If you don't use a computer headset, then I guess a computer headset isn't important to you. The question, if you do use one, is how important is it to you? Does it matter if it doesn't work quite right? Do you use it for listening only or do you use the microphone (if your computer headset has a microphone)? My computer headset is very important to me and I'll get into the reasons in a minute but first, I'll tell you who computer headsets are really important to.
Call Centers
Call center headsets are very important and it doesn't matter if they're computer headsets or they're hooked up the phone system, or even if they're wired or wireless headsets. It doesn't matter what kind of call center we're talking about either.
Telemarketers can't do their jobs and make sales if they're call center headsets don't work or they don't work right. The same is true for collection agencies, but for different reasons. Even customer service agents need good call center headsets. What good does it do to call customer service if the customer service agent can't hear you or you can't hear him or her?
A cheap or defective computer headset, whether it's a call center headset or some other kind, can literally cost a person his or her job.
My Computer Headset
I've only gone through two computer headsets in the past four years. The latest one didn't last six months. Both of them were Logitech USB headsets with microphones and each time, it was the microphone that stopped working. I'm still using the latest one, but I'm using the microphone from a Logitech Communicate STX webcam. The reason for the jury-rigged situation? I haven't found another USB headset locally and other non-USB type I've found are the cheapest of the cheap.
I wanted to blame my recent switch from Windows to Ubuntu Linux as the reason for the failure, but the microphone stopped working while I was using Windows. Once it stopped working in Windows, Ubuntu wouldn't switch to the headset anymore. The unfortunate fact is that I still have to use Windows until I get another headset working with Ubuntu. Don't get me wrong because Ubuntu works great. If I didn't need to use a computer headset with it, it's all I would be using. I'm switching between Windows and Ubuntu anyway this week, because I'm moving documents and other things, so it doesn't bother me yet.
I use my computer headset for one thing: Skype. Skype is my international phone service. I not only talk to people "Skype to Skype", but I also call mobile phones and land lines with it. If it wasn't for Skype, I wouldn't be able to afford calling anyone outside of the Philippines and most people couldn't afford to call me – I have a US-based online phone number for use with Skype. I'm not a Skype poster child, but it has already saved me a fortune over the last few years.
The store I normally shop at to get computer supplies didn't have any USB computer headsets when I was there yesterday and I assume they're just sold out because it's where I bought my last one from. There are other computer stores local to me and I'll be visiting them soon, probably tomorrow. If no one has them locally, I'll wait a month and try again. I refuse to go to the SM mall for just one thing. The gas, tolls and effort would make the computer headset twice as expensive in the long run.
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Didn't realize that headset is that important. I might pick one up next week if I could find time out of my busy schedule…
What is the price range that you would recommend shooting for ? I don't have a lot of cash to spend on an expensive headset.
A decent computer headset can be found for less than $30 here (Logitech). Less than $10, however, will get you a headset that isn't worth the cost of purchase. Anything between $20 and $50 is reasonable. Anything over $50 is too much.
I couldn't do without my headset as I use it for everything, not the least of which is for every phone call that I make.
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HEADset is important because you don't need to higher than your volume and can't disturb other people as well.
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I can't live without my headset on my bag.. i feel like there is something wrong when i don't bring it with me..
Headsets are very important if your making a lot of calls because they've got to be reliable,comfortable and sound good,I've got a Logitech headset and these do all of these things really well
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When I do something in my computer without headset is a bad day to me. I use to have headset because I love listening music while doing such things in computer..
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Computer headset for me is very much important because I always use to listen a music every time I have a computer works in the office.
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When I get bored in doing my task in my PC I use to get my headset and listening and watching music videos. When I lost my headset I use to get my speaker then play it louder.
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Regarding your comments about Skype:
I find that Skype is an excellent program for individuals, but when large groups of people are involved it becomes fiddly, finicky and insecure. As such, in the context of a call centre it is, in my opinion, unusable. It's great for what you use it for, though!
Getting employees to buy their own headsets if they want half-decent quality is the route most call centres seem to go down, especially call centres that work based on some sort of commission system. It's a tad unethical in my view, but if they want to waste their money on tons of cheap headsets, that's their lookout!
Thanks for your thoughts,
Yours sincerely,
Peter, for Vicorp IVR Solutions.