Customer Service in Action

/0 Comments/in /by

Nordstrom’s customer service is legendary.

You’ve probably heard stories about how well the company cares for customers, or have your own personal experience. From tales of sales associates pointing customers to competitors, accepting returns that obviously didn’t come from Nordstrom, and allowing customers to trade out used items for brand-new ones—Nordstrom has cornered the market on platinum-level customer service.

Why has the company decided that five-star customer service is its goal, and why does Listen Technologies share that mission?

It keeps customers coming back

Sometimes the best customer service seems counter-intuitive. For example, a customer was looking for a specific shoe and called her local Nordstrom to see if the store had it because she wanted to try it on before buying. The sales associate informed her that Nordstrom only had that shoe online, but Dillard’s—a competitor—had it in stores.

At first glance, it seems that Nordstrom lost a customer because the sales associate pointed her at another store. The opposite is true, though. The company understands how frustrating bad service can be for customers. Nordstrom was true to its values, putting the customer’s needs above its own. In its own mission statement, the company says since 1901 it has been “committed to providing our customers with the best possible service—and to improving it every day.” Customers recognize the value of that service, and it keeps them returning year after year.

Poorly treated customers don’t return

When businesses treat a customer poorly and fail to live up to basic expectations, they lose clients. During a recent trip, one of our executives checked into a hotel late at night after a long day of travel. She expected the room to have at least a basic level of cleanliness. Instead, there was toothpaste in the sink, pizza remnants on the ironing board and other dirty items around the room. She couldn’t find another hotel room in the middle of the night, but as soon as the sun came up, she checked out. She found another hotel in the city that met her expectations for cleanliness.

In the age of online reviews, if companies want to stay in business, they can’t afford to leave customers with staggeringly bad experiences.

Why we value customer service

At Listen Technologies, customer service is one of our core values. We regularly hear about our team going above and beyond customers’ expectations. Our teams strive to show our commitment to customers through our actions, not simply by posting them on a plaque or website.

Customer service in practice

Trust is a big part of customer service. Our clients know they can trust us to deliver products when we say we will. That’s because keeping the promise of expected ship dates is vital to us. We also regularly fulfill urgent orders after regular hours, because we understand how frustrating it can be when you need a product or are in danger of missing a deadline. If it’s physically possible to accommodate an urgent request, then we’ll do it.

Recently, a customer realized the day before an install that they needed different antennas. It was after business hours, so it was too late to get an official purchase order to us. Instead of telling the customer they were out of luck, our fulfillment team decided to deliver five-star service. We processed the order as a UPS next-day air shipment. Then our team met the local UPS driver on his route to ensure the antennas got to their destination. The product arrived the next morning.

We even include M&Ms in all our orders—because who doesn’t LOVE M&M’s? It is one gesture to let our customers know how much we appreciate them.

Giving customers five-star service makes them loyal to your company. That’s true whether you’re a retail giant like Nordstrom or an assistive technology company like Listen Technologies. The opposite also is true—bad service causes you to lose customers. That’s one of the many reasons we value the customer experience.

We’ve been doing business with the most sought-after venues for more than 20 years because we believe everyone deserves to hear the same great experience. If you’re ready to ensure all of your guests can hear and engage, talk to us! Tell us your story so we can come up with the right plan so you can start enabling your guests. Contact us at (800) 330-0891 or go to listentech.com to see all the ways we can help you improve your business.

Is Your Tour Guide System Right For You?

/0 Comments/in /by

Are you using the right tour guide system? We understand you want to be the leisure tour of choice in your area. That means you need your guests to hear and engage throughout their visit because you don’t want them to feel like they’re missing out. How can you do that, though?

The answer is ListenTALK, an intuitive tour guide system from a company with decades of experience that will help you transform your business into a sought-after destination. Here are five ways ListenTALK will help you revolutionize your leisure tour business:

It’s Simple

The most challenging part of using ListenTALK is pushing a button. Seriously.

To get started, simply put the transceivers or receivers in the docking station. They’ll charge up and be ready to go when you are. Next, as you’re getting your tour group ready, insert the red leader clip into your unit. That puts you in control. Put the lanyard around your neck or attach the unit with the provided belt clip. Then distribute your units and headsets, and show the group how to use them—all they have to do to communicate is push a button. Now you’re ready to go!

It Has Superior Sound Quality

ListenTALK uses the less crowded 1.9 GHz frequency, so it’s basically static- and interference-free. It also has an incredibly sensitive internal mic, so there’s no need to hold it up to your mouth while you’re speaking. Combine the 1.9 GHz frequency with the mic, and you’ll deliver crystal-clear sound to everyone in your tour group—because everyone deserves to hear the same great experience.

It’s Secure

Are you relaying sensitive information during your tours? Or do you need to ensure your competitors won’t copy your tour scripts? Our tour guide system is encrypted for privacy, so you’ll never have to worry about another device or system picking up your voice.

Tour Guide System to Impress Guests and VIPs

Once your tour guests try ListenTALK, they’ll never be happy with another tour guide system. It’s small and lightweight, comfortable to wear, simple to use, and it delivers the superior sound quality they won’t find anywhere else. They’ll hear clearly and engage throughout their tour or visit, ensuring they don’t miss anything. Plus, they can use a headset provided by you or choose their own iOS or Android earbuds.

It’s a Scalable Tour Guide System

When you’re ready to adopt ListenTALK, you don’t have to start with a massive number of units. You can choose the number that’s right for you, and as your business grows, add more units. The only group size limitation with this tour guide system is the number of units you own.

ListenTALK is the tour guide system that will help you transform into the leisure tour business of choice in your area. It’s a simple, secure, impressive and scalable tour guide system that delivers superior sound quality. Whether you’re doing tours in art museums, on buses or walking around the mountains or big cities, ListenTALK ensures your guests can hear and engage. Are you ready for a free 30-day demo? Talk to us—tell us your story so we can come up with the right configuration to enable your guests. Just go to ListenTALK.com and get started today!

OSHA Survey

/in /by

Fill out the below survey for a $5 Amazon gift card

  • (approximately)

Make Campus Tours Memorable with the Right Tech

/0 Comments/in /by

It’s the age-old question we ask ourselves at the beginning of every school year. How are you going to impress future students and their parents, and show them that your campus should be their No. 1 choice?

Well, you can start with an impressive tour. Here’s how:

Know your audience and what they want

Forget about millennials. Your incoming students are members of Generation Z, who will be visiting campus with their Gen X parents. This generation is quickly taking over college campuses and workplaces. How much do you know about them?

  • They’re less self-centered. According to a report from Ernst and Young, one of the critical factors that separates Generation Z from millennials is self-awareness. They “place a greater emphasis on their role in the world … and their responsibility to improve it.”
  • They value time in the classroom. The majority of Generation Z prefers in-person classes over online courses. A report from Pearson shows that 26 percent of Generation Z would choose an online course over an in-person class, compared to 45 percent of millennials.
  • Tech is part of life. Millennials, born after 1980, knew life before iPads, cell phones, and social media. For Generation Z, however, technology has been integrated into their lives since birth. They don’t expect it to change their lives or educational experience, but they expect it to be in the classroom.

Generation Z is ready to take over the world, so you need to know how to attract the brightest and best of them to your campus.

Get the tech to impress on campus tours

Because Generation Z values in-person experiences and expects technology, you need to figure out how to integrate impressive tech into your tours. ListenTALK can help you give guests a high-tech, personalized campus tour experience. This portable system allows the tour guide to communicate your message, no matter the background noise.  It makes guests happy, too. That’s because they’ll be able to hear the guide’s every word and engage with the tour. When you provide a ListenTALK tour experience, no one misses out on a great campus tour experience.

Here are some other benefits:

  • It’s easy to use. Setting up ListenTALK is simple, and it’s easy for your guests and tour guides to use.
  • It increases tour safety. Because tour guides easily can communicate hazards, all visitors will be safer.
  • It’s impressive and fun to use. When people are engaged in your tour and love your system, they’re more likely to want to join your campus community. That means paying tuition and donating to your campus causes.

If you want your campus tours to attract future students and their parents, you need to know your audience and what they want. We’ve been solving communication challenges for more than 20 years. So, tell us about your campus environment, and we’ll recommend an affordable solution that will engage your guests—because everyone deserves to hear the same great experience. Check out ListenTALK.com or call us at (866) 490-8857.

InfoComm 2019: What to Expect from Listen Technologies

/0 Comments/in /by

We’re counting down the days to InfoComm! We’ll be showcasing our award-winning products in Booth 6153. There, we’ll have our experts ready to hear about your business needs. So whether you’re looking for an assistive listening system or tech to create superior listening experiences, come see how we can help you.

Here’s what you can expect from Listen Technologies at InfoComm 2019:

ListenTALK
Our award-winning ListenTALK system is the simplest, most reliable and flexible two-way wireless communication tool available. It ensures all guests can hear and engage, with hands-free functionality. It’s also wireless and completely portable, and your users can choose a headset or personal smartphone earbuds. In addition, it features simple push-to-talk communication, between the tour leader and guests, and guests and the tour leader.

Listen EVERYWHERE
Listen EVERYWHERE ensures none of your guests miss out because everyone deserves to hear the same great experience. It gives users high-quality audio delivered via free apps on iOS and Android devices. Listen EVERYWHERE features simple plug-and-play installation with no lip sync issues. It uses an existing Wi-Fi network and includes a customizable app experience, with custom channel labels, and links to events, the weekly program, hymnal, and more.

ListenLOOP
Using an electromagnetic field, ListenLOOP delivers clear sound to people with hearing loss, all without distracting background noise, distortions or vibrations. Because we’re the leader in hearing loop technology, our customers include CapitalOne to Bank of America, the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders to All Saints Church.

ListenIR
ListenIR delivers high-quality audio, with twice the power and coverage of other receivers. In this system, infrared light waves—like in TV remotes—transmit sound. This signal can’t pass through walls or be received outside of a specific area, so it’s ideal in spaces where a secure audio signal is necessary.

ListenRF
We offer two options for radio-frequency-based systems. With our 72 MHz system, you’ll get a range of up to 1,000 feet, so it’s ideal for churches, performing arts centers, theaters, and more. We also have a 216 MHz system, with high-quality transmitters and receivers. The 216 MHz system is ideal for places where a larger RF signal is necessary, like at convention centers and stadiums.

Our Marketing Director and Director of Global Sales sat down with Katye Bennett to talk about what to expect at InfoComm this year as well, so click here to hear the podcast!

So stop by Booth 6153 at InfoComm to see everything Listen Technologies has to offer your guests. We’d love to help you become a sought-after venue in your industry. In the meantime, if you have any questions, check out our website and contact us if you have any questions.

ListenTALK Abroad: A Trip Through London and Rome

/0 Comments/in , /by

On a recent trip to London and Rome, I decided to take along Listen Technologies’ tour-guide product, ListenTALK (Full disclosure – I work at Listen Technologies). Although there would only be four of us in the group, it presented a great opportunity to use the product for long periods of time in outdoor and in crowded environments.

Our first adventure using ListenTALK was a boat cruise on River Medway in Maidstone, UK. The information, stories, and instructions given by our guide as he piloted the boat made the tour very enjoyable. We could hear clearly over the noise of the outboard motor and the occasional passing boats. Asking questions and having conversations with each other added fun to the cruise.

 

At one point we came to manual, do-it-yourself locks on the river. Since we had never operated locks, we thought it would be fun to try them out. At a landing before the locks, we jumped out of the boat and walked to the locks which were about 50 yards away. Our guide (still on the boat) gave instructions on what to do to operate the locks. The audio was clear, and we were able to hear and understand the instructions to operate the locks successfully. I was pleasantly surprised by how well we could hear each other at that distance.

In Rome, being able to communicate in crowded outdoor areas was enjoyable as we could wander off to see something of interest or be separated by crowds and still be able to talk to each other. The many other tour groups with their tour guide equipment did not interfere with static or talk-over on our equipment. We used ListenTALK the whole day and had plenty of battery life. I would recommend using a windscreen on the tour guides headset as occasional wind noise could be heard.

London and Rome are beautiful and there are so many things to see and experience. Make your experience even better by using ListenTALK, as our guides said, “We’re using Steve’s tour guide gear! It’s good fun!”

 

By Steve Olsen, Marketing Services Manager

Assistive Listening: What You Need to Know

/0 Comments/in , /by

What do you know about assistive listening and hearing loss? Did you know that about 48 million people in the U.S. have some degree of hearing loss? Or that hearing loss is the third most common health problem in older Americans, with approximately 29 million people in the U.S. needing hearing aids?

So for those reasons and more, it’s critical that business owners, government officials, and others understand the Americans with Disabilities Act. Since 1990, the act has required accessibility accommodations for people with disabilities, including those with hearing loss.

Here’s what you need to know:

What’s an Assistive Listening System?

An assistive listening system isn’t a hearing aid. However, it’s not just an amplifier. It’s also not only for people who use hearing aids. An assistive listening system uses technology to deliver audio from the source to a provided assistive listening device, hearing aid or cochlear implant. It does amplify sound but also filters out ambient noise, so that anyone using the system can hear clearly.

Types of assistive listening systems include

  • Infrared, which uses infrared light to transmit sound
  • Radio Frequency, which delivers sound via radio frequency
  • Hearing loop, which uses an electromagnetic field to send audio. This system requires a flat copper tape loop or wire installed in the floor.

Who Must Comply?

Essentially, the ADA requires compliance in public facilities. These places include:

  • performing arts centers
  • courtrooms
  • movie theaters
  • auditoriums
  • classrooms
  • amphitheaters
  • stadiums
  • legislative chambers
  • convention centers.

These venues and facilities also must post signs advertising the assistive listening system.

Why Comply?

Millions of Americans experience hearing loss. So providing accommodations keeps these people—and their spending power—coming to your business or venue. Plus, the government offers tax benefits for compliance as well as penalties for violating the law.

Tax benefits: Small businesses may receive up to $5,000 in tax credits for an assistive listening system. Companies might also qualify for a tax deduction of up to $15,000. These tax benefits could cover most of the purchase of an assistive listening system, so the government makes compliance worth the cost.

Penalties: The ADA also makes non-compliance an expensive matter. A business that violates the law may be liable for a civil fine between $55,000 to $150,000.

What Do You Need?

The ADA doesn’t dictate what kind of assistive listening system a busAssistiev Listening: What You need to Knowiness or venue must provide. However, based on the capacity of the building or venue, it prescribes the number of receivers and hearing-aid compatible receivers. A hearing-aid compatible receiver works with t-coil hearing aids and cochlear implants. For example, in a venue with a seating capacity of 50 or less, it must provide two receivers plus one per 25 seats over 50 seats. It also must provide one hearing-aid compatible per four receivers. If you know you need to comply but don’t know what you need, we’d be happy to help. Go to our ADA calculator at https://www.listentech.com/support/ada-info/ada-tools-kits.

 

For nearly 30 years, the Americans With Disabilities Act has mandated necessary accessibility accommodations for people with all types of disabilities, including hearing loss. So it’s critical that business owners and government officials understand assistive listening systems, who must comply and why, and what equipment they must provide. If you’re interested in learning more about how Listen Technologies assists businesses in providing necessary accommodations, check out our website or call us at (800) 330-0891.

ListenTIPS: 7 Tips for Superior Wi-Fi Streaming

/0 Comments/in /by

Listen EVERYWHERE is the best-in-class, award-winning Wi-Fi streaming solution, allowing users to stream audio straight to their iOS or Android device. It’s also easy to set up—as simple as plug and play.

Here are seven tips to get the most from the Listen EVERYWHERE system.

1.    For cleaner sound, use 5 GHz with a 20 MHz wide channel.

The 5 GHz band is superior because it has more non-overlapping bands. It also doesn’t have as many devices using it as the 2.4 GHz band. The 2.4 GHz band is used by

  • wireless phones
  • microwaves
  • garage door openers

Setting the 5GHz band to 20 MHz means less interference.

2.    Consider dual-band access points.

Though 5 GHz is superior, older phones can only handle 2.4 GHz. Having dual access points allows people with those older devices to use the system.

3.    Set an access point.

Advanced Wi-Fi access points will jump from frequency to frequency to find the clearest channel. That’s fine for an hour or so, but after that, it can be a problem with Wi-Fi streaming. You can remedy that by using a Wi-Fi scanner for a manual scan to find the clearest band. Then set the access point to that channel.

4.    Use a Wi-Fi scanner.

A Wi-Fi scanner also will help increase performance by finding a signal at least 20 dB higher than any interferer.

5.    Watch data limiting.

Most public Wi-Fi systems limit data per phone. However, this can be a problem for Wi-Fi streaming. We can help in these situations by customizing the compression for clearer audio.

6.    Don’t use Wi-Fi accessories.

Range extenders, multi-hop Wi-Fi systems and mesh networks increase lip-sync issues, variance and cause audio hiccups with Listen EVERYWHERE.

7.    Let Listen EVERYWHERE do its job.

In most cases, it’s best to let Listen EVERYWHERE run. It adapts to the network traffic characteristics and learns from it—minimizing the clicks and pops in the Wi-Fi streaming.

It’s easy to get the best performance from Listen EVERYWHERE. To get started with this unparalleled Wi-Fi streaming system, go to listeneverywhere.com or call (877) 760-9270 now!

 

 

 

 

Factory Tour Success with ListenTALK

/0 Comments/in /by

When you’re leading executives on a factory tour of a Blue Buffalo manufacturing facility, you need to leave a great impression by providing a VIP experience. The best way to do that is with a superior group communication system, and ListenTALK can help.

“With ListenTALK, visitors are able to fully immerse themselves in plant tours and hear speakers clearly. The wrap-around headset with boom mic helps block out peripheral visual and audio distractions, so listeners remain in the moment and focused on the speaker,” said Adam Wilson, IT infrastructure engineer at Heartland Pet Food Manufacturing—The Blue Buffalo Company.

ListenTALK is the group communication system that overcomes background noise so you can put your best foot forward and show your guests that you’re a cutting-edge manufacturer. Let us lead you through the how, where, and why of ListenTALK:

How it works

ListenTALK is easy to set up and use, making it ideal for any factory tour. Before the tour starts, tour leaders can pair transceivers into a group by using the docking station. Or they can do it on the go with a gentle tap. There’s no limit to group size, and up to 10 groups can operate in the same area.

Once you’re ready to go, you and your guests can choose how to hear. There are the wrap-around headsets with boom mics like the ones Blue Buffalo uses. Or guests can choose to use their iOS or Android earbuds or some other kind of headset.

Then during the tour, the group leader only needs to speak normally, no matter how loud the environment is. That’s because ListenTALK has a sensitive internal mic. Your tour leaders won’t even have to hold it up to their mouths. The same is true for people in the group.

When they have something to say, all they need to do is push a single button. Then the whole group will hear their comment or question.

Once the tour is over, place the transceivers back in the docking station. They’ll be charged and ready to go for the next tour.

Where it works

We know background noise can make it challenging to communicate. That’s where ListenTALK can help. It’s perfect for factory tours, warehouses, and other facilities where the loud hum of ventilation systems and machinery makes it hard to hear—even if the speaker is standing next to you. It uses a 1.9 GHz frequency to reduce interference, so you won’t need to rely on fickle cell signals, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth connections.

ListenTALK delivers crystal-clear audio while shutting out loud machinery and other background noise. That means you can quickly identify dangers to people in the group and know that they’ll hear you.

In addition, ListenTALK has excellent range. So group members can wander around corners or linger behind the group and keep their connection. This system also is encrypted for privacy and security. It will keep sensitive or confidential information in the room.

Why it impresses on a factory tour

ListenTALK helps businesses provide an enhanced factory tour experience that’s positive and personal. Because it shuts out background noise, factory tour participants become part of an immersive adventure. They hear every word clearly and can talk to the tour leader and each other.

Blue Buffalo started using ListenTALK at its Heartland Pet Food Manufacturing complex because officials there wanted to capture and hold the attention of company executives during their monthly visits.

“We also wanted to provide an immersive experience,” Wilson said. “To help executives understand what the manufacturing process is really like, we invited them to don hard hats and steel-toed boots and needed a communication system that would complement this approach and help keep them in the moment.

“The ListenTALK system really let us create a point of focus and capture executives’ attention during tours,” Wilson said. “The headphones helped block out distractions and enabled tour participants to hear speakers clearly.”

If you’re looking for a group communication system that will help you put your best foot forward and show VIPs that you’re a cutting-edge manufacturer, ListenTALK can help. It’s easy to use, works in challenging environments and impresses guests. If you’re ready to stop losing out on opportunities, tell us about your environment so we can recommend a solution and you can start impressing your VIP guests. We’ve been solving communication challenges for more than 20 years, and we’d love to help you. Call us today at (888) 296-1623, or check us out at ListenTALK.com.

 

 

How to Make Great Artwork for Listen EVERYWHERE’s App

/0 Comments/in /by

Best in streaming audio? Check. Best personal listening experience? Check. Customizable app? Check. Now, what about the artwork?

One of the best features of Listen EVERYWHERE is the customizable app. Venues can use their own artwork and brand to add a welcome ad or video as well as sliding promotional banners. So where do you start?

Begin with the theme artwork

The theme is what customers see first when opening the app. You’ll need a 640×280-pixel image to represent the business. A 640×500-pixel image can be used for tablets, but the app can generate this size from the 640×280-pixel image.

The business website may have the right photo, but it’s not always the right size. If you’re a reseller and don’t have access to the graphic artist who made the image, try the business’s Facebook page. The social networking site has made uploading images so easy that there’s always a variety from which to choose.

Determine the right aspect ratio for the theme

The aspect ratio for artwork sounds like a complicated term, but computer programs make it easy. The aspect ratio is the ratio of the width to the height of the screen or image. Try Photoshop, Canva or another photo-editing program to set the aspect ratio. What you should never do, though, is stretch the artwork to fit the box. If it’s too small, consider instead adding a color frame around it to fill the whitespace. If you need some theme art examples, check out our customer testimonial page.

Listen EVERYWHERE gives patrons the best personal listening experience, and the app is an essential part of that. Set the right artwork for the theme, get the proper aspect ratio and focus on signs inside the business to maximize the benefits of Listen EVERYWHERE.

Listen Technologies
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...