Investing in Audio Makes Business Sense

Epos Audio is a Business Reporter client.

Investing in audio makes business sense

Audio quality has become a new priority for global businesses since the move to remote working, and organizations see it as key to maintaining client, employee and partner communication.

Hybrid and remote working has been tried and tested over the past year as workers globally migrated home due to Covid-19. Remote working has proven successful with most organizations, which have witnessed the benefits while assessing which tech solutions are available to ensure business continuity.

Touching base with employees virtually has become central to business, and ensuring effective virtual communication between employees and clients has become a necessity.

As we’ve become more reliant on virtual technology, poor audio can have a detrimental impact on business productivity and output. Pre-pandemic, 95% of workers experienced daily issues with audio, resulting in end users losing 29 minutes weekly due to poor-quality calls.

Our research reveals that audio quality has become a new priority for businesses globally, and that it is viewed as non-negotiable for performance and success.

Decision makers are harnessing collaboration tools to save time and money, with 45% naming time savings and 41% citing cost savings as two of the most important reasons for using video meetings or calls.

Understanding the power of audio

Now that organizations have acclimatized to the remote reality, audio issues should be minor, and for them to be a problem of the past, employers must equip their workforce with audio solutions to work effectively.

Effective call quality delivers better customer service and stronger collaboration. Our research shows that 56% of global decision makers believe that high-quality audio is essential to their business.

Audio quality is becoming so important that 78% of those surveyed are willing to pay extra for it. This is especially true for those in sales and marketing (56%), where it is viewed as integral to maintaining client communication and business performance.

Business leaders must decide which audio solutions will yield the best results as part of a digital culture in which employees thrive. Despite this recognition, a clear opportunity for education has emerged, as businesses do not have extensive knowledge of the audio solutions accessible to them, and many companies are yet to realize the benefits.

Good-quality audio not only enhances performance, but with 35% of respondents reporting feeling frustrated or annoyed by bad audio experiences, it goes a long way to improve employee well-being, which has become a key differentiator for job seekers.

Future-proofing in 2021

Companies need to invest in premium audio solutions, because choosing the cheapest, most convenient option does not make business sense in the long run. Choosing advanced tools that have active noise cancellation or artificial intelligence for enhanced voice pickup will help employees feel more connected, which is particularly important in the current climate.

With Generation Z’s representation in the global workforce set to pass 1 billion by 2030, companies need to understand this demographic’s motivations and preferred ways of working. Organizations that can offer flexible experiences and hyper-connected technology solutions will be well positioned to attract and retain top talent.

As we plan ahead, one thing is for certain: The future of the workplace will be hybrid, integrating digital technology with face-to-face meetings. For this to be successful, maintaining a seamless and hassle-free employee experience will be key.

Business leaders are starting to recognize the importance of audio excellence and other tools for seamless collaboration, with 95% of decision makers planning to invest over the next few years. To ensure that employees get the most out of their workplace, business leaders must act as champions of change and invest in sound solutions that help enterprises move forward.

Read more about the hybrid workplace at eposaudio.com.


— Jane Craven, Sales Director, U.K. & Ireland, EPOS
_{This article originally appeared on Business Reporter. Image credits: image provided by the client}