In a commissioned study, the firm of H.B. Maynard Co. concluded that adding hands-free Plantronics headsets to conventional office telephones substantially improves productivity and overall call volume while reducing phone-related employee downtime and physical discomfort.

In the course of the study, more than 2,000 telephone transactions were observed and recorded on a time/motion basis at four firms over an eight-day study period. One-hand versus two-handed typing was also analyzed. This data was then compared between users of Plantronics Quick Disconnect; featured headsets and traditional telephone handsets. Workgroups studied included inside salespeople, travel agents, technical sales support personnel and stockbrokers with previous headset experience.

The results were nothing short of remarkable. In fact, Plantronics equipped workers showed an overall productivity increase of up to 43% over the control group. Time spent in telephone related work activities was reduced substantially. Repeat calls were made without interruption, and ordinarily time-intensive tasks (such as typing or checking reference materials while on the phone) were performed far more quickly and efficiently with Plantronics headsets.

Not only was a reduced error rate and improved service record noted, but workers on the phone full-time with Plantronics headsets placed an average of 16 more calls per day than those using traditional handsets. Perhaps most telling of all, workers equipped with Plantronics headsets reported higher morale, lower fatigue levels and fewer phone-related physical complaints; after more than a week with Plantronics headsets, going back to bulky, cumbersome, hand-held phones was inconceivable.