My Love Language
As someone who writes a lot, I have a certain love and appreciation for words. Words should paint a picture, they should flow, and they should also fit nicely on a page. When companies change their product names, they change the words. I do not think Microsoft considered the impact it would have on me and my writing when they decided to again change the name of their UC offering.
Also Known As
In November 2014, Microsoft announced that Lync would be rebranded as Skype for Business. To be honest, at the time I had my concerns about the impact of the Skype brand on enterprise buyers.
Since the name has become official, my concerns have become much more personal.
By The Numbers
| Lync | Skype for Business | Magnitude | |
| Words | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Syllables | 4 | 26 | 6.5 |
| Letters | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Inches | ¼” | 1 1/8” | 4.5 |
When Protecting the Brand Inconveniences Me
With a name that is that long and has that much impact on my typing and my document length, I feel compelled to abbreviate. Alas, all abbreviations have challenges:
| Abbreviation | Pros | Feeback |
| S4B | Short and concise | “Microsoft paid $8.5B for the Skype brand, we can’t hide it.” |
| Skype4B | Bit longer, but honors the brand | “Not all languages associate the preposition ‘for’ with the number “4” |
Hello carpal tunnel.
Blurred Lines
OK, so let’s assume I come to terms with the all of the complexities and fully embrace the full “Skype for Business” brand. There is still one hurdle: not all customers have migrated to Skype for Business; many still have Lync. During times of transition, some have both deployed in parallel.
What is a writer to do? What is a salesperson to do? What is a customer to do?
- Lync/Skype for Business?
- Skype for Business?
- Lync/Skype4B?
Lync is my favorite. It’s short and sweet; succinct. Skype for Business is where Microsoft is directing the market. Is Microsoft UC too generic? Too rogue?
Can’t wait until December 1 and the launch of Skype for Business Online.
@mc_on_uc