Audio calls and video conferencing are a big part of the remote workday, so it’s important to have the tech tools that make you look and sound your best. If you’re using a hosted VoIP phone system, acquiring a good VoIP phone headset is a smart investment for yourself and your employees, especially those who are heavy phone users.
Benefits of VoIP Headsets for Remote Work
A headset’s versatility and improvements to call quality will have your staff wanting to use them when working in the office, away on business travel, and remotely at home!
Prevent Arm and Neck Soreness
The most obvious benefits of using a headset are physical ones, especially if you’re on the phone often or have regularly scheduled phone calls. Depending on which model you choose, the headset will rest over your head or over your ear. Say goodbye to hand soreness that comes from holding the phone up to your ear or neck cramping from cradling the handset between your ear and shoulder!
Converse Clearly With Your Caller
If you take calls on speakerphone or use a VoIP softphone on your computer or laptop, you may find problems with audio quality from the device’s built-in microphone and speaker. Using a headset, you can rotate the microphone down to your mouth when you’re using the device, ensuring that your voice is clearly picked up and transmitted over the call.
Other physical headset characteristics that improve conversation clarity are noise-cancelling microphones and ear cushions. Noise-cancelling tech helps to reduce or eliminate background noises from being transmitted with your voice, while certain ear cushions filter out external sounds that could otherwise interfere with the caller’s responses.
Preserve Mobility
When using a VoIP phone to make and receive calls, you are tied down to your desk—literally—for the duration of the call. You can only move as far away from the phone as the phone cord stretches. A wireless headset allows you to move around without affecting your connection to the caller. Go grab a document from the printer (or even that second cup of coffee!) while keeping the conversation going.
Multitask: Put the Phone Down
Whether you use a wireless or wired version of a headset, your hands will be free to perform other work tasks, like typing out notes from the conversation or searching through the caller’s previous support tickets in your CRM portal. You’ll be able to multitask while on the phone, boosting your productivity and efficiency.
Top Characteristics of VoIP Headsets
Choosing a VoIP headset is actually a very personal decision to make, based on how comfortable and usable a model is to a particular person. You may even settle upon different models for different departments (say, Sales vs Support). Some general headset characteristics to consider are:
VoIP Wireless Headsets vs Wired Headsets
VoIP wired headsets plug directly into the device itself, and the connection can be a headphone jack or USB cable. Depending on whether you’re using a business VoIP phone or a softphone app on your computer/laptop, it’s important to confirm that the wired headset you’re interested in has a connection option that is also compatible with your phone or computer.
VoIP wireless headsets offer you the greatest range and mobility, since they typically connect to your desk phone or softphone app over DECT or Bluetooth technology. For wireless headsets, make sure that you look into technical specifications like talk time, charging time, and connectivity range.
Over Head/Over Ear/Convertible
VoIP headsets come in a few configuration options:
- Over the head: Headset fits snugly over your head with a headband.
- Over ear/on the ear: Headset clips fit around your ear to hold the speaker and microphone in place without a headband.
- Convertible: Headset comes with separate and detachable parts that allow the user to choose the style he wants: over-the-head or over ear.
Noise-Cancelling Microphone
Noise-cancelling mics (through technology or a combination of microphones) help catch your voice while filtering out background/ambient noises so that the person on the other end of the line hears you more clearly.
We like Jabra’s simple-to-understand explanation of the tech in their Noise Cancellation in Headsets post: “This noise cancellation can be achieved in different ways, including microphone shape and positioning, digital signal processing, and other tech words.” We’ll take the experts’ word for it!
Hearing Aids
From high-definition audio to technology that guards your ears from acoustic shock (abrupt bursts of loud or shrill sounds), the speakers on a VoIP phone headset can facilitate a clear-sounding and uncluttered conversation with your caller, almost as if he were in the same room.
Range
If you’re using a VoIP wireless headset, consider the connectivity range of the headset before it loses the call signal. While it shouldn’t be an issue when you’re working at a desk in your home or home office, it will matter if you plan to use the device in a larger office setting.
Best Headsets to Consider for Remote Work
As a hosted VoIP provider, OnSIP has encountered many VoIP phone headsets over the years! Our Direct Sales, Channel Sales, and Customer Success team members have used the below models (mostly paired with the OnSIP app on their computers or laptops) for their day-to-day work calls. If you’re looking for a good headset for your remote work needs, start your search with these:
1. IMPACT MB Pro 2 UC
Originally the Sennheiser MB Pro 2 UC, you can now find the IMPACT MB Pro 2 UC manufactured and sold as a co-brand of EPOS | SENNHEISER. This wireless double-sided headset has an ultra noise-cancelling microphone and EPOS VoiceTM technology for a clear conversation experience. The headset’s range is up to 82 feet, and talk time is up to 15 hours.
2. Jabra Evolve 75
Used by a couple of staff members on our Customer Success team, the Jabra Evolve 75 is another wireless headset option. The over-the-head headset has active noise cancellation (ANC) technology that can be turned on and off by pushing a button underneath one of the ear cushions. The operating range of the Evolve 75 is up to 100 feet, while it also boasts a talk time spec of up to 18 hours.
3. Voyager 4220 UC
Part of a headset series offered by Poly, the Voyager 4220 UC is a third wireless headset of choice by our team. The device’s noise-cancelling ability is accomplished through two microphones. It also has SoundGuard DIGITAL tech, which provides a comfortable sound level while protecting against sounds over a high decibel level. The range of the 4220 UC is up to 98 feet, with talk time lasting up to 12 hours.
4. Logitech H390
A wired option that is very affordable, the Logitech H390 USB Computer Headset can be used with any PC or Mac that has a USB-A port or adapter. Equipped with a noise-cancelling mic, it also has adjustable volume controls and a mute button on the connection cord. The cord’s length is 7.64 feet.