Canopy Tools and Jabra Launches Advanced Headset Management For Remote Workspaces

19 SEPTEMBER, 2020 – BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA. Canopy Tools and Jabra have partnered to address a growing global challenge to track, manage, maintain and service multiple audio-visual devices, deployed into people’s homes or workspaces. The demand for management of these devices has soared due to a large percentage of the global workforce being plunged into remote working arrangements since the Covid-19 Pandemic began in early 2020. The large volume of deployed devices means that manual management of the headsets are no longer reasonable or viable. 

According to a recent report by the International Data Corporation (IDC) in their Worldwide Wearable Study the market for wearable devices grew by 14.1% in the second quarter of 2020. The total market ballooned to 86.2 million units during the quarter with headphones and earbuds grown to 32.6%, accounting for 60% of all wearables. 

There is a significant cost to supply employees with quality audio-visual equipment and it’s challenging to manage the assignment, location and condition of these assets, especially for the remote workforce. Additionally, a lack of visibility and control over the end-point security, firmware and configuration changes can put organisations at risk of being compromised. 

Canopy Tools worked with Jabra to identify consumer needs and technology gaps to provide an integration which can utilise the existing data being produced from those devices then use Canopy Manage to analyse and display the data to make it more useful, relevant and actionable. 

Jon Singleton, Strategic Business Development, Canopy Toolssaid that Jabra customers have been asking for the capability to track the location, status of headsets and other devices deployed to contact centre agents and remote workforce for some time now. 

Singleton said, “The risk of not properly managing the lifecycle and health of these assets puts organisations in a position where they may need to outlay unnecessary capital expenditure for replacement and repair. Canopy Manage can keep information about this asset including current condition, firmware, configuration and warranty status for ease of management.” 

Additional product features provide for the visibility of other useful data produced by the devices such as call quality, device status and device errors. A deeper understanding of the quality of call allows organisations more control over the end-user experience. 

Canopy Tools Customer Success Manager, Tegan DeClark says that companies which lean on fragmented or incomplete asset management strategies risk the employee's ability to perform their duty and unreasonably require them to work with devices which might not be in 100% working condition. “This weak link in the chain allows for a slip in customer experience, employee welfare and a financial impact on the company. Canopy Manage gives companies a new level of control over the data which is being produced by their assets and devices in order to ensure a better experience by all.” 

David Piggott, Managing Director, Jabra ANZ said the partnership will deliver greater value to companies. 

Piggott said, “Advancements are being made across all sectors, but productivity isn’t improving at the necessary pace. Instead, distractions are growing in the workplace. Collaboration is on the up, but so is remote working.”

“People need flexibility to work from anywhere in today’s environment. The question becomes how to enable a team’s productively in the virtual setting? This means, as an organisation, how do we help them concentrate better with the noise they are exposed to, for example, kids around the house, neighbours, pets and so on, and how to support them in collaborating more effectively with their colleagues in conversation.” 

“For remote working to be successful, employees need access to the latest and highest quality technology, and employers need peace of mind that these assets can be managed securely and maintained seamlessly. Our partnership achieves exactly that combining the flexibility to work from anywhere with the highest quality audio-visual equipment and the latest in asset management,” he added. 

More information about Canopy Manage and the Jabra integration can be found at https://www.canopytools.com/Jabra