PTP Blog

the latest version of Skype includes an option Firefox extension that automatically transforms phone numbers in webpage into buttons that you can click to initiate a Skype call.

Here’s an example of what it looks like in action:
(Click for a larger image)

This example is taken from PTP’s database - Salesforce - but would work the same with any other online database out there.

As you can see, the possibilities are pretty intriguing - imagine setting up a phone list with entry fields - a caller could sit at a computer, clicking and calling their way down the list, entering in response directly on the page and therefore directly into the database. This could be pretty darn cool.

I just saw that Skype is offering free calls to the US and Canada for the remainder of 2006.

That means that if you’ve got a high speed connection to the internet and some PC headsets, you’ve got a very viable phone banking setup without the usual overhead of multiple phone lines, etc.

Anyone using Skype for phone banking?

After about a week and a half, my skype username/password has finally be restored. Ultimately, I had to go through the Skype User Forums and ask one of the Skype customer service folks there to reset my password.

So, although I’m back on Skype, I’ve got to say that the customer service experience was less than pleasant or easy to navigate.

the skype system seems to have given me the boot - can’t login, website doesn’t recognize my username/email address combo to send me a new password - all very odd.

So, I’m available via Gizmo, which is rapidly becoming my favorite VoIP client.

The Skype strangeness is really quite strange - the only thing I can imagine is that my account was somehow wiped from their system, even though it still sort of seems to be there. The folks at Skype have to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen if they are serious about moving from dinky voice IM client to credible communications platform.

Of course, this little Skype hiccup that I’m experiencing could be an indication that concerns about the demise of Skype are correct - check out Om Malik’s blog (VoIP topic) for more Skype rantings that I can summarize here.