Adrian Watkins

It can mean lost time, money, and angry customers-which no business can afford.

“Can you hear me?”
“Sorry, can you say that again?”

Chances are high that you’ve said or heard one or both of these statements during a phone call or video conference. Odds are you’ve also had to repeat yourself, try dialing in again, or change devices altogether to get better audio.

And that’s a shame, because when important discussions with colleagues, partners, or customers are plagued by things like poor equipment, background noise, or a bad connection, it can mean lost time and money – which businesses can’t afford. It’s even more critical now when so many employees are working from home without in-person communication.

One company that knows about the importance of clear audio is EPOS, a Danish-founded business that delivers high-end audio experiences so individuals and teams can enhance performance, take their work wherever they are, and achieve their goals. In a new report called “Understanding Sound Experiences,” created by EPOS and global market research firm IPSOS, EPOS examines the state of audio in modern working environments.

The research surveyed businesses earlier this year with 10 or more employees in countries including the U.S., UK, France, Germany Hong Kong, and Singapore. What the report uncovered is stark:

• Employees spend an average of five hours and 18 minutes each week on activities related to sound and meetings, whether virtual or face-to-face
• 87 percent have experienced poor sound quality
• 69 percent spend extra time on their work tasks due to poor sound quality
• 29 minutes are lost every week, per employee, due to poor sound quality on voice calls

This is bad news for ambitious entrepreneurs trying to grow their businesses or those who are simply trying to survive the economic slowdown. The report says that any company that relies on equipment and services that deliver poor audio experiences are bound to be afflicted by one or all of the following problems.

Miscommunication that leads to lost time and money
Imagine if you’re on a call with your team and everyone is working from home. You’re attempting to deliver critical instructions for a major project but people on the call mishear you because of glitchy audio.

When employees aren’t clear on direction, they either make mistakes or spend extra time trying to clarify what was miscommunicated. As the saying goes, time is money. That means flawless, intuitive communication and effortless collaboration is essential for success.

Employees become frustrated
The report found that 15 minutes is wasted, on average, for each call made—either when getting started or when employees become distracted. While on the call, the impact of bad audio causes brain fatigue and impairs cognitive functions, the report says.

Moreover, there is an emotional stress that poor audio quality causes for individuals. Over a third of employees (35 percent) indicated that they feel frustration, irritation, or annoyance due to bad audio, the report says.

A quarter indicated they experience stress and 15 percent feel embarrassment or lack of confidence. Not only do frustrated employees tend to work inefficiently, they can spread their negativity to others.

Unhappy customers
Perhaps even worse is when these poor audio issues occur when employees are on the phone with customers. When what should be a quick call with a simple solution turns into a conversation sidelined by broken sentences and background noise, your customers won’t be thrilled.

If your call center or customer service team isn’t equipped with modern audio equipment and can’t effectively communicate, that can quickly result in negative customer experiences and sentiment, the report says. That’s the last thing a growing business needs.

IT managers and HR leads require the right tools to set their in- or out-of-office staff up for success. That means providing superior call quality and call handling for professionals spending many hours a day talking on the phone, audio tools with on-demand for remote workers, and easy virtual collaboration for professionals and organizations working together across locations.

This article first appeared here.