BPO HEADSETS: Productivity Plus

Headsets are designed to give the benefits of hands-free capability, whether
they are used with: telephones, workstations, laptops, or mobile phones. It is a
must for anyone who uses a telephone for the larger part of the working day.
Therefore, it is an exceptionally vital piece of equipment for call centers and
contact centers. It is the final link between the customer and the agent in a
contact center, and the quality of voice–received and transmitted–is key to
the center’s productivity.

Due to the critical nature of the headset in a contact center environment,
sophisticated headsets are being offered by leading vendors, to provide:
comfort, increased productivity, and protection against muscle strain or RSI
(repetitive strain injury).

Technology Trends

The market has a wide range of headset solutions for varied communication
needs. Although the basic technology is the same for all vendors, the difference
lies in the features offered. The headset could be wired or wireless, ear-bud
style or more conventional, wired or wireless, or even mono or stereo.

Users should select their headset style and then choose the microphone option
that best suits their environment. Two features are particularly important in
choosing a headset: voice-tube technology and noise-canceling features of
microphones.

Voice-tube Technology

A voice tube is a gently curved plastic tube, which can be easily positioned
by the user for optimum performance. The voice tube acts as a collector of sound
for the microphone, which is situated in the body of the headset. Thus, the
sensitive microphone is protected–giving it enhanced durability. Also, it
makes life easy for the users because they don’t have to make an effort to
speak into the microphone. The voice tube is easily replaceable, allowing the
headset to be kept in optimum condition. Also, it offers better hygiene as users
can easily switch to their own voice tubes in cases where the headset is shared.

Noise Canceling Technology

Noise-canceling technology is critical in enhancing the efficiency levels of
agents as well as ensuring the quality of interaction with the customer. A
correctly positioned noise-canceling microphone can cancel-out up to 90 percent
of the background noise level. This means that, the customers can clearly hear
what an agent is saying, without being distracted by the background noise. In a
call center where calls may be recorded, this is of particular advantage.

l Microphone Selection: It is
important to select the optimum microphone type for your specific application.
Using a sound level meter, the ambient noise level in the office or call center
can be measured in dB, and the optimum product combination can be selected.

l Receive Sound Quality: Research
by product companies has shown that reception of natural sound is vital if a
phone is to be used for extended periods of time. Also, customers too should be
able to hear an agent clearly and without straining. Thus, the sound-frequency
response of each headset has to be developed to meet this objective.

l Transient Protection: Transient
protection is necessary to protect the users from sudden increases in volume,
which can damage the hearing.

l Product Comfort: Headset
comfort is vital for the productivity gains that are expected from headsets. It
is important that the product design accommodates all the critical human factor
elements.

Market Information

Plantronics is the dominant player in the Indian market, with more than 80
percent of the market share. Players such as GN Netcom also have a small
presence. Plantronics has a direct presence in India and has two distributors,
Mach Communications in Delhi and Telekonnectors in Chennai.

Some of Plantronics’ customers in India are: Convergys, GE, Daksh, American
Express, Wipro-Spectramind, and Dell. Its headsets are supported by availability
of spares, wide range of accessories, and a telephone hotline support. The price
of a baseline headset is $120 and goes upwards depending on the level of
sophistication.