Guidelines for choosing headsets

Your agents are likely to be wearing a headset for much of their working day, so taking the time to select the most suitable headsets is worthwhile.

Headset features

• Mono or stereo sound
  Mono (or monoaural) headsets have only one earpiece. The benefit of such a headset means that agents can hear what is going on around them. Stereo (or duo, or binaural) headsets have two earpieces. Stereo (or binaural, or duo) headsets might enable agents to focus better on calls; they can also be used to listen to music during a break!

• Wired or wireless, or wired AND wireless
  Wired headsets receive audio directly through their cable while wireless headsets use a wireless connection—while the latter might seem convenient—no wires to get tangled up in!—the sound quality is not generally as good and connectivity can be unreliable. Wireless headsets also need charging.

• Controls
  On-wire or -headset controls offer the agent a quick way to access mute and volume controls while on a call.

• Quick connect-disconnect
  Quick connect-disconnect headsets enable agents to quickly leave and return to their desks without removing their headsets.

• Noise cancelling
  Noise cancelling can apply to the ear phones, preventing the agent from hearing ambient noise, or to the microphone, preventing background noise being picked up by the mic.

• Ear position

  • In-ear headsets provide more noise cancelling than others type of headsets.

  • On-ear, also known as over-ear, headsets can be closed—completely cover the ear—or open—cover the bulk of the ear.

• Closed-back or open-back
  The back side of open-back headsets contains some kind of opening, often horizontal. The openings allow air and sound to pass in and out. The back of closed-back headphones are solid, keeping the sound within, a little like noise cancelling.

• Padding and comfort
  Headset padding can be made from various materials such as foam—including memory foam—and leather. The type of padding impacts both comfort and sound quality.

• Headband and boom control
  Most headsets have adjustable headbands—to make wider or narrower for different sized heads—and booms—the boom arm may be extendable or bendy.

• Weight

• Durability
  Some headsets are stronger than others, and some may come with a storage pouch for protection in a laptop bag, for example.

Things to consider

Your agents' work environment and working practices will determine the kind of headsets that make sense for them. Consider the following factors:

Working environment

Proximity to other workers

Do agents work close to other agents, or do they work in isolation?

If agents work in proximity, the most important feature when choosing headset are likely to be stereo sound and noise cancelling.

Background noise

Is there a lot of background noise, either from within the working environment—other people or noisy equipment such as printers—or outside—traffic, construction, schools, shops, or is it very quiet?

If your agents experience high levels of background noise, you should look for stereo and noise-cancelling headsets.

Hot-desking

Do agents ‘hot-desk’, or do they sit at the same workstation every day? Do agents need to store headsets overnight or at weekends, or can they leave them on their desk?

Depending on an individual agent’s hot-desk environment, permanent desk equipment might include the base unit of a quick connect/disconnect headset, enabling the agents to remove only the main headset part at the end of their shift; this is both convenient (no need to untangle the cable at the start of a shift) and hygienic (no sharing of headsets). Hot-desk agents agents might like to protect their their headsets between shifts so a carrying pouch coupled with a high level of durability would help protect their essential equipment.

Power supply

Do agents have anywhere to plug in their headsets for charging, if required, or not?

If agents' workstations tend to be low on power sockets or laptops/computers have few USB ports, wireless charging is a valuable feature.

Working practices

Sensitive calls

Do agents need privacy when they are speaking with customers, or do they never say anything confidential while on calls?

To avoid the possibility of an agent’s microphone picking up sensitive information spoken by an adjacent agent, a noise-cancelling microphone is a must. Stereo headsets can prevent the agent inadvertently overhearing other agents' conversations, while on-wire or -headset controls enable the agent to quickly increase headset volume, when required, to ensure they hear sensitive information without having to ask the customer to repeat.

Admin duties

Do your agents need to be able to move around their working environment to perform administrative tasks—such as visiting a printer, or can they do everything they need to from their workstation?

To make tasks that involve the agent leaving their desk between calls quicker and easier, quick connect-disconnect is a handy feature.

Mobility

Do agents need to move around their working environment while remaining on a call, or do they need to remain at their desk throughout calls?

If agents need the option to leave their workstation during a call, a wireless headset is essential.

Length of time on calls

How long do your agents spend on calls? Do they handle just a small number of calls, or for the duration of their shifts?

If your agents are spending most or all of their working day on calls, comfort is crucial. Consider headsets with a good degree of padding and steer clear of those that are heavy—ones that weigh less are best. Different agents will find different ear positions better for them, but on- or over-ear headsets tend to be preferable when wearing for a long time than in-ear. Minor adjustments during the day might help if a headset is becoming bothersome, so headband control is a good idea.