On any manufacturing plant floor, there’s noisy machinery, forklift horns and not to mention the acoustical challenges of large, open, high-ceiling facilities.
For Marvin, the custom window and door manufacturer that operates in a more than 2 million square foot manufacturing facility in Warroad, Minn., needed a new audio system that would enable tour guides the ability to be heard clearly against the loud noises on the manufacturing floor. Getting a behind-the-scenes look at the manufacturing process is an important part of Marvin’s education, training and community relations efforts.
The Communication System Challenge
Marvin was using a communication system that provided its guests a less than stellar experience. The system had poor sound quality and the tour guides found it uncomfortable to wear. The ineffective audio equipment meant Marvin’s tour guides and guests were still competing with the noise in the facility, thus making engagement on the tours challenging.
The ListenTALk Solution
Marvin contacted TourGuide Solutions to find a communication system for their manufacturing process tours to enable tour guides to speak normally (instead of shouting to be heard) and increase engagement with a two-way communication option.
TourGuide Solutions recommended ListenTALK from Listen Technologies. The ListenTALK system is a flexible and customizable two-way group communication system that delivers clear audio without amplifying ambient noise. The ListenTALK system consists of transceivers (transmitters/receivers), a docking station to charge and pair the devices, lanyards to wear them (making them hands-free), and headsets.
A Noticeable Different in Engagement in Tours
Using ListenTALK, Marvin’s guests can easily ask questions while on tour.
The Marvin team’s favorite functionalities and features include:
- small and lightweight transceivers
- simplicity of creating groups making tour prep easier
- ability to pair units and add participants on-the-go with near-field communication
- long battery life
- ease of charging the transceiver units in the docking stations
- flexibility to pair large groups of transceiver units in the docking stations
“One of the things I like about the system is the ease of designating the leader unit. The ability to change the leader clip in case anything comes up means a seamless experience for our guests. For example, if someone forgets to put the leader unit back in the docking station and the battery is low, moving the leader clip to another transceiver unit is easy,” said Tim Slukynsk, learning specialist at Marvin.
Learning Experience Manager Elena Rodriguez added, “The difference in engagement in our tours has been remarkable. Our guests ask a lot more questions during the tour because they can hear the tour guide, and the guide can hear them. The sound is so much better than our previous system. Plus, the units are comfortable to wear, getting ready for tours is easier, and being able to see the battery charge of each unit has been a game-changer. We no longer need to stop in the middle of a factory floor tour to change batteries.”
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