Technology Toolkit – Noise-Cancelling Headsets

The problem:

Call centres are often noisy places. Customers hear a lot of background noise from the office.

The solution:

Swapping from a SoundTube microphone headset to a noise-cancelling headset will dramatically reduce the amount of background noise that is picked up, and therefore conversations will be clearer and feel more private.

How it works:

Noise-cancelling microphone function: (see diagram)

Noise-cancelling microphones (NC) work via sound entering both sides of the diaphragm.

1.    Background noise is relatively far away from the noise-cancelling microphone and will give the same pressure on both sides of the diaphragm.

2.    When the pressure from both sides is the same, the diaphragm will not vibrate and no sound is transmitted.

3. The agent’s mouth is closer to one side of the diaphragm than the other, therefore the sound pressure from the agent’s voice will be higher on one side. The difference in pressure will make the diaphragm vibrate and so transmit the agent’s voice.

Noise-cancelling microphones need to be worn relatively close to the mouth.

The benefits:

Noise-cancelling microphones help to significantly reduce background noise on the end of the call of the user wearing the noise-cancelling headset. This therefore supports clearer conversations, which in turn allows for less repetition during the conversation, which helps to decrease the length of call wrap-up times.

This has the effect of allowing agents to be more productive by being able to manage more calls during the working day. It also satisfies the customer as they can be clearly heard and feel like they are having a more private conversation with the agent.

Customers using this solution:

There are a number of companies using this type of solution, including LV=, who use Jabra BIZ 2400 noise-cancelling headsets across their contact centres.

This Technology Toolkit was provided by Amanda Bowbanks, PR Manager, Jabra Business Solutions, UK & Ireland.