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How To Choose The Right Headset

by Jon Davies, Agent Sales Manager - May 18, 2015

How to choose the right headset

By Jon Davies, Agent Sales Manager jonathan.davies@agentheadsets.com 

Investing in headsets is no small task. You really need to do your research, especially if you are going to find a solution that matches the needs of your organisation, and, additionally, if you are looking to make a convincing business case for their investment.

Corded headsets and wireless headsets

This is a big decision, as ultimately the choice as to whether you go for corded or wireless options will shape the way you do things.

When corded headsets were first introduced, they were a radical and welcome addition to the workplace, helping boost productivity significantly. In short, they allowed people to work hands-free, so that they could better multi-task.

Today, studies show that corded headsets make working more comfortable than ever before, reducing, for example, neck and back pain, which often emerges out of excessive use of standard, deskbound telephones.

Our need to communicate by voice hasn’t changed, but now, thanks to corded headsets, you can work comfortably at your desk, without feeling strained. It boosts posture and, in turn, all of these factors help to boost morale and productivity.

As for wireless, well, not only do they share a lot of the same advantages listed above, they also offer additional benefits, which suit a more mobile and creative work environment.

For example, there is a lot of talk these days of the virtues of moving away from a static desk approach to work and many workers feel empowered to engage with people standing up, walking around or in another space in their office.

Wireless headsets also allow you to be more creative and embrace new working concepts, which are more collaborative, efficient and dynamic – ingenious even – in scope

The noise factor

Offices can be noisy places, which is no bad thing – it’s suggests high levels of activity, engagement and output, which is very welcome indeed. However, noise can, of course, be distracting. Therefore, when it comes to selecting a headset, this has to be factored in. It is a very important consideration.

There are two main options – monaural headsets or binaural headsets. The former, which is a single earpiece device, offers you high quality audio and voice capabilities, allowing you to concentrate on the caller, while also being aware of what’s going on around your office.

The latter is a dual earpiece device, which shifts the focus entirely onto the caller, with your complete attention geared towards the person on the other end of the line. It’s perfect for especially noisy environments.

One of the most interesting developments in headset technology has been the introduction of noise-cancelling capabilities, a feature that can be found in both monaural and binaural headsets.

This basically filters out the kind of background noise which can reduce the quality of communication between you and your caller. Additionally, noise-cancelling ensures that any discussions taking place around you that contain sensitive information are filtered out of the call and kept private and confidential.

Connection and disconnection

Organisations are no longer solely dependent on desktops and deskbound telephones. Today, there are multiple devices on the go – tablets, smartphones and laptops – that complement these reliable forms of technology. Consequently, conversations are increasingly taking place over the internet, with these devices acting as the hardware that allows such connection to happen.

What you opt for depends entirely on the technology you have and the technology you would like to have. However, providers these days offer multiple solutions in one package, meaning headsets are compatible across traditional deskbound phones and softphones (including VoIP applications).

Headsets work hand-in-hand with the growing popularity of the hot-desking concept, providing a quick disconnect feature which allows workers to swiftly disconnect and reconnect their devices when they need to move from one space to another. This means you can still be wearing your headset and take up the call at a different location (the other person is basically put on hold).

As you can see, when it comes to choosing a headset, there is a lot to deliberate over. Given that it is one of the most serious and important decisions you and your organisation will make, it pays to take time to weigh up all of the factors so that when it comes to investing in these devices, you will have the most optimised solution in mind.

 
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