Accudata Systems is a Houston-based consulting and integration firm with 36 years of experience providing highimpact IT infrastructure services and integrated solutions. Having outgrown their old space, Accudata’s management sought to create an updated office environment. Occupying the 6th floor of a new building, this new office was designed to promote collaboration, with plenty of modern features and natural light. Designed to accommodate 75-100 full time employees, mobile workers, and visitors, the office square footage is spread across open offices, private offices, touchdown areas, and conference rooms. Many of the employees in the open plan areas regularly participate in customer service, tech support, sales, and conference calls.
While providing more options for architectural and design considerations, the new open office space had fewer walls to block sound, meaning speech privacy would be compromised and noise distractions elevated. Noise distraction issues in the new space became apparent shortly after move-in, particularly speech transmission from private offices to neighboring private offices and conference rooms and vice versa. Speech noise traveled down the long corridor as well. Accudata’s previous office had limited sound masking, so the company’s executives realized its importance for protecting speech privacy. The firm’s executives entrusted Client Services Manager Matt Johnson with finding the right sound masking vendor and installer.
SOLUTION
Sound masking is the process of adding low level, unobtrusive background sound to an environment to cover up speech noise and improve the overall office ambience. Similar to the sound of airflow, this sound is specifically engineered to cover up human speech, making affected environments more comfortable, private, and free of excess noise distractions.
After carefully evaluating the options, Johnson chose QtPro™ sound masking solutions from Biamp for their installation. The experts at Biamp connected Johnson with Fitt Telecom, a Houston-area integration partner. Fitt provided Johnson and the Accudata executive team an on-site demo at a nearby financial firm where QtPro™ was installed. Due to similarities in their office layouts, Accudata left the demo convinced QtPro™ was the right solution for their workspace.
Fitt installed small, barely visible Qt® Emitters (loudspeakers) in Accudata’s open and drop ceiling areas, which were then connected by cables to a Qt® 600 control module residing in the server room. The long corridor was equipped with stylish pendant mount emitter housings to complement the unique architectural aesthetics of this space. The system’s ability to provide alternate masking volume levels across different zones allowed Accudata to more proactively address noise distractions in the open office areas. Automatic ramping was also programmed into the system, allowing masking noise to be slightly louder at times when the office is busiest.
CONCLUSION
The new Accudata office is now more functional, productive, and acoustically comfortable, and employees are pleased with the office’s transformation. “We had sound masking in our old office, but the system is much more advanced and effective,” says Johnson. “Employees had a chance to experience the office before and after the system was installed and the difference is really apparent — the office feels much quieter and comfortable now. QtPro™ works as advertised.”
A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Doug has been in the Technology industry since 1976 and actively oversees Fearing’s daily operations. Along with his wife, Lois, and three others, Doug started Fearing’s in a 600 square-foot facility in Portage, Wisconsin. In the 25 years since, the company has grown to over 30 employees with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Doug likes to say he’s a “TV Technician with a dream� going back to his history with the family’s original business-Fearing’s TV and Appliance.
Doug values time with family, watersports, hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. In addition to being a devoted member of his church, Doug serves as Board President for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County, Board member of Schools for Haiti and Scripture Chair of the Gideons-Portage camp.
A graduate of MATC, Lois oversees Fearing’s daily book keeping along with various HR responsibilities.
Along with Doug, Lois is deeply connected to community outreach, serving as a Board member and Fundraising Committee Chairperson for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County. She also serves on the Schools for Haiti Fundraising committee. In addition, Lois’ ongoing passion and commitment to provide care for the elderly comes from her 10-year history of working in a Reedsburg, Wisconsin Nursing home.
Lois enjoys singing, hiking, sunny days on the pontoon, and spending time with her 4 grandchildren.
Ehren drives Fearing’s technology by continually seeking out trends to enhance capabilities while supporting Sales, Engineering and Installation teams. Throughout his years with Fearing’s, Ehren’s talent and vision have joined forces to create a wide variety of projects and strategic solutions that exceed expectation.
Ehren loves music, family time, movies, nature, sustainability efforts and electric vehicles.
With 10 years with Fearing’s and over twice that long in the industry, Ben continues to lead, coordinate, and develop the Commercial AV team.
By consistently delivering an outstanding experience and outcome, Ben contributes to the Fearing’s legacy of long-lasting partnerships that truly make a difference. Whatever the Commercial AV need may be, Ben and team deliver at the highest level.
Ben is an avid fisherman and photographer. He enjoys coaching his sons and other youth.
Chris has been with Fearing’s for 20 years and in the industry for over 2 decades. As a Certified leader in Sales Acceleration and trained in EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems), Chris successfully utilizes his skills to lead the Fearing’s Salesforce. Chris and team are motivated and driven to develop new client partnerships while continuing to reinforce loyal long-term relationships with ongoing Service excellence.
Married for 19 years with 3 children, Chris enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, camping and golf. He’s also been actively involved as a Youth Football and Softball coach for his family and others.
