Voice Quality matters.
If you have ever tried to use a laptop’s built-in microphone, you probably already know, it won’t cut it for holding actual conversations. The sound is awful. It is distant, static-filled, and muffled. It simply does not work for professional meetings and calls. In order to have a clear conversation, and have your voice heard, we recommend a boom microphone with a foam cover, near your mouth. The foam cover blocks harsh sounds and pops like “S”, “P” and “T”.
Timing is everything.
Virtual meetings are often conversational. Participants sometimes talk over each other, interrupt each other, or have awkward silences. To have a smooth experience, you may need to quickly jump into the conversation, then quickly jump out. Timing is crucial. If you fumble around with a mouse, touchpad, or keyboard to mute and un-mute, it is un-professional. By the time you un-mute yourself to say something, it may be too late: the topic has passed, or the boss is disappointed that you didn’t speak up. The MicMuter is quick, responsive. It lets you instantly mute or un-mute yourself. Keep your thumb on the switch, and be ready.
Speak in your normal voice.
If you have ever used a standard headset (without a MicMuter) you probably, without realizing, shouted into the microphone. This is because most standard headsets do not have “sidetone”. With no sidetone, when you speak into the microphone, you don’t hear your own voice. Since headsets have earcups which cover your ears, it blocks some volume (like wearing an earplug in your ear). Most of us are not used to this. Normally, when we use a telephone or cell phone, we hear our own voice emitted through the little speaker in the earcup. This is so common in telephones and cell phones, we don’t even think about it. But without sidetone, it is difficult to speak in a normal tone and volume. MicMuter provides sidetone when you are un-muted. So when you hear yourself, you know the people on the call can hear you too.
We are people.
It is rude and un-professional to not mute yourself: Any extra noise on the call is not cool. Heavy breathing, coughing, sneezing, scratching, burping, slurping, yawning, gasping, hiccupping, passing gas, cracking knuckles, swallowing, grunting, gulping….you get the idea. We make noises all the time, it is normal. But your co-workers don’t want to hear it. Mute Yourself. MicMuter mutes your microphone by default, so you are typically muted most of the time. You have to move the switch in order to un-mute yourself.
Block Background noise.
If you work from home, call center, or in a busy office, the folks in your meeting can hear your background noise. Kids, partners, spouses, friends, room-mates, colleagues, all have a habit of making sudden loud noises. By the time you hear them shouting, crying, talking, or singing, it is too late. Your co-workers have heard them too. MicMuter blocks your background noise by default, since the mic is muted by default.
Maintain Security.
Sometimes in the office, we are talking about sensitive information, intellectual property, trade secrets, negotiations, tactics, or maybe just gossiping (Disclaimer: MicMuter does not endorse or recommend gossip….Just saying 😉 ). Control what the people on your call can hear. Don’t ever leave the microphone on if you don’t need to. MicMuter blocks all your sensitive audio by default, another benefit.
Don’t bad-mouth the boss.
(…if they can hear you) If you are frustrated, stressed, over-worked, and under-appreciated, you may be tempted, in a moment of weakness, to say something you might regret. If you are muted, you may be able to get it off your chest. Go ahead. Blurt it out! We give you permission. But please make sure you are muted before doing so. We don’t want you to get fired.