headsets Archives

What Changes Has Poly Seen in the Contact Center?

March 11, 2021/0 Comments/in Cloud Services, Featured Articles, Recent Post, Uncategorized, Work At Home/by Danny Hayasaka

We are heading into a year of living and working during a global pandemic. One industry that had to make significant changes is the Contact Center space. What changes has Poly seen in the Contact Center space over this past year?

Today we are joined by Richard Kenny, Sr Product Marketing Manager – Contact Center & Unified Communications for Poly (formerly Plantronics and Polycom) to learn about what they are seeing. Below are some excerpts from our discussion. Watch the video to hear the complete discussion.

Danny: What changes has Poly seen in the Contact Center space over the past year?

Richard: This is one of those significant years where a lot of the trends that we’ve been predicting for a while have suddenly accelerated. We’ve always talked about if you move to cloud and then we started talking a little bit about when you move to cloud. For contact centers that’s turned into two different ways of looking at that. There’s hybrid working from a technology point of view. So, you’re mixing your cloud solution and your on premises solution, and then you also you’re looking at hybrid working from a location view…”

Danny: Does Poly recommend different solutions if agents are working from home vs physical contact center?

Richard: So we think that the solutions that people have got in the office will work as well at home.

Danny: What about this one? (New Savi 7300 Series)

Richard: That would be an awesome one! 30% of call centers are in some sort of financial vertical, and they have a really big focus on security.

Danny: Has Poly seen a change in use of video in contact centers?

Richard: It’s huge, is the honest answer. You know, if you could have predicted a perfect timing for the merger of Plantronics and Polycom, that would have been it. The video is taken off extensively. And that video has been seen as a really big tool for helping keep teams engaged, helping keep teams together.

Danny: Has Poly seen an increase in the need for device management?

Richard: There’s twofold reasons for wanting device management. The first one is you sent everybody home so you can’t see what they’re using anymore. The call center has said they don’t want to be big brother but they do want to guarantee the audio quality…”

Danny: Why should contact centers chose Poly?

Richard: We used to ask about remote agents and you used to ask, “How far away is your furthest away agent?” and people would say, “like 50 miles 100 miles.” We’ve managed a headset that is over 200,000 miles away. So we put the headset on the moon with Neil Armstrong. If you think your agents are far away, we’ve done it further. And what that drives in Poly is this idea of durability, reliability, and audio quality. So if you want the best of those, we’ve proved it through the moon program…

To get all the great information Richard Kenny provided that is not in this blog, watch the entire video. If you would like to schedule a proof of concept or pilot of Poly solutions for your contact center, contact us!

Jabra Evolve2 85 Definitive Mic Test | Boom Up or Down?

February 26, 2021/0 Comments/in Enterprise Headsets, Featured Articles, Recent Post, Remote Learning, Telehealth, Uncategorized, Work At Home/by Danny Hayasaka

On our YouTube channel, we have several videos featuring the Jabra Evolve2 85 however, viewers have asked for definitive mic up and mic down test to settle once and for all which sounds best. Additionally, we’re asked if there is difference if paired via Jabra Link 380 dongle or directly via Bluetooth to laptop. We test that as well! Stick around until the end for a link.

Features

Evolve2 85 Comes in MS and UC Variants: MS – $449.99 UC – $449.99

Stereo Binaural Headset with USB-C dongle
Digital hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
Up to 37 hours battery life
Over-the-ear wearing style
10-microphone technology
Microsoft Teams Version

Jabra Evolve2 85 Comparing The Best Headsets

We set out to create instant quiet, anywhere. The result is a world-class professional headset with cutting-edge digital hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), powered by our most advanced digital chipset ever, and designed for incredible noise isolation; just put it on for instant immersion in your thoughts. It’s time to change the game. Welcome to the new standard.

Our Thoughts

After testing the Evolve2 85 with connection to the wireless dongle (boom mic up and down) Danny Hayasaka’s professional opinion is the following:

“My vote is mic down, connected to the USB dongle.”

Short and sweet and to the point, Danny!

If you have questions please feel free to reach out to us. Also, if you’re interested to see how this headset preforms, check out our YouTube video where we test different Evolve2 85 scenarios:

What EPOS is Seeing in This New Normal? | Interview With Scott Houston

February 25, 2021/0 Comments/in Enterprise Headsets, Featured Articles, Recent Post, Remote Learning, Uncategorized, Work At Home/by Danny Hayasaka

Danny Hayasaka, Sr Director of Marketing and Emerging Technology of Call One, Inc. and Hello Direct had a virtual Q&A with Scott Houston, Field Engineer with EPOS to learn what they’re seeing in this new normal. What questions did we ask? Here’s a list

1. In regard to peripherals, what changes has EPOS seen from users when it comes to headsets and speakerphones?

2. How are organizations managing these assets for remote users? Does EPOS offer a solution?

3. What technologies does EPOS utilize in their solutions that make them a good fit for Contact Centers?

Scott answered the first question( In regard to peripherals, what changes has EPOS seen from users when it comes to headsets and speakerphones?) with the following:

“What we’ve seen before, you know, pre-pandemic and everything that’s happening. You’re in your office space, and you’re kind of just handed a headset.

But now with so many working from home and utilizing so many of the features that are out there for these devices, it’s just having a quality product to deliver that message.”

For the second question (How are organizations managing these assets for remote users? Does EPOS offer a solution?) He states:

“There was such a focus for so many enterprises on how do we keep our workers and and the information and, everything that they’re doing secure, right?

“But also what’s been changing is the UC landscape as a whole, right? Changes coming from Microsoft people switching from, island mode into teams only and now with the removal of Skype for business.”

And finally, the last question, (What technologies does EPOS utilize in their solutions that make them a good fit for Contact Centers?) here is what Houston had to say;

“So that’s where our offering for it is called EPOS manager. There you have a cloud service where your admin can go in and have visibility of everyone who has kind of the client version on their machines at home.

“It’s not just EPOS devices. So you can see what your people are using out there, which will help you with, you know, troubleshooting calls and keep the burden of support tickets to a minimum.”

Thanks for tuning in! We want to thank Scott Houston for joining us on this Q&A with Danny Hayasaka. If you want to watch the full interview to see what EPOS is seeing in this new normal, check it out below:

How Call One, Inc’s Agent in a Box service helped to deliver thousands of Headsets

February 23, 2021/0 Comments/in Enterprise Headsets, Featured Articles, Recent Post, Uncategorized, Video Collaboration, Work At Home/by Danny Hayasaka

Call One, Inc. Agent in a Box service was designed to help businesses simplify delivery of the technology individual employees need to do their business better.

The Challenge: The technology and devices an employee needs to work often spans across multiple brands. They might need a headset, a webcam, speakerphone, monitor, docking station, cabling, etc. Typically, organizations source the different components from multiple vendors. Then often have different shipping and delivery dates. This causes delays and makes it difficult for IT teams or individual employees.

The Solution: Call One, Inc. Agent in a Box.

One Vendor
One Delivery
Hardware & Cabling
Imaging & Asset Tagging
All in one box

Here’s a real-life example of how Call One, Inc.’s Agent in a Box helped to deliver thousands of headsets and required cabling to help simplify IT teams to deploy the solution.

Customer: Fortune 100 Transportation Company

Use Case: New Phone System was implemented and needed new headsets and cabling for each workstation. They requested single ear and dual ear kits that included a single or dual ear headset, phone cable and USB adapter cable. Customer was looking for a way to make staging easier for their teams to deploy thousands of headsets and cables.

Solution: Call One, Inc. Agent in a Box – Our team created two kits. Palletized them and shipped to appropriate location.

Total Units needed: 2,292
10 Pallets shipped to one location
Individual kits were labeled with the image and list of included contents
Kit 1: Qty. 2157 – included EPOS Impact SC230, USB-ED 01 and CAVA31 cable
Kit 2: Qty. 135 – included EPOS Impact SC260, USB-ED 01 and CAVA31 cable
Qty. 100 – EPOS UI815 Switch Box were also shipped with this order for special requests but were not included in the kits

The end result, customer received entire delivery on the same day. The individually labeled boxes helped to reduce time in staging and physically deploying since all the components needed were in one box.

If you would like to learn more about Call One, Inc. Agent in a Box contact us, M-F, 8am-5pm ET at 1-800-749-3160 or sales@calloneonline.com. For more information about the Agent in a Box service, continue here.

Replacing Headset Accessories save money

Replacing Headset Accessories Can Save You Money!

February 12, 2021/0 Comments/in Enterprise Headsets, Featured Articles, How To's, Recent Post, Uncategorized, Work At Home/by Danny Hayasaka

You can save money by replacing headset accessories instead of buying a new headset! (Yes, some folks replace the entire headset when the ear cushion starts falling apart)

If you have ever been in a major contact center, there are vending machines you can go to for replacement ear cushions, mic screens and other essential accessories to keep your headset in optimal working condition. In a corporate office, there were processes in place you followed to get those accessories. The challenge for anyone working from home is they don’t have that same convenience.

What Replacement Accessories are available for your headset?

Companies like Call One, Inc. have been helping people do their business better since 1987. Our team can help you identify what replacement accessories are available for your specific headset. With multiple brands and headset models that exist, there are literally thousands of different accessories available. It can be extremely overwhelming. The Call One, Inc. team is here to help with Poly (formerly Plantronics), Jabra, EPOS (formerly Sennheiser), JPL and Cisco headset accessories.

Available Corded and Wireless Headset Accessories: Foam and leatherette Ear cushions, ear tips, ear wings, mic screens, voice tubes, replacement and spare batteries, headbands, neckbands, ear hooks, AC power supplies, Bluetooth Dongles, QD to modular coil cords, QD to USB adapters, training-y’s, charging stands, EHS cables, handset lifters, lapel clips, headband cushions, carry cases, amplifiers, audio processers, and more!

When should I replace accessories?

There are obvious times when you should replace, i.e., your AC power supply had a wrestling match with your vacuum cleaner and lost. Anytime a specific piece you need to use your headset effectively gets broken or goes missing, it’s time to replace. Foam ear cushions and mic screens should be replaced as often as you’d like but at least every 3-6 months depending on wear and tear. When it comes to wireless headset batteries, that typically depends on how heavy a user you are. Wireless headset batteries typically last at least twelve months however, we have seen batteries being replaced after only three to six months. Some batteries are field replaceable (you can DIY) while some are not (typically smaller form factor Bluetooth headsets)

Brands like JPL have modular headsets models like their Element TT3 that allow you to replace key components like the headbands and speaker and mic boom. This modular approach provides an overall lower cost of ownership.

Is there a minimum quantity order requirement?

That depends on the accessory, however, Call One, Inc. has been able to “break packs” to provide customers with the quantities they need. Another consideration when replacing headset accessories is shipping cost and how often you need to replace certain items like ear cushions. It’s best to order at least enough to last the length of the headset warranty.

Can you ship headset accessories to my home office?

Yes! Call One, Inc. can ship anywhere in the US including business and residential addresses.

How do I get started?

The best way is to contact us directly M-F, 8 am – 5 pm ET.

📞 1-800-749-3160

📨 sales@calloneonline.com

💻 https://www.calloneonline.com/contact-corporate-sales

It’s best to have the headset brand and model you need accessories for in hand. Don’t know what headset you have? No problem. Take a picture of your headset and send it to us. Be sure to include what accessory you are looking for.

New Yealink UC Workstation and WH66

January 28, 2021/1 Comment/in Enterprise Headsets, Meeting Space Solutions, Mobile Solutions, Open Office Solutions, Recent Post, Uncategorized, Work At Home/by Danny Hayasaka

The Yealink UC Workstation and WH66 as well as WH67 will redefine your workspace. This device features a DECT Wireless Headset, Speakerphone, Qi Wireless Mobile Phone Charger, 4-inch touch screen, Built-in USB Hub (two additional USB ports), connectivity to PC and Mobile Devices, compatible with all major communications platforms to include Zoom and Microsoft Teams. This device has a ton of features to support a variety of use cases for work from home, open offices, and independent offices. Plus, it has great NC mic performance and wireless range for ultimate flexibility.

So, what’s it like?

All-in-one UC Workstation

The Yealink UC Workstation is more than a single base, it eases the management of business communication demands and other USB devices. It also delivers great flexibility with a set of integrated features to facilitate your daily routine. It is professional, collaborative, and available.

Wireless Freedom & All Day Power

No matter when and where your conversation begins, the Yealink WH66 can always catch up your steps. With up to 160m wireless range and 14 hours talk time, it is suitable for users’ daily communication needs. In addition, the product supports high density installation in the open office, which allows up to 200 users (Europe) enjoy the wireless communication at the same time.

One For All Devices Management

The Yealink USB Connect is available for the management of multiple Yealink USB devices, including headsets, speakerphones, and webcams. All the settings can be done through Yealink USB Connect, for example, the setting of the basic and premium function of WH66, which is convenient and efficient for daily use.

Our Experience with the work station

Here at Call One, we are loving this new Yealink UC Workstation and WH66. When it comes to conferencing, mobile use, and headset range, this might be the top dog in Q1 and Q2 of 2021. There is so much to cover on this new product, so stay tuned for more blogs and videos. Check out our latest where we breakdown this new product:

Poly Savi 8200 Series – 8220 and 8245. What’s better?

January 27, 2021/0 Comments/in Enterprise Headsets, Meeting Space Solutions, Open Office Solutions, Recent Post, Work At Home/by Danny Hayasaka

In this post, we test the NC mics of the Poly Savi 8240 and the 8245 UC along with Close Conversation Limiting (CCL) feature. We also include a mic test and CCL testing of the Savi 8220 headset. Do the mics perform similarly or is one better than the other? Lets take a look at the Poly Savi 8200 Series.

Poly Savi 8220 – $299.95

The Poly Savi 8200 Series delivers enterprise-grade DECT audio for a premium listening experience in two headset styles – stereo (Savi 8220) and mono (Savi 8210). The Savi 8220 delivers hi-fi stereo sound, whether you’re calling customers or colleagues or listening to music. Also, active noise canceling (ANC) blocks out background noise so you can always stay focused on what’s important.

The Savi 8210 is ideal when you need to be dialed into calls but also hear what’s going on around you. Whichever model you choose, you’ll sound your best even in noisy environments. For the most sensitive environments, you can turn up noise canceling with the close conversation limiting feature (configurable in Plantronics Hub) for additional privacy.