Polaris Communications is excited to announce that it is now partnering with global IT company Logitech, and has added the Logitech business products to its portfolio. This includes Logitech’s Video Conferencing units, Webcams and USB Headsets.

Logitech is known for its high quality peripherals such as mice, keyboards, PC speakers, remote controls and headphones. Its devices are distributed in more than 100 countries worldwide through retail channels or via strategic partnerships with top-tier PC manufacturers.

More recently, Logitech has expanded into the Unified Communications (UC) space with its new range of business products which includes Video Conferencing solutions, as well as UC ready Headsets; all aimed at helping meet the demands of businesses.

While Polaris, Australia’s leading headset manufacturer for over 34 years, still offers traditional headset solutions to businesses and contact centres, the company has gradually been shifting its focus to UC peripherals suitable for organisations using UC applications such as Skype™ for Business / Lync®, Cisco®, Avaya, ShoreTel®, Mitel® and other VoIP / Softphone applications.

Polaris’ latest range of headsets is UC compatible and enables HD quality softphone communication. The Logitech business products complement Polaris’ latest headsets perfectly, and take the company from the audio communication space into the world of video collaboration.

For a long time there has been a gap in the video conferencing market which the Logitech business products fill beautifully. Video conferencing solutions for businesses have traditionally been incredibly expensive and therefore unattainable for the smaller to medium-sized companies. The Logitech products are portable, versatile and very affordable, while providing a communication experience equal to that of its more expensive counterparts.

They combine enterprise-quality audio and HD 1080p video with breakthrough affordability to bring video conferencing to the masses. From open workspaces to private offices to conference rooms – now any space can be a video-enabled collaboration space.

Partnering with Logitech means that Polaris now has more flexibility in the type of communication solutions it offers its customers, and definitely positions the company as one of the major players in the UC peripherals space.

For more information on the Logitech products, please click here or contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505 | sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download PDF.

Continuing on with its development of high quality headsets for businesses and contact centres, Polaris Communications has just released its Unified Communications (UC) range of headsets suitable for the office or contact centres.

The new UC headset range consists of the Soundpro Touch Wireless Headset, Soundpro USB Headsets and Soundpro Bluetooth; all compatible with applications such as Microsoft^® Lync^®, Skype™, Cisco^® WebEx^®, Cisco^® Jabber^®, Avaya, ShoreTel^®, Mitel^® and other VoIP / Softphone applications.

Polaris has long been Australia’s leading headset supplier; especially in the contact centre space where it is renowned as being at the forefront of acoustic safety for headset users; a very important factor for call centres when choosing headsets for their staff.

Up until now, the company’s products have mostly been used alongside traditional desk-phones, and while its wireless headsets have been compatible with softphone applications, the new Soundpro range of UC optimised products positions Polaris as a major player in this space.

“The UC market is still in its infancy in Australia but growing at an incredible rate”, comments Polaris’ Product Manager, Simon Shanks. “More and more companies are moving over to softphone because it is a far more cost effective and portable communication solution.

Applications such as Microsoft’s Skype for Business, or Cisco’s Jabber are wonderful in enabling people to communicate cheaply in a variety of ways, from a variety of devices from wherever in the world. That’s the beauty of Unified Communications. However, when it comes to softphone calls or video conferencing, your UC application is only as good as the headset you use. If you use an inferior headset then you will have an inferior communication experience.”

Polaris’ new Soundpro range of headsets is UC optimised and designed to provide the user with the best UC experience possible.

The new headsets cater for office workers, contact centre workers and those workers that are constantly on the go, such as sales executives. They are all high quality, robust headsets with excellent voice enhanced sound quality. Most importantly, they are comprehensively supported by Polaris’ in-house customer service team that is a free of charge service extended to all Polaris customers that they can utilise at any time for the life of their headset.

This push into the UC space is just the beginning. Going forward, Polaris will continue its product development based on customer feedback; always striving to enhance the user experience and achieve a level of excellence that its products deserve.

For more information, please click here or contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505 | sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download PDF.

ShoreTel, a worldwide leader in the IP-based business communication solutions field, has included Polaris Communications in its list of Innovation Network partners.

The ShoreTel Innovation Network is a growing community of technology companies that leverage ShoreTel's open architecture to develop hardware, software, or services that extend the capabilities of ShoreTel's unified communications (UC) and enterprise contact centre solutions.

Polaris’ world-leading headsets complement ShoreTel’s telephony products perfectly and provide users with the best possible end solution to the company’s telephony offerings. The two companies have been collaborating closely to deliver a high-end communication experience to all headset users.

“To have great IP communication you need a simple and robust telephony platform, combined with a high-quality headset,” explains Wayne Guest, Polaris’ Managing Director. “If you use an inferior quality headset or one that is not compatible, you will have an overall negative experience. That’s why using the right headset it so important”.

Polaris’ Soundshield Wireless Headset (for Contact Centres) and HD Wireless Headset (for the Office) integrate with the ShoreTel UC platform to provide effective, efficient and reliable communication. They also add to the overall user experience in a number of other ways:

• Crystal-clear audio thanks to HD wideband sound
• Easy call controls via large, intuitive touchscreen
• The best acoustic protection of any headsets
• Lightweight and very comfortable
• Side-by-side or remote supervisor coaching and training (perfect for contact centres)
• Easiest multi-unit conferencing of all headsets
• Remote answering

Polaris’ Soundpro USB Headsets and Soundpro Bluetooth Headset also integrate with ShoreTel’s UC platform thus enabling ShoreTel customers to choose from a variety of headset models to suit their communication preferences.

Forming part of ShoreTel’s Innovation Network is a perfect fit for Polaris, a company that prides itself on innovation and high quality. Its world-class headset products have won numerous design and innovation awards and are continuously evolving in-line with the latest UC platforms.

Visit the ShoreTel Innovation Network site for more information on its international partner program.

For more information on Polaris headset products, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505 | sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download PDF.

Now in their ninth year, the Australian Business (ABA100) Awards recognise Australia’s business, innovation and technology leaders.

We are proud to announce that Polaris Communications is amongst the 2014 winners of the ABA100 Product Innovation category for the development of its Soundshield Wireless Headset and Soundshield 4G Acoustic Protection device.

When Polaris decided to develop its Soundshield products, it strived to develop products that are world-class and market leading in their category; products that not only deliver the best acoustic protection possible, but that also provide headset users with a user interface which enables them to work more effectively.

Developed specifically for Contact Centres, hundreds of call centre agents were surveyed and their needs were documented. The resulting Soundshield Wireless Headset and Soundshield 4G are now widespread around Australian contact centres and are also used by some large European organisations. As well as providing the best acoustic protection of any headset in the world, the Soundshield products also offer superior functionality through their intuitive touchscreen.

“We have developed high tech headset products right here in Melbourne using home-grown talent; and we have done it better than our big international competitors!”, commented Polaris’ Managing Director and Founder, Wayne Guest.   “We are incredibly pleased and grateful that the Australian Business Awards judges have recognised the effort and commitment that has been put into the development of the Soundshield products.”

All entries into the Australian Business Awards for product innovation are assessed using the World Business Awards Framework (WBA Framework) which enables the participating organisations to be benchmarked against world class performance standards. All award recipients are acknowledged for their achievements and recognised as the elite of their industry earning a place amongst a distinguished group by having their products, projects, initiatives and achievements recognised on a prominent and far-reaching scale.

Being recognised for its innovation is extremely important to Polaris; a company that prides itself on being at the forefront of headset technology.

Polaris’ ABA100 Product Innovation win is a real testament to the company’s passion and dedication to high quality and excellence in every facet of its products and business.

For more information on Polaris headset products, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505 | sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download the PDF.

Polaris’ HD Wireless Headset was only released 3 months ago and already, this great wireless headset is receiving international accolades.

Polaris is immensely proud to announce that the HD Wireless Headset is one of an exclusive group of nominees accepted to participate in the German Design Awards for 2014. Whether a winner or not, nomination for the German Design Awards in itself represents a special recognition of design quality and excellence.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, the German Design Council determines which products are worthy of nomination into the German Design Awards (GDA). It is one of the world’s leading centres of expertise on design and supports organisations in their brand and development efforts both in Germany and beyond. Learn more at www.german-design-council.de/en/home.html.

The HD Wireless Headset will be featured in the GDA Online Exhibition of Nominees which will be released in November 2013. It will be amongst other world leading products.

At Polaris we recognise the importance of this acceptance into an exhibition which only showcases the best of the best. It is a testament to the hard work and commitment put into the development of the HD Wireless Headset as the world’s best wireless headset for the office,

For more information on the HD Wireless Headset, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505 | sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download the PDF.

Polaris proudly launches its new HD Wireless™ Headset – the world’s best wireless headset for the Office.

The HD Wireless is modelled on Polaris’ award winning Soundshield Wireless Headset which was uniquely designed for contact centres. The company strongly felt that something similar was needed for office headset users; a headset product which enhanced the user’s communication experience.

Touchscreen

Offering a large colour touchscreen that gives the user visual feedback, the HD Wireless headset is in a league of its own. The touchscreen provides unprecedented call controls right at the user’s fingertips which are intuitive and easy to use.

HD Wideband Sound Quality

Producing a headset which was visually appealing and easy to use was very important, but just as important was developing a headset which provided the very best in sound quality. The HD Wireless headset does just that, whilst still having the unsurpassed level of acoustic protection that Polaris is renowned for.

Desk-phone and PC Connectivity

The communications experience via the HD Wireless extends beyond the desk-phone and into the rapidly growing world of Unified Communications. With desk-phone / PC connectivity, the HD Wireless gives headset users access to UC applications such as Microsoft^® Lync™ and Cisco^® WebEx^® as well as VoIP and other soft-phone applications.

Polaris was very much focussed on providing the headset user with the best overall headset experience. The company has put a lot of effort into the design of the HD Wireless headset; making it slimline and stylish to reflect the modern desktop, and taking up a minimal amount of desktop space.

“This is a desktop device that is not only functional but that will take pride of place on anyone’s desk!” comments Wayne Guest, Polaris’ Managing Director.

Going forward, Polaris will continue its product development based on customer feedback; always striving to enhance the user experience and achieve a level of excellence that its products deserve.

For more information on the HD Wireless Headset, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505 | sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download the PDF.

At the Melbourne Business 3000+ Awards Ceremony held on Wednesday, 20 November 2013 at the Docklands, Polaris Communications was announced as the winner of the Business 3000+ ‘Innovation’ award, as well as being bestowed the ‘2013 Business of the Year’ award.

Proudly sponsored by Enterprise Melbourne, the Business 3000+ Awards is the City of Melbourne’s premium awards program. Now in its 10^th year, it recognises and celebrates the endeavours and achievements of small and medium sized businesses within the City of Melbourne.

Being recognised for its innovation is extremely important to Polaris; a company that prides itself on being at the forefront of headset technology.

“What we are most proud of is that we are developing high tech headset products right here in Melbourne using home-grown talent; and we are doing it better than our big international competitors!   We are incredibly pleased to have been granted these awards as they are both a testament to the commitment and passion that Polaris has for technology and constant innovation.  We are reaching for the stars and we encourage all Melbourne businesses to do the same!”, exclaims Polaris’ Managing Director and Founder, Wayne Guest.

Polaris developed the innovative Soundshield Acoustic Safety Device and Soundshield Wireless Headset. The first Soundshield was released back in 2002 to address the issue of acoustic safety in contact centres. At that time, there was an ever-growing number of acoustic shock injury reports caused by headsets and Polaris invested heavily in research so as to fully understand the problem and develop a solution. The Soundshield emerged as the only product worldwide that was able to completely eliminate the sudden and unexpected shrieks that cause acoustic shock.

Since then Polaris has re-designed the Soundshield from the ground up and in 2012 released the Soundshield 4G Acoustic Safety device which maintains the same level of acoustic protection and incorporates other unique features such as wideband sound and an intuitive touchscreen.

Shortly after, Polaris also released the Soundshield Wireless Headset which incorporates all of the features of the Soundshield 4G but in a wireless headset. The Soundshield Wireless Headset is the most acoustically safe and intuitive wireless headset in the world. Both these products are niche products aimed at the contact centre industry and have won product awards both nationally and internationally.

Polaris used the advanced technology in the Soundshield products to develop the recently released HD Wireless Headset which is allowing the company to move successfully beyond the contact centre space and into the general office market.

The ‘2013 Business of the Year’ award acknowledges not just Polaris’ innovativeness but the company as a whole. Polaris not only provides its customers with the very best in headset technology, but also delivers the best customer service in the industry, and that’s what sets it apart from the rest. It has always been committed to achieving excellence in all areas of the business.  

Congratulations to all of the other category winners, as well as the finalists – all proud Melbourne businesses!

Click here to download the PDF.

Following hot on the heels of its international iF Award, Polaris Communications is delighted to announce that its Soundshield Wireless Headset and the Soundshield 4G Acoustic Safety device were awarded an Australian International Design Award (AIDA) at the AIDA Ceremony in Sydney on 30^th May 2013 (www.gooddesignaustralia.com/awards).

Run by Good Design Australia, the Australian International Design Awards is one of the oldest and most prestigious design awards in the world and recognises the best Australian design and innovation. At the AIDA ceremony in Sydney, the Soundshield products were awarded ‘Best in Category’, beating 19 other finalists. This is a testament to the level of excellence that they have achieved.

Developed uniquely for contact centres, the Soundshield products are world-class and market leading and not only deliver the best acoustic protection possible, but also provide headset users with a user-friendly interface which enables them to work more effectively.

Their development was based on the feedback obtained from hundreds of contact centre agents that were surveyed. Polaris wanted to create products that were state-of-the art, with a level of usability never before seen in a headset product. Every facet of the Soundshield Wireless and Soundshield 4G is considered and purposeful, from its intuitive touchscreen to its unique software.

Polaris Communications is very proud of the awards won by the Soundshield products as they are recognition of the effort and commitment that the company has put into their development. This same level of commitment and striving for excellence is carried across all areas of the business, and is clearly demonstrated in Polaris’ newly released HD Wireless Headset, which is by far the best wireless headset ever developed for the office environment.

The HD Wireless Headset provides office workers with unprecedented control and freedom over their telephone calls as well as giving headset users access to applications such as Microsoft^® Lync™, Cisco^® WebEx^®, VoIP and other soft-phone applications.

For more information on the Soundshield products or HD Wireless Headset, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505 | sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download the PDF.

Polaris is delighted to announce that two of its products, the Soundshield 4G Acoustic Safety device and the newly released Soundshield Wireless Headset, have been honoured with individual iF product design awards for 2013.

For 60 years, the iF design awards have been an internationally recognised label for award-winning design in the three disciplines of product, communication and packaging design. The iF brand is a seal of quality and has become a symbol for outstanding design achievement.

When Polaris decided to develop the new Soundshield, it strived to develop a product that was world-class and market leading in its category; a product that not only delivered the best acoustic protection possible, but that also provided headset users with a user interface which enabled them to work more effectively. Hundreds of contact centre agents were surveyed and their needs were documented. The result was the Soundshield 4G, a stylish plug and play acoustic safety device that features HD wideband sound and a large, intuitive touchscreen that provides users with all of the essential call controls at their fingertips.

The Soundshield Wireless Headset followed naturally and is the first wireless headset to be uniquely designed for contact centres. Modelled on the Soundshield 4G and including all of its features, Polaris turned its attention to user comfort. Keeping in mind that contact centre users wear a headset virtually all day long, it designed a headset piece which is the lightest of all headsets and that achieves maximum comfort. Polaris also added features such as a long talk time (the longest of any wireless headset), easy one touch pairing and side-by-side remote supervisor coaching and training, making the Soundshield Wireless the most comprehensive and acoustically safe headset in the world.

The iF awards is recognition of the effort and commitment Polaris has put into developing these world-leading products. Over the past three and a half years more than 50,000 man hours have been dedicated to achieving excellence in every facet of their design. Proudly developed and designed in Australia, the Soundshield 4G and Soundshield Wireless Headset stand beside other iF product design winners from companies such as Samsung, Sony and Apple.

All iF design award winning products will be included in the iF design exhibition, running from 5 to 9 March 2013, alongside the world-famous CeBIT show at the Hannover exhibition centre. From May 2013 they will also form part of an interactive exhibition at the new HarborCity in Hamburg, a design industry hotspot.

Award winners will receive their winner’s certificate at the prestigious iF design awards night which will take place in February 2013 in Munich.

For more information on the Soundshield products, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505 | sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download a PDF.

Polaris Communications, a local Australian company, is proud to announce that it is now the preferred supplier of contact centre headsets to the West Yorkshire Police in the United Kingdom.

When the West Yorkshire Police announced that it would be selecting a company to supply all of its regional contact centres with headsets and associated peripherals, a number of large international telecommunication companies responded to the tender request.

Polaris also responded to the tender request through its UK distributor, Communications Solutions; and recommended its Soundpro Wideband headset which is widely used in call centres throughout Australia.

The recommended Soundpro Wideband headsets, which were developed and launched by Polaris in August 2010, met the strict stipulations outlined by the West Yorkshire Police, and were chosen for their excellent value for money, quality and comfort, backed by an extended warranty.

Polaris Communications was successful despite being up against stiff competition and its attention to detail and focus on high quality products and services, which is widely recognised locally in Australia, is now gaining exposure in the UK.

In the future, Polaris will be developing more products using Australian design and engineering talent; products that it believes will offer substantially better value than its larger overseas competitors.

For more information on the Soundpro Wideband Corded Headsets, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505 | sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download the PDF.

Gloucestershire Constabulary is responsible for policing the non-metropolitan county of Gloucestershire, which is located in the south west of England.

With a police force of over 1,200 members, Gloucestershire Constabulary runs a number of programs directly involving the community in an effort to maintain law and order in the area. This includes a highly responsive Control Room which answers more than 378,500 calls per year.

To facilitate this number of incoming calls and to provide the highest level of service, operators use Soundpro Wideband headsets, developed by Australian-based company Polaris Communications, and distributed in the UK by Communications Solutions UK.                                                                                                            

While headsets are used in most contact centres around the world in order to provide an ergonomically safe environment for their contact centre agents, they also help to increase productivity by freeing up both hands so that agents have more flexibility and freedom of movement. This in turn increases their ability to multi-task and makes them more efficient.   For the staff operating out of the Gloucestershire Constabulary Control Room this is paramount because an increase in efficiency means that they are able to answer more calls and therefore help more people in the community.

The Constabulary specifically chose Soundpro Wideband headsets due to their sound quality and their ability to transmit crystal-clear conversations; something which is imperative when dealing with emergency calls. Also taken into consideration was their level of comfort and durability, which are considered to be of very high quality and important factors for the Control Room agents.

The main objective of the Gloucestershire Constabulary is to keep people safe from harm and to inspire confidence in the local community. Everything it does reflects this including choosing technology that will enable it to fulfil this purpose.

For more information on the Soundpro Wideband Corded Headsets, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505 | sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download the PDF.

A recent test carried out by an independent ITC vendor showed that Polaris’ Soundpro Wideband Headsets combined with its Soundshield 4G device produces a 99% accuracy rate with Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech recognition software.

People at home and in the workplace turn to speech recognition software for a myriad of reasons. Some have no choice but to use it as they are no longer able to operate a keyboard due to conditions such as RSI; while others are following a company initiative which implements speech recognition software in order to increase workflow efficiency and productivity.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking, developed by Nuance, is by far the most advanced and widely recognised speech recognition software available. It goes far beyond simply capturing what you say on a computer screen. Dragon NaturallySpeaking also recognises text format commands, surfs and searches the Web, sends emails and instant messages, and is even able to update Facebook or Twitter.

The level of accuracy depends on how the voice commands are captured. In a typical office environment, using a headset is the most common method of communicating with the Dragon software, but not all headsets are able to transmit voice with the clarity required for Dragon to discern words and grammatical nuances.

To demonstrate the difference in accuracy levels using Dragon NaturallySpeaking, testing was conducted in an open-plan office environment with typical levels of background noise present to give as realistic results as possible. Testing showed that the Soundshield 4G, combined with Polaris’ Soundpro Wideband headset, was up to 15% more accurate than any other major headset brand. Achieving a near-perfect accuracy rate, the Soundshield 4G proved it can capture and transmit voice to be translated into text with minimum error, allowing users to work quickly and efficiently without needing to backtrack.

For Polaris, the accuracy result is not surprising. While its Soundpro Wideband headsets have long been recognised for their crystal-clear voice transmission and noise-cancelling technology, the newly released Soundshield 4G, originally intended as an acoustic safety device, is also a desktop device which provides headset users with High Definition (HD) wideband sound quality as well as other key functionality. Its large touchscreen gives users easy access to all the necessary call controls, and the desk-phone / PC switcher allows them to easily switch between traditional desk phone telephony and softphone; giving them access to the world of VoIP and Unified Communications.

For users of Dragon NaturallySpeaking, the Soundshield 4G and Soundpro Wideband combination will ensure that they are able to carry out their work effortlessly and efficiently.

For more information on the Soundshield 4G or Soundpro Wideband Headsets, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505 | sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download the PDF.

 Following on from the recent release of the Soundshield 4G™ Acoustic Safety device, Polaris Communications is proud to announce the release of the Soundshield Wireless™ Headset – the world’s first wireless headset designed specifically for contact centres.

The name ‘Soundshield’ is synonymous with unsurpassed acoustic protection, so it’s no surprise that the Soundshield Wireless Headset provides a level of acoustic safety not available in any otherwireless

headset. Just like the Soundshield 4G, it uses a two-pronged approach, protectingheadset users from both long term hearing damage and acoustic shock which is caused by sudden and unexpected loud noises or acoustic shrieks.

In addition to providing the unique, reliable acoustic safety for headset users that Polaris is famous for, the Soundshield Wireless offers even more features to create a better overall communication experience.

Wayne Guest, Polaris’ Managing Director, explains: “We wanted to design a wireless headset that connectswith the contact centre agents. Our aim was to create a headset that enables them to control their calls quickly, easily and intuitively; as well as provide them with a safe and comfortable headset experience.

Our design also encompassed the needs of the contact centre managers and team leaders; providing them with quick and simple side-by-side or remote supervisor coaching or training.”

With a heavy focus on ‘the user experience’, Polaris surveyed hundreds of contact centre workers and analysed their work practices in order to get a better understanding of what is important to them. This extensive research provided them with the tools to develop the intuitive user interface which is

found in both the Soundshield Wireless Headset and Soundshield 4G Acoustic Protection device.

Polaris also recognised the importance of HD Wideband sound and ensuring that headset users experience a clearer, crisper and more intelligible sound through their headset. With telecommunications and PCs progressively switching over from narrowband to wideband sound, the Soundshield Wireless is designed with HD wideband sound quality up to 8kz, the widest wideband technology of any wireless headset. This allows for a much higher voice and audio quality.

While some contact centres use softphone telephony exclusively, others

still use traditional desk-phones with the use of softphone applications a distant concept. However, most contact centres require some form of PC audio access whether it be for E-learning or even Quality Assurance Training. With this in mind,the Soundshield Wireless includes dual connectivity that enables headset users to easily switch between PC and Desk-phone.“

We believe that when it comes to wireless headsets, the Soundshield Wireless is ina league of its own. It provides contact centres with the ‘total package’, for both its contact centre agents and managers,” comments Wayne Guest.

Going forward, Polaris will continue its development based on customer feedback; always striving to enhance the user experience and offera contact centre product that will increase productivity while providing the contact centre agent with the best acoustic protection possible.

For more information on the Soundshield Wireless Headset, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505 | sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download the PDF.

After three years of research and development, Polaris Communications is proud to announce the release of its new Soundshield 4G™ Acoustic Safety Device; a device that has been specifically designed for Contact Centre workers, providing them with unsurpassed acoustic protection, excellent HD wideband sound quality, as well as an intuitive and user friendly touchscreen.

Following on from the success of the Soundshield 3G, Polaris decided to redesign a new Soundshield from the ground up, and take the ‘Soundshield solution’ into the world of wideband, VoIP and the emerging UC applications.   With a heavy focus on ‘the user experience’, hundreds of contact centre workers were surveyed, and their work practices analysed. An all-Australian design and development team was then formed to create the new Soundshield 4G which runs Polaris’ patented Sonaron™ software.

“We wanted this product to provide more than just acoustic protection,” says Polaris’ Managing Director, Wayne Guest. “We wanted the Soundshield 4G to connect with the actual users; with the contact centre agents who are on the phones all day and who require a device that enables them to easily and effortlessly manage their calls, as well as switch between PC and desk-phone functionality.”

Most contact centres acknowledge the issue of acoustic shock, however the cause is not always understood. Headset wearers, especially those in contact centres, are at risk from hearing damage due to long term noise exposure. However, acoustic shock is specifically caused by sudden and unexpected noises, not constant loud sound.   It is this full understanding of the issue that put Polaris at the forefront of acoustic protection with its original Soundshield solution, and this knowledge and understanding has been carried through into the Soundshield 4G.

In addition to its advanced functionality, a lot of effort has been put into the design of the Soundshield 4G; making it slimline and stylish to reflect the modern desktop, and taking up a minimal amount of desktop space. “This is a desktop device that is not only functional but that will take pride of place on anyone’s desk!” comments Wayne Guest.

Going forward, Polaris will continue its development based on customer feedback; always striving to enhance the user experience and offer a contact centre product that will increase productivity while providing the contact centre agent with the best acoustic protection possible.

For more information on the Soundshield 4G, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505 | sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download the PDF.

Polycom is a well-known global brand. The company is a manufacturer and distributor of voice communication solutions. Originally known for its conference phones, Polycom is now one of the major suppliers of business telephones into the general office market as well video collaboration software and group video systems.

Polycom prides itself on providing its customers with ‘a solution’ rather than just ‘a product’, and as such recognises the essential role that headsets play in completing the ‘communication solution’.   It has therefore developed a Headset Compatibility list that includes all the headsets that are compatible with its phones, in particular, the Polycom SoundPoint IP and VVX phones.

Polaris is excited to announce that two of Polaris’ Soundpro branded headsets have been certified by Polycom and included in the Polycom Headset Compatibility list; being listed as the first two options under the Analogue Headsets section. This certification provides Polycom customers with peace of mind that these headsets are completely compatible with their Polycom system.

The Soundpro brand, and in particular the Soundpro Wideband Headsets, are renowned for their high quality and excellent sound. They are Australia’s leading headset brand and are also becoming well known in the UK, especially in the emergency services field. Being certified by Polycom and included in the Polycom Headset Compatibility list will add to this global recognition.

For more information on the Soundpro Wideband Headsets, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505 | sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download the PDF.

To whom it may concern,

My name is Wayne Guest, Managing Director, and joint founder with my father Trevor Guest, of Polaris Communications Pty Ltd. For those who do not know our company, we began business in 1981 as a vendor of telecommunications headsets and other products in Australia, and we soon became Australia's leading distributor of lightweight headsets.

Ten years ago we identified the emerging problem of Acoustic Shock injury in Australia's Contact Centres and subsequently developed the Soundshield Acoustic Shock protection device. At that time no manufacturers of telecommunications headset products recognised Acoustic Shock injury as a problem, let alone offered an Acoustic Shock protection device in their product ranges.

In the year 2000, Polaris invested heavily in research and development and created the Soundshield Acoustic Safety device utilising world best software and electronics developers here in Australia.

The Soundshield has been very successful and is now providing acoustic protection for well over 100,000 Contact Centre workers in Australia. Most notably, Telstra has been equipping its Contact Centres with the Soundshield for many years and has almost completely eliminated Acoustic Shock injury in its workplace.

Several years ago, and with the aid of its software developers Dynamic Hearing, Plantronics published and promoted what we believed to be a fundamentally inaccurate report that unfavourably compared Soundshield to a soon to be released competing Plantronics device. The report was highly critical of our Soundshield Acoustic Safety device. We were, and remain convinced that this was an unfair attack on the credibility of the Soundshield and Polaris. Despite massive legal costs, we undertook to defend our credibility and our product by way of the due legal process.

On the 30th September 2009, the Federal Court of Australia ruled that by publishing the report, Plantronics and Dynamic Hearing had engaged in conduct that was deceptive and misleading. The appeal last year was also unsuccessful and an order was entered by the Federal Court of Australia in September of 2010.

The following is an extract from the Federal court ruling No. (P)VID 676/2006.

1. The respondents have:

(a) engaged in conduct that is misleading or deceptive, or likely to mislead or deceive, in contravention of s 52 of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) and s 9 of the Fair Trading Act 1999(Vic); and

(b) in connection with the supply or possible supply of goods or in connection with the promotion of the supply of such goods, made false or misleading representations with respect to the standard, quality or grade of such goods, in contravention of s 53(a) of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) and s 11 of the Fair Trading Act 1999 (Vic)........

The complete court order may be viewed on the Federal Court website per http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/cth/FCA/2009/1111.html?stem=0&synonyms=0&query=title(Polaris%20)#disp4

We at Polaris are extremely proud of what we have achieved with our Soundshield product and are committed to continue to innovate and develop more products using Australian design and engineering talent. We will continue to conduct
business professionally and ethically and we think it is quite reasonable to expect the same from our competitors, including Plantronics.

In 2011 we will be launching more new and exciting home grown products. We believe that our products are better quality and offer substantially better value than our overseas competitors and we look forward to the continued support from our
customers.

Many thanks,

Wayne Guest

Click here to download the PDF.

On the 30th September 2009, the Federal Court of Australia ruled that by publishing a report that was inaccurate and which misrepresented Polaris' Soundshield Acoustic Safety device, Plantronics and Dynamic Hearing had engaged in conduct that was deceptive and misleading. The appeal last year was also unsuccessful and a court order was entered by the Federal Court of Australia in September 2010.

Polaris Communications is Australia's leading supplier of telecommunications products to the Contact Centre industry.  It specialises in supplying high-quality corded and wireless headsets, as well as a digital Acoustic Shock Protection device called the Soundshield that it created locally in Australia.

The Soundshield has been very successful and is now providing Acoustic Protection for well over 100,000 Contact Centre workers in Australia. Most notably, Telstra has been equipping its Contact Centres with the Soundshield for many years and has almost completely eliminated Acoustic Shock injury in its workplace.

Several years ago, and with the aid of its software developers Dynamic Hearing, Plantronics published and promoted what Polaris believed to be a fundamentally inaccurate report that unfavourably compared Soundshield to a soon to be released competing Plantronics device. The report was highly critical of the Soundshield Acoustic Safety device. Polaris was, and remains convinced that this was an unfair attack on the credibility of the Soundshield and the company. Despite massive legal costs, it undertook to defend its credibility and its product by way of the due legal process.

Polaris are extremely proud of what they have achieved with their Soundshield product . In 2011 they will be launching more new and exciting products which they believe will be of better quality and offer substantially better value than their competitors.

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The Australian Contact Centre industry took another step towards universal high-quality audio today, with the release of Polaris Communications' Soundpro Wideband headsets.

With the productivity increases provided by hands-free communications, headsets are rapidly spreading from dedicated Contact Centres into workplaces of all kinds, in every industry. The transition to high-quality wideband audio is likely to intensify this trend by helping to eliminate miscommunication in telephone conversations. The increased sense of comfort that comes with the natural sound of wideband audio is bolstered by the large leatherette ear cushions of the Soundpro Wideband range.

"With our headset and Soundshield products, Polaris has always led the industry in ensuring workplace safety for telephone workers," said Wayne Guest, Managing Director of Polaris Communications. "Now we can add unsurpassed audio quality to that guarantee."

Wideband audio technology allows audio devices to transmit and receive a greater range of audio frequencies, increasing the clarity and depth of perceived sound. As more and more telephone manufacturers transition to wideband technology, headset users are in danger of missing out if their manufacturers do not keep pace with the latest technology. By handling frequencies between 100 Hz and 10 KHz, the Soundpro Wideband range allows for telephone conversations that are almost as clear and rich as they would be in person.

The popular Soundpro headsets are already in widespread use throughout Australian Contact Centres. The new Wideband models give the range a fresh and modern look, in addition to the new audio technology.

ABOUT POLARIS COMMUNICATIONS

Polaris Communications is an Australian telecommunications company best known for creating the Soundpro headset and the Soundshield, the industry-leading acoustic shock protection device that uses patented technology to protect headset users from potentially health-endangering sounds. Polaris has added a reputation for technological innovation to their existing record of leadership in customer service and product support.

For more information, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505  |  sales@polaris.com.au

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Polaris Communications and TeleManagement Australia are proud to announce that the Polaris manufactured Silvertongue Headsets together with Soundshield 3G Acoustic Shock Protection devices have been implemented into the Department of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet for the 2007 APEC Conference in Sydney.

TeleManagement Australia implemented the Soundshield 3G Acoustic Protection equipment and headsets to meet the demands of key logistical staff associated with the world’s leaders, who are gathered in Sydney for the 2007 APEC Conference. The chosen Polaris equipment was selected to provide protection from the threat of Acoustic Shock and Power Surges, the Polaris Soundshield 3G and Silvertongue Headset ensure that all staff providing this critical service are protected at all times.

Polaris Communications is the only headset manufacturer in Australia and the only headset manufacturer globally, that specialises in acoustic safety and comfort in contact centres and businesses worldwide. An escalating problem among headset users is the increasing frequency of Acoustic Shock incidents. Polaris developed the Soundshield patented shriek rejection software in response to the growing problem of Acoustic Shock facing the global contact centre industry.

Reliability, Australian design, in conjunction with prompt service were the key factors in the selection of the Soundshield 3G and Silvertongue Headsets. Due to time constraints prior to the APEC Conference prompt delivery was and integral part of the decision making process. ‘With the Sydney CBD held in ‘lock down’ for security reasons, stock availability outside the normal Sydney business hours combined with great customer service between Polaris and TeleManagement made it easy when tight deadlines need to be met.’ said, Alan Sharpe – General Manager, TeleManagement Australia.

About Polaris Communications

Polaris Communications is Australia's leading distributor of telephone headsets and peripheral equipment, and manufacturer of the world first acoustic safety device, Soundshield and the newly released Soundpro and Silvertongue headset and amplifier range.

In 2000, Polaris begun manufacturing products designed to meet the specific needs of the Australian and overseas market, revolutionising the contact centre market in 2001 with the launch of Soundshield, a world first Acoustic Shock protection device.

About TeleManagement Australia

TeleManagement Australia’s (TMA) Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) improves the efficiency of your organisation, helping to lower costs. Valuable seconds are gained by being able to present client information to an operator along with an incoming call. This allows the operator to focus on servicing the client rather than spending time interrogating the caller for identification then pulling up the relevant record. TMA's CTI solutions reduce operator talk time, thereby reducing costs and improving customer service by personalising your call handling.

For more information, please contact Polaris Communications:
1800 626 505  |  sales@polaris.com.au

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Australian telephone equipment maker Polaris Communications has won a contract to supply Telstra with up to AUD $6m in Silvertongue products for its call centres over 3 years.

Polaris will supply the carrier with headsets and Soundshield, its patented, Australian-made technology to prevent acoustic shock injury.

Soundshield detects and rejects damaging high-pitched tones ("acoustic shrieks") before they reach the ear of a headset user, reducing them to barely audible pips, Polaris says.

This contract follows Polaris' 2002 deal with Telstra and sees Polaris providing the headsets under its own brand, Silvertongue.

Polaris managing director Wayne Guest says the deal could be worth more than AUD $2m a year as it develops products with Telstra's occupational health and safety team.

The contract was given to Polaris in a tender that opened in December last year and included a long testing and appraisal process against international competitors.

For more information, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505  |  sales@polaris.com.au

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It’s hard to find a harsher call centre environment than a fire and rescue service’s command and control room. Trying to decipher what a caller is saying when panicked or overpowered by the noise of fire alarms, these call centre staff are also often dealing with calls that are potentially life threatening.

To combat this over 30% of UK Fire & Rescue Services have selected Soundshield as thechosen acoustic safety device to protect their staff from any incidents of acoustic shock.

Soundshield removes any tones that are damaging to an officer’s hearing, without interfering with the audibility of the incoming call, enabling quick and efficient deployment of the fire fighting team.

Extensive evaluation of possible solutions led West Midlands Fire to choose Soundshield as the most appropriate device, offering the protection they needed. Soundshield protects the officer’s hearing and is capable of storing noise exposure data of each individual, allowing for a traceable reporting system for continuous risk assessment.

The West Midlands evaluation team of Michelle Sheppard, Phillipa Jenkin, led by Mark Nicks reported the following regarding a trial installation of Soundshield -

"Soundshield provided excellent clarity of voice and sound quality whilst removing unwanted sounds that can really cause us problems. After evaluating Soundshield against a number of competitors we felt that Soundshield provided us with the best solution."

The Soundshield solution currently has approval from leading ICCS manufacturers including Sungard Vivista, APD, Cyfas and Flair and the manufacturer of Soundshield is currently working with other ICCS providers to gain full approval for all major ICCS solutions throughout the EMEA region.

For more information, please contact Polaris Communications:
1800 626 505  |  sales@polaris.com.au

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The Queensland Police Department has awarded its acoustic shock solutions tender to Melbourne-based Silvertongue distributor, Polaris Communications.

Polaris Communications, a leading Australian distributor of telephony peripherals, will supply the department with its best-selling Soundshield digital acoustic shock protection device.

The initial Queensland order will be for 200 Soundshield units followed by a progressive rollout of units across the entire department.

Polaris Communications managing director, Wayne Guest says;

“The tender is a sourcing contract that allows any Queensland government organisation or business enterprise to purchase under the terms of the agreement.”

“What this means is other Queensland State Government departments and agencies and Australian police jurisdictions are able to purchase Soundshield devices under this contract”

For more information, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505  |  sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download the PDF.

Silvertongue distributor, Polaris Communications, has won a major contract with the Australian Tax Office (ATO) – one of the largest open tenders for headset products in Australia. The minimum two-year contract is worth AUD$1.5m in the first year. The ATO will replace all headsets with Silvertongue Soundpro; 3500 headsets will be rolled out immediately, with a further 4000 to 5000 units earmarked over the next few years.

Polaris recommended coupling Silvertongue Soundpro headsets with Soundshield, the leading digital acoustic shock protection device designed and manufactured by Polaris Communications in Australia (NB:8500 units have been rolled out: November 2006).

Soundshield prevents undesirable acoustic noise or high-pitched tones from reaching the ear of the headset user by detecting and instantly rejecting these shrieks within 16-32 milliseconds. Polaris Managing Director, Mr Wayne Guest, nominated a couple of key factors that helped win the contract – exclusive availability of Soundshield plus Polaris’ track record in managing logistics of major equipment roll-outs.

“This is the largest Australian telephone headset order in recent years, we emphasised the need for a protection device such as Soundshield which, when combined with Silvertongue headsets, provided the ATO with the optimum solutionto their needs” Mr Guest said.

The ATO conducted intensive field testing on Soundshield and the results clearly demonstrated the device was effective in preventing acoustic injury for headset wearers. The test also included competing products so a performance comparison could be made.

For more information, please contact Polaris Communications:

1800 626 505  |  sales@polaris.com.au

Click here to download PDF.