When giving a factory tour you’re likely doing so for investors, to those potentially interested in buying products from your facility, or you’re attempting to sell the facility itself. Whatever the desired outcome of the factory tours you need to make sure everyone is able to fully hear you. It won’t do you any good if you’re walking around, explaining the factor and yet nobody is able to hear you. At Plant-Tours, you’ll find a wide range of equipment, all of which is available for both purchase or rental. This way, if you only need the audio hardware for a short period of time the rental option is available to you. Whatever your needs are though, here is a factory visit checklist you need to go through to determine the best equipment for your plant tour needs.
Factory Visit Checklist
Audio Playback Options
First, you need to decide how guests will hear the information during the tour. Will the audio be piped through a speaker system throughout the facility, or do you want the audio to be transmitted directly to headsets worn by your guests? This will hinge on a number of factors. If the facility is quiet you may be comfortable with simply sending the audio to an existing audio system already installed in your facility.
However, if you’re giving tours while the factory is operational this will not be a viable option. That is why it is better to invest in personal headsets your guests will wear. These headsets are similar to standard headphones, only the headphones will receive an audio signal given off by your microphone (and any other microphones you want to integrate into the tour).
Noise Level Of The Facility
If you decide you want to go with a headset for your guests you will now need to decide which kind of headset is best. If there isn’t much noise during the tour you can select easy to wear wrap-around headphones. These fit comfortably against the ears and have a support band that goes around the back of the head. This is the lightest weight option and the least bulky of what you can invest in.
If there is ample noise in the factory (such as if you’re giving a tour of an auto manufacturing plant instead of a storage warehouse) you’ll want noise canceling headphones designed to reduce the exposed decibel level. Now, it is important for guests of the tour to still be able to hear what is going on around them. Those unfamiliar with the physical makeup of a factory can injure themselves if they can’t hear anything else but the tour guide, which is why the noise canceling headsets offered by Plant-Tours still allows some sound to pass through.
Microphone
Now that you have the headphones out of the way you need to decide what kind of microphone is right for you. It really comes down to two different formats. The first is a microphone that connects directly to the headset. This makes it easy to wear and adjust as you go. It also allows you to use both hands, which is helpful if you need to pick something up, walk up a ladder, or to simply point and talk at the same time.
The second microphone option is a handheld microphone. As a tour guide this may not be the best option to have, but it can be helpful if you want to provide a microphone to your guests who have questions. They don’t need to all have microphones all their own, but having a single microphone to be passed around is a nice option to consider. It also makes it possible for everyone to hear the questions asked.
Wireless or Wired
One of the biggest decisions you’ll need to make is whether you want to go with a wired configuration or wireless. There are advantages to each, so you’ll need to go through which advantage is most desirable for you and the tours.
First, a wired configuration, along with the microphones, headsets, and receivers, will often offer more power. You can usually increase the volume to a higher level, if this is needed. Plus, the battery life of a wired device is longer. A wireless configuration drains the battery faster as it sends the audio signal between receives and transmitters, which does tax the battery. If you’re only giving a few tours a day, or if you have time to charge the batteries in between tours, the battery life shouldn’t be an issue. However, if you don’t have this kind of time, you’ll need to purchase or rent additional devices so you can have some charge while the others are in use.
A wireless setup is beneficial in that you will have fewer wires to deal with. For the guests of your tour this isn’t much of an issue, but for you, the tour guide, this can turn into a much larger issue than you might initially think. If you’re moving about large machinery, cables may become tangled with objects you’re moving past. This can become a safety hazard, which you’ll want to avoid. Additionally, if you’re climbing up ladders at any point during the tour the cables may become tangled or, at the very least, get in the way. During these instances it is well worth renting out a few extra batteries or devices and go with the wireless configuration over the wired option.
This is one of the most common questions tour guides have for factories. They want to know which setup is right for them. If you have questions regarding the audio setup and whether you should go with a wired or wireless design, all you need to do is contact the team at Plant-Tours. The helpful customer service representatives will walk you through the process of selecting the best equipment for your particular needs.
There’s a Perfect Audio Configuration Available For You
These are the main elements of the audio components you need when giving a factory tour. From microphones and headsets to audio receivers and transmitters, make sure to go over this list and decide which of the devices will work in your particular setting. It can also help to know the noise level in your factory. Taking a decibel reading of the factory visit checklist prior to purchasing (or renting) equipment will help you identify the best headsets for the situation. Whatever you decide to do, if you have questions or want help selecting hardware, all you need to do is head over to Plant-Tours.com and either use the live chat feature, send an email, or call the company at 1-800-609-9521 for further assistance.
