How to compare phone booths

Not obvious, but elementary: ventilation

An often underestimated element is the ventilation of the telephone box. Here you should pay particular attention to performance. Let's assume an average telephone box with a room volume of around two cubic meters. If the ventilation performance is not good enough, this can result in headaches and nausea. At the latest then the door of the telephone box has to be opened - and that's it for the necessary peace and quiet for concentrated work.
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To choose the right telephone box, you should definitely ask about the effective performance of the ventilation when talking to the providers. This is because the so-called rated output is often used as an argument. However, this is not very meaningful.

Ideally, you should test the phone box yourself before you buy it anyway. On site, you can not only check the air quality inside the box, but also the volume of the ventilation. Higher performance means better air quality - but is often all the louder. To make sure that the annoying whirring of the ventilation is not a distraction inside the phone box, it's best to take a seat in it yourself.

Virtual calls need good light

The lighting within the telephone box plays a central role. After all, phone boxes are particularly popular for virtual calls and meetings. To ensure that employees are optimally illuminated during customer calls, a light source from above is recommended that optimally illuminates every surface within the telephone box.

The type of lighting is also important in terms of heat generation. Ideally, your phone box should be equipped with LEDs. These emit less heat to the outside than other light sources and do not noticeably increase the room temperature inside the box.

Pay particular attention to the material inside

The materials from which the telephone box is made vary greatly from provider to provider. While a large number of them use wood for the frame, there are others whose boxes are made of aluminum, steel or other metal compounds. Both types of material are well suited for ideal sound insulation. The materials used inside the box make a much bigger difference. For example, if there are large uncovered glass and wooden surfaces, the reverberation is more noticeable. Acoustic fleece or acoustic foam in combination with fabrics are preferable for the interior lining of the telephone box.
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There are also clear differences when it comes to the door material. While some rely on acrylic glass, others make their doors from safety or acoustic glass. Acrylic glass doors are lighter and shatterproof, while glass doors are more scratch-resistant and UV-resistant. This means that if the telephone boxes in the office are exposed to sunlight, acrylic glass doors tend to become unsightly discolored. 

The telephone box must not be a foreign object

As we all know, design is debatable. Nevertheless, it plays a central role when purchasing a telephone box - after all, the telephone box should fit perfectly into the office and not look like a foreign object. You should therefore ask yourself the question before buying: Which design fits best in my office? If you don't want to commit yourself, a timeless and minimalist design is recommended. Otherwise, some providers also give you the option of personalizing the telephone box to match your brand.

In terms of beauty, it is always worth taking a look at the roof of the telephone cabin. In most cases, the electronics are housed there - but not always in combination with an appropriate cover. So if you can see the roof of the phone booth in the office, you should make sure before you buy that not everyone passing by can see the tangle of cables inside.

Structure: There is savings potential here!

Some telephone boxes are delivered already assembled by the manufacturer. What sounds like less effort, however, requires good planning: with this type of delivery, you need to make sure that your office building has a freight elevator or can be delivered to the office space as planned by other means.
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In many cases, telephone boxes for one person can be assembled by yourself. Self-assembly takes about an hour on average, but saves you money. However, meeting boxes always need to be assembled by specialists.

Long waiting times are unfortunately not uncommon

The providers differ considerably in terms of delivery times. If you want your telephone box delivered as quickly as possible, you should definitely ask about the current delivery times. Even telephone boxes for one person are only delivered in four weeks or less in a few cases.
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When choosing your provider, pay attention to the small print: Will the phone box be delivered to the office? Or will it only be delivered to the kerbside? With a product weight of up to 500 kilograms for the individual box, you certainly don't want to have to lug it up to the fifth floor.

Attention: The price differences are enormous!

In terms of price, the various models on the market differ significantly. There is virtually no upper limit here. But even with a relatively small budget, you can find high-quality telephone boxes. For example, you can do without personalization to save costs.
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In addition, phone boxes that are not completely soundproof, but "only" reduce external noise to a minimum, are usually much cheaper. They still fulfill their purpose. In principle, however, no matter what price range you are in, make sure that you test the box thoroughly. This is the only way to ensure that it meets your requirements.

Are you already working or are you still looking for space?

The phone box should be a real alternative to your own workplace. Employees should feel comfortable in it and be able to work as productively as possible. This means there must be enough space in the phone box for a laptop, notebook, coffee and other items. You should make sure that the table is deeper than 30 cm. Why? An average 13-inch laptop is around 23 cm deep. So that you can position it optimally for a call, the table in the phone box should offer you enough space for it. 

When comparing the different providers, it is always worth taking a look at the power supply. Is there a power socket or USB ports? This way, you can ensure that your employees never run out of juice - even during particularly long meetings.

Apart from the table and power supply, there are numerous other features. Additional light sources, height-adjustable tables or integration into the company calendar to book the phone boxes: There is a lot on offer here. Which of these is a useful extension for you depends on your individual use case.

Watch out in the old building office!

When it comes to telephone boxes, size does matter. This is because many telephone boxes on the market are higher than two meters and require a certain minimum distance from the ceiling due to ventilation. If you plan to place the telephone box under the stairs, for example, or if your ceiling height is less than three meters, not every telephone box on the market is suitable for you.

If your office is located in an old building, it is worth taking a look at the product weight. With a weight of up to 500 kilograms, a telephone box is about as heavy as seven washing machines. To make sure you don't lose the ground under your feet, you should therefore rely on the expertise of a structural engineer if in doubt.
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Also get an overview of possible barriers. This is because most telephone boxes on the market are not floor-level. So if you are looking for a telephone box that is suitable for a wheelchair, you can already rule out many models. This is also because the tables inside are usually positioned at a height that allows you to work standing up.