Headsets for Call Centers – What are the Best Options?

When looking to buy multiple headsets to be used in a call center, the decision made has to be a good one. Employees unhappy with certain features, or lack of them, are less likely to work as efficiently as they would with more suitable equipment.

Technical problems may also arise that displease customers and clients.

Either way, discovering the issues after purchasing headsets for call centers is hardly ideal. With this in mind, it's vital to know what to look for in a headset before buying even a single one for use in your own business.

What do your employees need to hear?

The aural environment of the call center is perhaps the biggest influence on what sort of headset will work best for a given company. Busy call centers with numerous employees in close proximity benefit more from features such as noise reduction to improve call quality, or by simply choosing headsets that deliver sound to both ears.

Smaller call centers with fewer employees may not have such a need, as employees are less likely to have their voice carry into their coworkers' headset microphones. For these companies, noise reduction will certainly be less important.

It's also worth remembering that certain employees may need to converse with colleagues whilst communicating with a customer. For those who do, a headset with a single earphone will provide much more convenience.

How do your employees work within the call center?

Keeping in mind how your employees typically work can go a long way in identifying which features will be necessary for their headsets and which can be discounted.

While some call centers are high-pressure environments that would benefit from heavy-duty headsets, others operate in a more relaxed setting. For the former, heavy-duty headsets may be preferable. The more durable the equipment, the more abuse it will be able to withstand and the longer it will go without needing to be replaced.

For call centers that allow a more laid-back atmosphere or require employees to move around as they complete tasks, wireless capability of the headsets will be a more important consideration than their ruggedness.

How long will the headsets be worn?

Though not immediately obvious as a metric for headsets, user comfort can play a large role in how effectively a call center operates. Callers who wear headsets for eight or more hours a day may suffer reduced comfort as the day goes on, impacting their ability to do their job.

Because of this, it's important to make sure that headsets for these call centers are as comfortable as possible to ensure continued performance.

Call centers who employ callers for shorter periods of time may be able to skimp on headset comfort with no detrimental effect on staff efficiency. Devices that are heavier or offer fewer adjustment settings may be adequate if users wear them for fewer hours per day.

Headsets exist with a variety of features, at a variety of price points that may or may not be feasible for a business to equip their entire call center.

Because of this, it's vital that companies critically analyze their budget and requirements to purchase the most appropriate headsets for the job. Overspending on unnecessarily complex or luxurious headsets may harm smaller companies, while cutting corners for a lower price may result in inferior call quality and employee performance for larger businesses.