Designing headsets that customers want: Plantronics

It is all about designing for the customer, and designing it intelligently. The words sent back in 1969 from the moon came via Plantronics equipment, and the company has not stopped its commitment to innovation ever since.

The company is working on devices that deliver contextual intelligence, a combination of hardware, sensors, and software, said Alvin Kiew, Director of Sales & Marketing for Plantronics South-East Asia, including knowing that a headset has been taken off, and routing an active call to the phone, or pausing the music that is playing.

Plantronics found that its customers can be divided into different categories, or personas, with different needs at work. 

The customer profiles are very detailed, and headsets are designed to address the challenges experienced by different customer profiles.

Understanding what customers want is also a priority. Plantronics headset features that cater to always-connected professionals include long battery lives of up to 18 hours a day, battery life indicators, and compatibility with inflight entertainment systems, while gaming headsets feature modularity, said Kiew.

Christopher Thompson, VP of Enterprise Marketing, Plantronics, said the Voyager Focus UC family addresses what business users want. The company found that changes in workstyle have changed the work environment significantly, requiring different tools to create a professional experience. "Work is something you do, it's not a place you go," he said.

Plantronics Voyager Focus UC headsets thus feature three types of noise cancellation technology, Thompson said: passive noise cancellation, which damps down sudden noises; active cancellation, where mikes placed at the outside of the headset capture and then block outside noise, and a noise-cancelling mike that prevents the transmission of the conversation beyond the headset.

Thompson pointing out that today's work environment has evolved from quiet office cubicles to noisier environments. 

The headstrap, below the usual headband, brings the cushions of the earcups closer to the ear for a better audio experience, with more effective noise cancellation. At the same time, weight is redistributed from the head to the head and the earcups. Thompson said that customer feedback has been that headsets with headstraps feel lighter as a result.

Contextual intelligence features for the Voyager Focus UC include no dedicated 'left' and 'right' controls. No matter which way the wearer has put the headset on, features will work the way he or she expects. Turning the mike 'down' or the volume control 'forward' will always have the same effect, Thompson said.

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post on the Plantronics Voyager Focus UC headsets

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