When strategising to cut Call Centre costs, a strong case can be made to regularly review equipment management protocol, particularly when it comes to headsets. There are 5 top touch points in this discussion, ranging from actual correct equipment selection, to the life-span of said equipment and the ‘treatment' that it ultimately receives at the hands of agents.

In one such an attempt to reduce overheads, Call Centres look to the age old debate of ‘new vs. refurbished headsets', where new is obviously the more expensive option.

With new hires, most companies offer new headsets to be replaced by a refurbished headset if lost or broken. There is on average a 50-70% saving in replacement cost with refurbished headsets, and most come with a refurbishment warranty on top of that.

Ensuring that Call Centre staff receive appropriate training will also dispel the majority of headset headaches in the long run and keep a cap on costs, as proper training and guidance on equipment usage leads to better understanding and appreciation of said equipment.

Pilfering of office equipment is another port of call, where curbing this unnecessary cost expenditure could directly affect your bottom line, as well as employee disgruntlement when they realise that their headset has been nicked overnight!

Employees should accept the responsibility of securely storing their headsets when not in use to ensure safekeeping. Clear tagging of equipment is also helpful to readily identify said owner if accidently mislaid; with some more inspired agents even going so far as to 'pimp' their headsets (picture glitter guns and rhinestones), resulting in a dramatic decrease of 'oops, sorry – didn't know this was yours...'

Sticking with more creative avenues, incentivising employees to look after their headsets has enjoyed great success across many sectors. Best kept simple, a reward programme could be something as straightforward as reaching a set milestone with your existing headset to then qualify for an upgrade (possibly moving from basic entry level to the cordless variety).

Finally, once having successfully persuaded your staff to love and cherish their headsets, it's best to make sure that they continue to do so. Regular and planned servicing of Call Centre equipment is vital to limit downtime and foster a streamlined operation, where supplier Service Level Agreements are highly beneficial in achieving this objective.

A reputable supplier that offers a comprehensive headset warranty is also a great investment, were headsets are serviced and repaired regardless of whether the incident is factory failure or agent misuse.

And lastly, as our MD Pieter Snyman believes, "It pays in the end, to buy the best in the beginning."