Headsets: the future is cordless

Lose the wires for happier and more productive staff, say the experts.  And there’s advice for those struggling with the Noise at Work Directive


Inside eircom’s call centre in Dublin

Connected but wireless

THE open-plan layout of call centres can have an adverse effect on employee productivity and happiness.  Agents claim that they suffer from increased stress as a result of being so close to colleagues and effectively shackled to their desk. 
A wireless headset helps agents to take calls easily whilst transferring information directly into a computer, answering e-mails or messaging people -- essential in today's multi channel contact centres.
The principal provider of fixed-line telecommunications in Ireland, eircom, is an example of “wireless working” in call centres. 
Its sales and customer service call centre includes an award-winning inbound and outbound sales and service centre called telesales and service (TSS) which has 110 agents – with the capacity to handle up to 1.8m contact per year -- dealing mainly with PSTN, broadband, “Talktime” phone packages and marketing campaigns.
The TSS operations manager, Mick Cantwell, said: "The agents have more enthusiasm on the phone, which has had a direct impact on both our inbound and outbound calling. We've noticed that the call quality levels have increased and average handling times have increased on outbound and maintained on inbound.  Our service level has been increased and is well above 85 per cent and KPIs are really improving.”
The call centre had been using wired headsets from Plantronics for 10 years but, over a weekend in February, installed the company’s SupraPlus wireless headsets.  The aim was not to only to reward agents for their ongoing work – which had helped win the centre important awards -- but also to increase and maximise productivity, revenues and customer satisfaction.
Donna Hackett, also a TSS operations manager, said: "Now the agents are up and down the floor, in and out of the tea station; they're in and out of our office to ask us questions and there is much more freedom to move around.
“They're not sitting at their desk for eight hours a day.  They can move and walk around the floor stretching their legs and this carries across into the call.  It makes you a little bit more alert, a little bit more alive, and the agents a lot more animated.
“You can see their hands moving as they're walking up and down the floor; they're explaining the product to the customer a lot easier.  The only reason they're coming back to their desk is to actually input the sale and close the call."
And team leader Caroline McGovern said: “Also if conversations around the agent and pods are getting a bit high pitched, the agent can actually get up and move away where it is calmer, keeping control of their call."
Call handling objectives are set for agents that include items such as: number of calls per hour and per week, increasing service level targets and minimising call abandon rates, alongside average call handling times.
These are matched to key performance indicators (KPIs) such as: productivity rates, reductions in absenteeism, coaching and training and annual leave.  TSS run quarterly staff surveys and incentives; and operate a social club and events to ensure staff are happy, productive and delivering against their KPIs and are recognised for their achievements.
Key benefits for eircom:
Ease of use Comfortable headset to answer and close calls, with mute and volume controls all built into the headset and all facilitated with a single press of a button.
Call control Not missing calls when away from the desk, maintaining high service levels, sales revenue and customer satisfaction.
Hands-free Staff can work and type on any desktop, move freely around the floor freely --  to make a drink or speak to a colleague -- with the customer still with them on calls, maximising efficiency and productivity.
Range of 100m, allowing staff to move away from their desk to another location – such as photocopier, filing or to confer with others -- without losing the call.
Quick pair feature allows a compatible headset to be paired -- at the click of a button -- with a single base.  This means staff can hot-desk or shift workers can keep their own, personal headset, and use it at any desk where there is a base.

By Rory Lavell, Plantronics.  www.plantronics.com

Help with the noise law

WITH the Noise at Work legislation now well into its second year, call centres should be fully compliant.  But recent research that GN carried out in conjunction with E-Media, has shown otherwise.
Although almost half of managers of small call centres stated that compliance with legislation is their biggest worry, the ambiguity of the Noise at Work legislation has caused mass confusion, making it difficult for them to comply.
The noise at work legislation was introduced in April 2006 to ensure that employees are not exposed to noise over 85 dB during an eight-hour workday.
There are so many different sources of noise going on in an office and it can difficult to constantly measure the noise levels.  So it’s not surprising that our survey found that only six per cent of call centre managers were aware of the level of ambient noise within their centre.  And only nine per cent of managers regularly measure it.
We have recently partnered with the Acoustic Safety Programme (ASP) to provide an e-learning programme of simple advice on the Noise at Work legislation and how to prevent potential damages to staff.
This is particularly targeted at smaller call centres that don’t always have the resources and time to dedicate to compliance so they need access to sound, practical advice that will enable them to become compliant quickly and easily.

By working with the ASP, we can provide small call centres with the information they need to help them understand the law as well as information on how to set up a policy, how to measure the noise and how to manage the noise-level on an ongoing basis.
Here at GN, we have a large portfolio of both corded and wireless headsets and amplifiers which have been developed specifically for contact centre staff.
Research and development in our call centre business is focusing on providing call centres with the right solution to help them adhere to the Noise at Work legislation, while allowing them to do their jobs properly.
For example, we offer cordless headsets, such as the GN 9350 for supervisors who need to have the freedom to walk around while on the phone.  The Jabra GN 8210 is the most sophisticated amplifier on the market and bundled with one of GN’s Jabra corded headsets it is compliant to the new Noise at Work legislation.
Here are our eight top tips to help you to comply with the law:

1. Establish a corporate policy and ensure that all staff regardless of position are aware of the directive
2. Carry out a programme of regular audiometry to include pre-employment, baseline and ongoing hearing tests.
3. Use soft materials as much as possible.  Special materials, often available in ceilings, can help to reduce reverberation.  Carpet, chairs with soft seats and padded screens between agents can also be effective noise absorbers
4. Use compliant wired and wireless headsets when the phone usage is intense.  GN’s Jabra GN9350 is an ideal wireless solution and remember that any corded GN headset can become law-compliant by simply using the 8120 amplifier
5. Educate agents on how to use their phones and headsets properly.  Introduce a training scheme where every new employee is shown how to increase and decrease the volume on their phone and adjust their headset accordingly.
6. Give agents a choice of headsets.   Offer agents the opportunity to use either a mono or a duo headset, particularly as a duo headset can offer agents additional protection (from the noise from the surrounding environment).
7. Measure the ambient noise level regularly to ensure compliance
8. If in any doubt about the levels of noise in your call centre ensure that agents work no more than eight hours in any shift

By Vince O’Brien, Sales Director, GN.  See www.jabra.co.uk


Freedom means cordless

CORDLESS headsets continue to grow in popularity as they increase freedom for senior call centre staff thereby improving overall efficiency.  As more innovative products come to the market, there's a much wider choice for call centre managers to choose
People are starting to see the benefits of going cordless, particularly for team leaders who can roam a sales floor with banks of different desks. In the past they were much more restricted but now they can answer calls away from their desks helping to increase overall business performance.
Going cordless can significantly improve business efficiency, bringing quick returns on any investment.  There are products from all the leading manufacturers which are ideally suited for today's modern call centre environments.
The CS70n noise-cancelling unit from Plantronics allows users to talk on the phone up to 50m from their desk.  It is discreet and comfortable, and benefits from a noise-cancelling microphone to ensure conversations are heard clearly. With the HL10 lifter or an electronic hook switch module, users can answer incoming calls when away from their telephone, helping to avoid calls unnecessarily going to voicemail.
An alternative from Jabra is the GN9350 for use with traditional deskphones and also IP telephony via an integrated USB adapter.  It has been described as the industry's first wireless office headset with wideband sound for IP telephony. Designed to create a more efficient workspace, the headset also provides a consistent volume level and boasts up to a 24-hour talk time.
The Sennheiser BW 900 Bluetooth wireless headset is another impressive product as it features “Adaptive Intelligence Technology” which automatically adapts to every different sound environment entered by the user, giving crystal clear wireless freedom.
As headset technology advances it opens up even more opportunities for call centres to improve their business performance, bringing improved call quality, comfort and convenience to users. New models are lightweight, discreet and offer maximum flexibility."

By James Burns, headset and handset specialist, Nimans.  Contact: James.Burns@nimans.net


Cordless and care-free

ONE of the key headset trends over the past 12 months has been the continuing growth of the market for cordless headsets.
It is not that sales of traditional corded headsets are slowing. In fact, there's plenty of evidence to suggest that the overall headset market is poised for unprecedented growth as the broader telecoms market, both business and consumer, recognises the ergonomic and productivity benefits of headsets.
Rather, sales of cordless headsets are growing exponentially.  Within the call centre industry, the growth in cordless headsets replicates the demand for improved convenience, productivity and mobility that led to the emergence of the headset market in the first place.
In particular, cordless models are becoming the norm for call centre team leaders and junior management, where enhanced mobility enables them to keep in contact while they move around the office managing their teams.
Another noticeable area of growth, however, is from outside the call centre industry.
From car showrooms to law firms, users from a whole range of non-call centre environments are realising that cordless headsets provide a cost-effective way to increase customer responsiveness and improve customer service through increased mobility and efficient communication.
The second notable trend is that customers' expectations are rising as the headset market matures and becomes more sophisticated.
An increasing number of our customers expect more than just a straight forward headset purchase.  They expect impartial advice on different products, they expect expert guidance on the best headsets for their individual requirements, and they expect jargon-free expert sales support and aftercare.  All of these are areas where my company has invested significantly over the past three to four years.
Allied to this are the tight budgetary constraints within  which many users have to operate. Increasing numbers of users are looking for extended warranties, buy-backs or trade-ins on old headset models, buying refurbished models at a fraction of the cost of new ones, or asking us to repair broken headsets.
Rather than paying £100 per set for a 100-seat call centre, operators can save up to 75 per cent by opting for a refurbished headset or organising a trading-in of their older models.  Indeed, our on-site headset repair and maintenance department has never been busier.  It covers the most popular brands and includes services from supplying and fitting headset consumables, such as ear cushions and voice tubes, to replacing the earpiece.

By Chan Bansal, business development manager, Corporate Telecommunications.  Contact: chan.bansal@corpteluk.com; www.corpteluk.com.