eBay paid approximately $2.6 billion (thats with a B!!!) in up-front cash and eBay stock, plus potential performance-based consideration.

Those Skype kids made a fricken killing!!! damn!

as someone here said.. Miss CEO should be fired and sued by her stock holders..
--
»litman.com

permalink · 2007-12-30 23:23:53 · Print ·

supergirl

join:2007-03-20
Pensacola, FL

·Cox VOIP

·Skype

·Cox HSI

·AT&T Southeast

·magicjack.com

Re: I still don't get it

said by lordie

said by Subaru

:

holy hell.. $4.5 Billion?? first time for me hearing the price on it.. Is Skype worth that much in the first place?!?!?

eBay paid approximately $2.6 billion (thats with a B!!!) in up-front cash and eBay stock, plus potential performance-based consideration.
this is when Goog was trading at $320.. today it is at $700+..

Those Skype kids made a fricken killing!!! damn!

as someone here said.. Miss CEO should be fired and sued by her stock holders..

Most Ebay sellers would like to see Meg Whitman fired. Look at their users boards on eBay...they hate that woman.
--
Saving the world keeps me busy. However, I find Earth very primitive from my home planet of Krypton.
-Supergirl

permalink · 2007-12-31 04:42:45 · Print ·

cdru Go Colts Premium,MVM join:2003-05-14 Fort Wayne, IN	Re: I still don't get it Luckily for her, most eBay sellers are not stock holders. As long as she continues to make them money, stock holders could care less.
	permalink · 2007-12-31 05:17:38 ·

supergirl

join:2007-03-20
Pensacola, FL

·Cox VOIP

·Skype

·Cox HSI

·AT&T Southeast

·magicjack.com

Re: I still don't get it

said by cdru

:

Luckily for her, most eBay sellers are not stock holders. As long as she continues to make them money, stock holders could care less.

Actually, under her "fine" leadership, her constant raising fees on sellers is catching up. So is the massive fraud on eBay. 90% of FTC Complaints are about eBay. The Skype writedown didn't look good either. Users on eBay are also declining in visits and lots of auctions never have a bid. Eventually, she'll get the boot. Sellers are leaving eBay everyday en masse. Buyers are too since the fraud is getting so ridiculous. Oh, and they are getting sued by Tiffany's too.

--
Saving the world keeps me busy. However, I find Earth very primitive from my home planet of Krypton.
-Supergirl

permalink · 2008-01-02 23:37:40 · Print ·

Subaru 1-3-2-4 Premium join:2001-05-31 Greenwich, CT clubs:	sweet no more bidding wars.
	permalink · 2008-01-03 17:47:37 ·

pokesph It Is Almost Fast join:2001-06-25 Sacramento, CA clubs: ·Comcast	Skype I have no issues with it myself.. never have had any problems (yet) For me, it's just one of those apps that just works, no muss no fuss. Customer service, in general, needs to be improved throughout the IT world. (not just with skype..) seems we who pay for services are constantly treated like second class citizens, and that sux.
	permalink · 2007-12-30 13:58:32 ·

phoneboy3 @shawcable.net	This article is bang on I think this article is bang on because I made the same prediction when I heard about the ebay purchase. It's totally unrelated to eBays core competency and that pretty much NEVER works out. Who knows what eBay was smokin when they bought them....and at such a bargain.....NOT!
	permalink · 2007-12-30 14:16:07 ·

JasonD @comcast.net	Any business model that... depends upon using someone else's bandwidth for free is a bad idea. And yes, that pretty much means ALL third party voip.
	permalink · 2007-12-30 14:48:01 ·

barqsdrinker What Can I Photograph Today? Premium join:2001-02-26 Apo, AE clubs:	Re: Any business model that... Could you not include ANY P2P then?? All of them utilize somebody else's bandwidth. What's this got to do with Skype?? Skype is a (sorta) P2P application. -- Thanks for reading!
	permalink · 2007-12-30 14:54:29 ·

dadkins
Merry Whatever
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA

·Comcast

edit:
December 30th, @07:18PM

said by JasonD :

depends upon using someone else's bandwidth for free is a bad idea. And yes, that pretty much means ALL third party voip.

Huh? When I call a friend(with my paid for service) and he answers(on his paid for service)... where are we using someone elses bandwidth?

Nothing I do on my connection is free! I pay my bill every month!

Is my paid membership at _______ piping in the killer porn getting a free ride?

Got iTunes? There is a business that is using bandwidth too, huh?

--
Think outside the Fox... Opera

permalink · 2007-12-30 19:16:46 · Print ·

actor90
Phillies 2008 World Champions
Premium
join:2003-07-21
L.E.H.T., NJ

·ViaTalk

·Comcast

Re: Any business model that...

said by dadkins

said by JasonD :

depends upon using someone else's bandwidth for free is a bad idea. And yes, that pretty much means ALL third party voip.

Huh? When I call a friend(with my paid for service) and he answers(on his paid for service)... where are we using someone elses bandwidth?

You are 100% correct dadkins

. It's the new mantra of the employees and fan boys. The ISP owns the bandwidth even when we are paying for it. I guess Comcast gives me my high speed internet for free? Last I looked I'm paying $43 dollars a month for it, and I will use skype when ever I want.
--
My Blog on blogspot.com

permalink · 2007-12-30 23:03:40 · Print ·

dadkins Merry Whatever Premium,MVM join:2003-09-26 Hercules, CA	Re: Any business model that... Damn Right! Aint nothin getting a free ride here! I pay for my Comcast every freakin month! $52.95. -- Think outside the Fox... Opera
	permalink · 2007-12-31 00:54:28 ·

L337 Premium join:2005-03-10 Chicago, IL	I'm a paying customer and I'm pissed I love the fact you can have unlimited calls in the US but if you're traveling to a different country and use skype on your pc, they will charge you on your credits!. WTF? Unlimited US calls means unlimted US calls!
	permalink · 2007-12-30 15:05:13 ·

dvd536 as Mr. Pink as they come Premium join:2001-04-27 Phoenix, AZ	Re: I'm a paying customer and I'm pissed said by L337 : I love the fact you can have unlimited calls in the US but if you're traveling to a different country and use skype on your pc, they will charge you on your credits!. WTF? Unlimited US calls means unlimted US calls! FROM the US -- You can never be too rich, too thin or have too much Bandwidth
	permalink · 2007-12-30 23:29:07 · Print ·

Cyber2lz join:2001-11-15 Odessa, FL	eats memory shortly after 2.52 my Skype started eating my memory. Turned it off then. -- The Light Pipe is the Right Pipe !!!
	permalink · 2007-12-30 17:07:01 ·

Prespd

join:2004-03-10
San Diego, CA

Skype's good for me

I travel to Asia 8-12 times a year and now find Skype indispensable. I use it to talk daily to my friends in China while I am in the US. They are in a Hunan province countryside where they have no computer and only cell, and for calling my wife back home in San Diego while I am away. My company uses it extensively for international calls and conference calls between multiple sites and for a startup company like mine, it's been great.

I think the prices are extremely cheap, so maybe it's not economically viable to keep going, but even a modest increase in price for credits wouldn't turn me away. I think $0.02/min to call China is great. And calling the US from China using skype is awesome. i burned through my Chinese cell minutes calling my wife once during the fires here in SD back in October.

permalink · 2007-12-30 17:38:11 · Print ·

jig join:2001-01-05 Hacienda Heights, CA	yaaa i've had no problems, and everyone i introduce it to love it.
	permalink · 2007-12-30 20:38:38 ·

garmst join:2000-09-17 New York, NY	Am I to understand that success is failure? In the last year or so SKYPE goes from 5-ish million users to 8.5 million users (according to my counter at the bottom of the SKYPE window). That is failure? All of my SKYPE purchases have worked flawlessly. Yeah, so I had an outage for a couple of days. Happened once, I got over it. Like nothing else ever goes down.......
	permalink · 2007-12-31 12:10:22 ·

IanR

join:2001-03-22
Madison, NJ

Skype's future

VoIP is here to stay, just who is going to be providing it is the question. Vonage's approach has proven unsuccesful, but they have a lot of customers. AT some point somebody could well buy Vonage for their customerts.

Here's my scenario for Skype (and their owners).

Skype buys Packet8 (EGHT) and uses a mix of ther best infrastructure for the PAY CUSTOMER business model. PC to PC separate business model of Skype continues as is.

Skype bottom fishes for Vonage customer lists as Vonage is allowed to fail and no Baby Bell wants to step in and help salvage them, so Skype effectively adds their customer business to the upgraded Skype/P8 infrastructure.

permalink · 2007-12-31 12:23:29 · Print ·

prestonlewis
Premium,MVM
join:2003-04-13
Sacramento, CA

·VoiceStick

·Comcast

·Pacific Bell - SBC

·DSL EXTREME

·Vonage

·VoicePulse

Skype's free ride explained

When people talk about Skype having a "free ride" on people's bandwidth, they're talking about this: Skype is running on your computer. You are not using Skype. Someone somewhere else makes a Skype call. Skype may use your computer/bandwidth to transmit data (or whatever else they do) to help make someone else's call go through. You're unaware of it but that is how Skype works. When I use my Vonage phone, I use my OWN bandwidth that I pay for to and from the Vonage server. When you use Skype, you're likely using someone else's bandwidth and computer to help make your call, using someone else's bandwidth that they pay for.

However, this is one reason why Skype is cheaper than many other VoIP providers. Using a codec similar to G729, it's not like Skype is hogging your bandwidth to any great degree.

permalink · 2007-12-31 21:29:14 · Print ·

s bassaw

join:2006-06-11
New Rochelle, NY

·Optimum Voice

Kudos, Skype!

I really like Skype. I started using it earlier this year for international calls to landlines. When they had the unlimited calling on Mother's Day, I was sucked in. When the promotion expired, I was so impressed with the quality of the calls, I started adding funds in order to make more and more calls.

It's also a nice service for chatting with friends and family in other states or countries via webcam.

permalink · 2007-12-31 22:43:36 ·

KenTheCook Premium join:2005-10-26 Lahaina, HI	Skype Problems w/ Skype? Not me. I just pay my online minutes and have had no problems. I like Skype and it works for my long distance needs from Hawaii.
	permalink · 2008-01-01 04:56:24 ·

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Forums » Gloomy Predictions for the Future of Skype


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Maybe, Maybe not...

Re: Maybe, Maybe not...

I still don't get it

Re: I still don't get it

Re: I still don't get it

Re: I still don't get it

Re: I still don't get it

Re: I still don't get it

Re: I still don't get it

Re: I still don't get it

Skype

This article is bang on

Any business model that...

Re: Any business model that...

Re: Any business model that...

Re: Any business model that...

I'm a paying customer and I'm pissed

Re: I'm a paying customer and I'm pissed

eats memory

Skype's good for me

yaaa

Am I to understand that success is failure?

Skype's future

Skype's free ride explained

Kudos, Skype!

Skype