Headsets are an essential part of any call center, and a lot of care has to be taken when selecting them. You have to wear them for hours on end, every day, so they need to be comfortable and with other people also working in the room they need to be noise canceling. However, with numerous models, it can be hard to pick the right one; additionally, what you may prefer may not be appropriate for other agents.
For maximum productivity, every employee needs a headset that caters to their needs. Whether it’s a padded headband, a clear microphone, or wireless connectivity, the headset you pick needs to tick all the right boxes. For you to make a perfect choice, here’s a complete guide on how to pick the best call center headsets.
Features to consider when picking headsets
Noise cancelation – this is the most crucial feature any headset should have. Call centers can be quite noisy, and thus the headset you select needs to eliminate background noise to hear the sound more clearly. When selecting noise-canceling headsets, it’s vital to recognize the different noise reduction features that cancel out external noise. First is the noise-canceling microphone that reduces about 75% of the ambient noise so your caller can hear you more clearly. Secondly is the headset speaker and how it reduces ambient noise so you can hear the caller more clearly.
Durability – the headset you pick needs to withstand daily use lest you keep replacing them often. Additionally, no agent wants a headset that breaks down every time.
Comfort – since employees will be wearing these headsets all day long, they need to be comfortable. Lightweight wireless sets are a good option, don’t forget to get some with padding on the ears and headband to protect your head.
Design and style – these call center headsets need to be easy to install. Call center headsets can be corded or wireless, with USB, modular plugs, or headset jacks. You also need to consider whether they are over-the-ear, over-the-head, is the microphone on the left or the right? Alternatively, you can pick convertible headsets that come with different wearing styles so you can find the right fit. This is a great option for a call center where agents share headsets and have different wearing preferences.
Your budget – this will determine how much you can spend on the headsets. A lot of headsets with great features can be quite costly, but they don’t necessarily offer the best quality. Similarly, cheap headsets don’t necessarily mean they are of poor quality. What you need to do is find a headset that strikes a balance between cost and quality.
Additional features – there are headset models that come with additional features such as integration apps, external microphones that increase offer crisper audio and stable connectivity.
So how do you pick call center headsets?
First, understand there’s no one size fits all solution when picking headsets. However, by factoring in these key pointers, you can select the best fit:
- Do you require a standard fit with one wearing style or something convertible?
- How noisy is the call center? Can agents use single-ear headsets, or are dual-ear ones better?
- What’s your budget?
- What features are you interested in? Are you going for a corded or wireless headset?
- How many headsets do you need? Will each worker have their own, or will they share during different shifts?
Whatever headset you pick will greatly impact the productivity of your call center. Go for something durable, flexible that is comfortable to wear.
