SoundSense

Best Practice Awards

Technology Award

SoundSense

What the company does: SoundSense, based in East Hampton, NY, is a full-service acoustical consulting and engineering company. They offer construction consulting and experienced installation crews along with a line of acoustic products. SoundSense’s clients include architects, contractors, and homeowners who use the company to help solve their acoustic issues, such as mechanical noise, vibration noise, outdoor noise, noise transmission, and other problems. The company also improves acoustics for individuals with hearing problems, as well as senior centers.

Best practice: SoundSense recently developed the dB Focus Tube, a small mechanism that focuses sound energy into potential weak links such as air gaps around partitions in walls, doors, and other intersections. The patent for the dB Focus Tube was awarded in March 2011. SoundSense’s dB Focus Tube enables their engineers and installers to test installations quickly and effectively, saving time and energy and resulting in increased efficiency and effectiveness of the end product.

The dB Focus Tube has already improved SoundSense’s time efficiency by about 20 percent, and recent use of the product suggests that it improves work efficiency by between 10 and 30 percent. For instance, by using the dB Focus Tube, SoundSense discovered that drafty windows, which in the past would typically require a full replacement, could instead be upgraded, saving the client a significant amount. The dB Focus Tube is scheduled to be available for sale in November.

Tips for implementing your own best practice: A business owner can do a few things to help their employees become more innovative. “Annually, I ask my employees if they’re happy doing what they’re doing, and if there’s something they’re passionate about that they’d like to start doing,” says Bonnie Schnitta, owner and president. “You have to understand their strengths and let them grow.” She suggests giving your team time to discuss their creativity, whether in a meeting or over lunch.

With creativity comes new ideas, which will hopefully help you run your company more efficiently. “A lot of our inventions are based on the fact that we look to optimize a process, or make something easier,” says Schnitta. “Look at the standard, and see if it can be improved.” In order to encourage creativity—and improve efficiency—Schnitta suggests holding weekly meetings where people can address problems they’re having and offer suggestions. Keep the discussions short (about five minutes per problem and per suggestion) and end the meeting on a high note to avoid putting people in a negative mood.

As a business owner, you shouldn’t be afraid of reducing your customer’s spend, even if you may fear that you will end up losing earnings. Schnitta suggests that, when giving a budget to a client, offer good, better, and best options. While some will only choose the good option, some will also choose the best, and your earnings should even out. In the end, customers will be happier with more choices, and you’ll find your company has more repeat business and more word-of-mouth recommendations.