Transition to Softphones and USB Headsets
March 17th, 2016 • Comments
Tags: Softphones, USB, Headsets, Jabra, Sennheiser, Plantronics, VXi, QD, Training, Y-cord
At Avcomm Solutions, one of the benefits of our jobs is speaking with our customers. Your questions, ideas, and challenges keep us on our toes, and ensure that we continue to find the best ways to serve you. In the past year or more, we have noticed an increased number of our customers are swapping out desk phones for softphone solutions – most especially in contact center environments. And we all know the cost of replacing telephony equipment/software, coupled with the cost of hardware, can be a huge expense. Regarding these environments, almost always the question we hear is: “Can we keep our existing QD headsets?”
Our answer: “absolutely!”
All of our headset manufacturers (Jabra, Sennheiser, Plantronics and VXi) offer USB adapters that connect to PCs via USB; some of the brands additionally offer amplifiers. You can use your existing Quick Disconnect headsets when you purchase a USB adapter that simply plugs into a USB port in your PC, and then connects to the headset with the QD connection. The adapters and amplifiers provide additional noise technologies for clear calls.
Depending upon the features your company wants to provide for its staff, simple USB adapters (QD to USB) are fairly inexpensive and run anywhere from $30-$70.
You will pay more for features such as call answer/end, volume, and mute control, but this offers a more user-friendly experience for your customer representatives. Your staff would be able to use the touch buttons on the device, rather than using softkeys on their PCs.
Amplifiers that are USB compatible provide noise protections, better sound quality and, depending upon the manufacturer, premium features that include voice recording.
Software updates for the USB devices are offered free of charge from each manufacturer. These updates enable USB devices to have Remote Call Control over softphones (specific softphones supported are manufacturer dependent), bring features to personalize the device, and can also update status.
These USB adapters and amplifiers are great for hot desking and multiple shift environments; each representative can have their own headset, and connect to the PC at the desk they’re assigned to work at that day. At the end of their shift, they can detach the headset and walk away. The PC is ready for the next employee to use.
An advantage of using your existing quick disconnect headsets when transitioning to softphones is the ability to continue doing side by side training utilizing your training Y cables. When planning your softphone rollout, be sure to keep in mind how certain day to day tasks, such as side by side training, might be affected. Some companies choose to update their headsets at the time of a softphone rollout and go with all-in-one USB solutions, which leave no option of side by side training. In that case, a separate training setup must be purchased, which adds to your list of product you have to manage.
Once an overall plan has been determined, the transition to softphones can be easily accomplished. Do you have questions about how to transition your current headsets to a softphone environment? We will discuss the process with you (providing helpful, brand-specific advice along the way!) and provide options. If desired, we can provide a quote specifically tailored to your organization. Contact us today!
Our answer: “absolutely!”
All of our headset manufacturers (Jabra, Sennheiser, Plantronics and VXi) offer USB adapters that connect to PCs via USB; some of the brands additionally offer amplifiers. You can use your existing Quick Disconnect headsets when you purchase a USB adapter that simply plugs into a USB port in your PC, and then connects to the headset with the QD connection. The adapters and amplifiers provide additional noise technologies for clear calls.Depending upon the features your company wants to provide for its staff, simple USB adapters (QD to USB) are fairly inexpensive and run anywhere from $30-$70.
You will pay more for features such as call answer/end, volume, and mute control, but this offers a more user-friendly experience for your customer representatives. Your staff would be able to use the touch buttons on the device, rather than using softkeys on their PCs.
Amplifiers that are USB compatible provide noise protections, better sound quality and, depending upon the manufacturer, premium features that include voice recording.
Software updates for the USB devices are offered free of charge from each manufacturer. These updates enable USB devices to have Remote Call Control over softphones (specific softphones supported are manufacturer dependent), bring features to personalize the device, and can also update status.
These USB adapters and amplifiers are great for hot desking and multiple shift environments; each representative can have their own headset, and connect to the PC at the desk they’re assigned to work at that day. At the end of their shift, they can detach the headset and walk away. The PC is ready for the next employee to use.
An advantage of using your existing quick disconnect headsets when transitioning to softphones is the ability to continue doing side by side training utilizing your training Y cables. When planning your softphone rollout, be sure to keep in mind how certain day to day tasks, such as side by side training, might be affected. Some companies choose to update their headsets at the time of a softphone rollout and go with all-in-one USB solutions, which leave no option of side by side training. In that case, a separate training setup must be purchased, which adds to your list of product you have to manage.
Once an overall plan has been determined, the transition to softphones can be easily accomplished. Do you have questions about how to transition your current headsets to a softphone environment? We will discuss the process with you (providing helpful, brand-specific advice along the way!) and provide options. If desired, we can provide a quote specifically tailored to your organization. Contact us today!