FREEMARKETS, INC. (now ARIBA)
Office Sound Masking
Pittsburgh PA

In today’s competitive business world, companies constantly search for ways to conduct business as cost-effectively and productively as possible, while still maintaining high levels of customer service. The rapid growth in the development of call centers and flexible, open office space is evidence that companies like FreeMarkets are developing solutions to meet this challenge.

In these specialized, large, open offices where hundreds of service representatives can quickly and effectively respond to customers through automated telecommunications systems, office space efficiencies result in high population densities, placing a premium on acoustic privacy. Numerous studies have demonstrated that speech privacy is a key factor in enhancing productivity and retaining a strong, experienced work force. For FreeMarkets, sound masking technology is a proven component in providing that desired level of speech privacy.

An effective acoustic environment was created in the following locations:

   •    Pittsburgh PA - World Headquarters,   Market Operations Center. Acoustics, system design, engineering, and specification of sound masking and paging systems for five floors (each 15,000 ft2) of open office space.

   •    San Jose CA and Detroit MI - Customer Care Centers. Acoustics, system design, engineering, and specification of sound masking and paging systems for regional customer service centers.

   •    Brussels, Belgium - Customer Care Center. Acoustics, systems design, engineering and specification of sound masking and paging systems for European customer care and marketing center.

   •    Hong Kong PRC - Customer Care Center. Acoustics, systems design, engineering and specification for Asian customer care and marketing center.