Mobility, style and comfort from bluetooth headsets

When bluetooth headsets were first introduced in the country, the common perception of consumers, particularly in developing economies, was that it was a gadget for the hearing-impaired.

Long before that, people using corded headsets to communicate with the caller at the other end of the line or even listening to music from their mobile phones, were thought to be a crazy or “nuts” as they were talking to themselves.

“Taking these two experiences, we kept devising and researching on technologies that would not bring negative perceptions on consumers, particularly the users, and at the same time bring them the quality they pay for,” explained Shaz Khan, president and managing director for Asia Pacific of GN Netcom, global leader in innovative headset solutions.

GN Netcom launched recently four new Jabra Bluetooth headsets namely the M5390, GN9120, BT8040 and T5390. All these headsets promise freedom for the Filipino executives to perform multiple tasks. These are targeted to the executives who need to answer landline calls away from their desks.

With sales offices around the world, GN develops, manufacturers and markets a broad range of wireless headsets for mobile users and both wireless and corded headsets for call centers and office-based users. Its business activities include original equipment manufacturing (OEM) business.

The rapid growth of the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, particularly the call center industry, and the rising popularity of Bluetooth technology among mobile and laptop users, are seen to propel the growth of Jabra Bluetooth headsets in the country.

For call centers, voice clarity is very important which is why the Jabra headsets are crisp and clear which allow agents to quickly understand and answer to their customers without having to repeat themselves. This means shorter calls and better productivity or more customers per shift, Khan explained.

For customers, clearer conversations and shorter calls translate to better overall experience and Jabra headsets are known for better experience, Khan added.

Khan said GN Netcom can only establish a manufacturing plant in the country once it reaches the desired critical mass to justify it. For now, GN Netcom will only maintain its expanding base of distributors in the country, said Shaz Khan, GN Netcom president and managing director for Asia Pacific said during the press launch Tuesday of four new headset lines in Ortigas.

GN Netcom which manufactures from Denmark and other factories in the world around 29 million units of wireless headsets sees the Philippines as a most dynamic market, among the emerging markets in Asia namely China and Vietnam, Khan said.

“The Philippine market is about — or 1/5 of Jabra’s sales and the fastest growth is seen from the 300 call center companies (formerly based in the United States ) operating in the country,” Khan said.

“The office market—or executives and employees—wanting to enjoy as much mobility and still be connected by higher level wireless technologies to their office phones and mobile units is a potentially fast growth market as well,” Khan said.

Easily, Khan said the growth will be half the business users—meaning call center and other commercial establishments—and half the consumers or the executives and other “techie” employees.

 “If you buy Jabra, you are not just buying a Bluetooth headset. You are buying satisfaction coming from a clear and crispy sound from either your mobile phone, internet call from your laptop or even sounds that you installed to put you in the proper mood and mindset for the whole day,” Khan said.