Noise Cancellation: Headsets vs AI

Exploring the links between audio quality, agent productivity, and customer satisfaction

In today’s evolving call center landscape, exceptional audio quality and comprehension can make or break customer interactions. 

This guide, created in partnership with ContactBabel, contains comprehensive research, actionable insights and guidance to help contact centers navigate the future of voice communication in the call center industry, where clarity, comprehension, and connection redefine customer interactions.

The Effect of Audio Improvement on Productivity and CX

In a ContactBabel survey of 1,000 customers, 60% of customers frequently face challenges in understanding agents due to poor audio quality. 

Some businesses experience higher levels of audio interference due to their contact center environment, use of remote working, and type of customer (e.g. older customers experience this the most). Those taking calls from customers on mobile phones are more likely to have higher rates of repetition. 

Lack of audio clarity is not just a problem on the contact center’s side of the conversation. With more people than ever using mobile phones to speak with organizations, both agents and customers have to concentrate very hard on the conversation, causing stress and frustration, particularly for the agent who may handle 80-100 calls each day.

Real-world example

A Spanish contact center gave some sets of headsets with digital audio processors to employees, while others used the more traditional headset. The first group's technology had the effect of 'cleaning up' unwanted noise at either end of the line, allowing the customer and employee to communicate more effectively. Calls were handled more quickly, fewer mistakes were made with data collection (with the attendant knock-on effect that fewer repeat calls were required), and overall, employees handled an average of 10% more calls per day compared to the control group. 

AI-enabled voice isolation can intelligently remove background noise from both sides of the conversation, in real-time, to assist the smooth and accurate flow of the conversation, as well as in recordings to improve post-call analytics and voice-to-text transcription. This also means that businesses spend significantly less on upgrading and replacing top-of-the-line headsets. 

Noise Canceling Headsets and Technology

61% of surveyed individuals indicate their headsets are equipped with noise-canceling microphones to reduce background noise, enhancing call clarity for the caller and reducing the need for repetition.

However, only 37% have noise-canceling headphones for all headsets, leaving a significant number of agents exposed to noisy environments. And these headsets don’t address inbound noise coming from the customer’s environment. The implication is reduced focus, accuracy, and overall performance, potentially prolonging calls. 

Figure 2: Use of noise-canceling microphones and headphones/earphones

Alternatively, noise-canceling software offers a higher quality, more accessible and scalable solution compared to traditional noise-canceling headsets. Because this technology works directly on agent devices and can be centrally managed, implementation and adoption are easy and streamlined for call centers of all sizes.

Unlike headsets that require individual distribution and maintenance and hardware refresh, AI-powered noise cancellation technology can be updated and improved from one central point, ensuring the on-device technology is always up-to-date and active, making high-quality audio more achievable and consistent.

Improving call center audio quality and eliminating noise with Voice AI

AI-powered voice technology is revolutionizing the way call centers manage voice interactions and quality. By filtering out background noise, echoes, and other human voices, Voice AI ensures that the primary message is heard, understood, and improves the overall customer experience and satisfaction.

Voice AI technology cleanses both inbound and outbound audio streams, ensuring clear, concise communication. This breakthrough not only improves the quality of each call but also boosts the efficiency and effectiveness of call center operations, which has massive impact at scale—reducing the $1.34B cost of poor audio quality for contact centers, industry wide. 

‘I’m sorry, can you repeat that?’

Reducing the number of times an agent or customer has to repeat themselves can make a huge impact on call center costs by reducing call times (and thus queue lengths)  while also improving the overall customer experience. 

Call clarity directly translates to improved first call resolution rates. Issues are resolved faster, and the need for callbacks or escalations are significantly reduced. This efficiency is a win-win: customers experience improved satisfaction, and contact centers benefit from reduced operational costs and experience 10% increases in agent productivity, as seen in the example referenced earlier.

The reduction in noise complaints speaks volumes—literally.

With up to a 78% decrease in noise-related issues, Voice AI is improving call productivity, while eliminating agent stress and customer frustration.

By effectively eliminating background noise and improving audio quality, AI Noise Cancellation reduces the need for expensive headsets and physical modifications like soundproof partitions or white noise machines.

Replacing traditional, expensive, noise cancellation solutions

The shift from hardware to AI Noise Cancellation software lowers initial investment costs while decreasing ongoing maintenance expenses and providing scalability without compromising quality or incurring additional overhead. As a result, contact centers can allocate their resources more efficiently, investing in areas that directly contribute to growth, customer satisfaction, and scaling their operations.