Yes, as I said, this is not about my clients. It's about Skype/MS.
For the last decade-plus, I've had Skype as a business phone. Not the free version; I have had a paid Skype-in number, and Skype calls. It's worked fantastically well--until the end of last year.
When I went to go on Xmas leave, last year, I found, to my horror, that for utterly inexplicable reasons, Skype has discontinued the ability to have a customized voice greeting, for message leavers. So, when people call me now, they don't hear my cheery, recorded greeting that I've had for years; no, now they get something that no doubt makes them think that we're scammers, or whatever--"the party you are calling is not available right now, please leave your message." I mean, talk about a load of old s**te.
I immediately started in on a journey of discovery and research, trying to figure out "WTF?" and how I could address it. What a freaking mess! I won't bore the crap out of you guys with the endless calls, chats, etc., trying to get to an answer, but here's the un-freaking-believable bottom line:
- Skype "regular" no longer has customized voice greetings. Too bad, so sad.
- To get customized voice-greetings, you have to use Skype for Business. Hooray, that's what I'll do...
- Oh, but WAIT. Skype for Business is being phased out, in favor of MS Teams. (sigh), okay, THAT's what I'll do.
- BUT--if you get Skype for Teams, then guess what? Only other TEAM members can call you! Other people, with regular phones, can't. Wow, MS, you sure know how to make this attractive...it's not phone, it's inhouse conferencing.
- But wait! MS Teams for Businesses with fewer than 50 employees...wait for it--is being discontinued/phased out.
- So, I can't get either Skype for Business, or MS Teams.
- But wait! I can get a VOIP contract by having MS365! Hooray, I have that!
- Oh, but wait...I can only get that with E1 or E3--the ENTERPRISE versions, of MS365, and, after I pay for the enterprise version, then, it's $240/year, PLUS YOU GET TO PAY FOR CALLS. Uh, what? didn't we say, VOIP?
- Oh, but wait...I can't sign up for E1 or E3, because it will be THOUSANDS of buckeroos per month.
- So, in order to get a customized voice greeting, for my phone, I have to sign up for an expensive plan that I can't afford, don't need, for imaginary employees that I don't have, just so that I may have the privilege of paying $240/year AND paying rates for all our calls. Whu? Did I die, while I wasn't looking and end up in HELL?
Suffice to say, the last time I interacted with a MS person, I was...shall we say, lacking politeness. Apparently, I'm either going to have to "convert" my 2nd landline (currently an unused fax line from the dawn of time) to our biz line--but that will mean all new equipment, handsets, etc. or I have to find a Skype alternative--but most VOIPS are a lot more expensive than you'd think, or, like Wire, are only like MS Teams--inhouse, for chat and vid-conferencing only, not actual PHONE.
I've been an MS user for 30+ years, and this is the first time that I've really felt like they not only let me down but positively went out of their way to make everyone who owns a very small business absolutely miserable. It really is this whole new agonizing version of "Who's on First."
Hitch