With more and more business being done online, utilising the full potential of Skype can be hugely beneficial for business owners. Skype is a software application that is available to download for free online, that allows you to call, message and video call other Skype users for free. If you pay a subscription for the service, it enables you to call phones, access WiFi and send text messages.

Skype had 663 million users, as of September 2011, approximately 35pc of which use it for business purposes, with 70pc using it for business while travelling. It is available in 29 languages and in almost every country around the world. So what are the advantages of using Skype for your business?

• The most obvious benefit to Skype is the amount by which it lowers costs. This is especially valuable to businesses that have to make international calls or simply have to make a lot of calls in their business, saving you money every day.

• The instant messaging service means you can be in constant contact with colleagues or associates, allowing for queries and questions to be answered immediately, whether they’re in the next room or at the other side of the world.

• Screen sharing is a great way to share information, browser windows or give presentations with others through Skype.

• Skype can improve your customer service if you provide clients with a Skype button, allowing them to contact you and letting them know when you are available to talk.

• While there are a lot of options out there for video calling, Skype remains one of the strongest that enables you to have more than two people per call. This is excellent for conference calls and also gives you the option of screen time and sending information by phone to other people you are calling.

• The call forwarding on Skype allows you to send any messages or missed calls on to your mobile phone, making sure you don’t miss any important opportunities.

• With two Skype accounts, if one is placed on auto answer you can call when you are away and it will answer, allowing you to see around the room the computer is in. This is especially convenient for people going on holidays or leaving offices unoccupied for periods of time.

• As with all forms of online communication, there are certain rules that should be followed for good business etiquette. Check out Skype’s guide to video conferencing here.

John McCarthy, the founder of IT management and services company, DWC Consulting, has been an advocate of the benefits of Skype for business for many years. John was an early pioneer of Skype and began using it for his business in May 2004. Now he sees it as an integral part of his day to day business. “More clients use Skype to call me now than my actual phone. If I’m on a business call and don’t know the answer to a question, I can simply add another person from my office to the call who will know the answer, without either of us having to even be in the same building.”

“I find it great for meetings, impromptu meetings in particular, where you can gather people together instantly online.” John also finds the service beneficial to networking. “I have a Skype ID on my email signature which means that often after meetings I have a Skype invitation which is great for building your contacts.”

He highlights the ease of using Skype, describing it as ‘a collaboration tool’. “It’s very easy. Most people and organisations don’t know how to use a conference call for more than two people, but Skype makes it easy to bring any number of people in on a conversation.

Skype is fast becoming a necessity for businesses operating on an international scale. “I do business all over the world and I use Skype to contact everywhere, with extremely high quality lines. “

In John’s own words, “Skype has made the world smaller.”