How to make money with skype and what about supporting the solutions?

New phone : http://www.simplyphone.lu/
Bluetooth phone : http://www.everbluetooth.com/product_s188.htm.

I am going through some links again. It is also the first time in my life that I can globally talk for free with the suppliers of the solutions. The only people I have not called yet are the skype-people themselves. They must be very busy… Already talking to the world around skype.

 My thoughts while adding another link :

Skype should have a test-centre, or publish the results of test-centre (like www.diskidee.com, datatestlab for example) where the solutions are put on a grid and rate on their functionality. How can consumers make a choice right now? This is important to reduce irrelevant stress on the support to be given. We all know the scenario of “it does not work”. The user needs solutions not problems. Same goes for the helpdesk of the hardware and software suppliers. We all know how annoying it is to be send back and forth.

Without proper support and helpdesk / calldesk-structure any given solution is doomed to have serious market-acceptance problems. The good things is that all customers of skype can call skype-support for free… But is there actually a skype-helpdesk with voice-support? Maybe that should done under the concept “Think Global, Act local”.

Here we see 2 problems on the matter of launching a product :

• how to give proper online instant support, no “normal person will go the forum.skype.com, that is 2nd level… most people won’t understand what is being said there. interesting though for skype-nerds.
  
• who will pay for the support to be given/received (somebody is investing the time right?). I think the support problems will raise to a level of high frustration… Nevertheless with skype itself I have not had many problems. Except maybe for the sound-card-setting sometimes. You can expect this to change when more software integrations will be launched on the market. I hope we are not going to hear things like : “ow but for that problem you must call the other people…” It’s doomed to happen. I worked long time ago on an IBM Helpdesk and a favourite line of the helpdesk-agents was (me included) “this is hardware problem, please call your vendor”. Especially with communication-system there are serious problems to be solved. How much will the user suffer? What would be the best way to organise this support. Maybe a build in support button that links to skype if any problems. The vendors who are developing software-add-ons on skype should surely think about that option. Takes away the stress on the email-support system too.
  

Since skype is already free, maybe the reseller of added value systems (like Pamela, Skylook …. etc.) should take up a part of the support.

 My question is how to make money with skype. I still have not found the proper business-model. I hope skype has found the solution; I am sure this mission critical..

How the hell can you make money with a system that is for free? Comments and suggestions welcome at http://forum.webtown.com.my.

Comments

[John]

Look for the next best thing and make your move. Make money fast.
- http://web.ecomplanet.com/WEAL2336/