How Operations Directors Can Score Points With The Right Acoustic Solution

Often unconsidered, poor acoustics can create noisy, uncomfortable environments, unpleasant for guests and visitors. But as sports fans look set to return to grounds, why should operations directors be considering acoustics and what benefits can they bring both in terms of experience and safety? Ben Hancock, Managing Director at Oscar Acoustics, explains why an acoustic-focused strategy should play a key role in the stadium of the future.

With word from the Government that live sport may be back open to fans as early as mid-May, excitement has been growing at sporting venues across the country. The lifting of lockdown measures will no doubt be a huge relief to the sports-starved. Yet for operations directors preparing for their return, this news opens up some interesting discussion points around the quality-of-service visitors may receive, particularly around hosting and hospitality.

There’s no doubt that visitor protocol will need to be changed. For example, it’s likely that guest numbers will be limited to ensure ongoing social-distancing compliance, and seating arrangements adjusted, particularly in dining areas, to create space between guests. Yet one consideration that’s often overlooked is a stadium’s acoustic strategy.

Sounds About Right

We’ve all been there- loud, bustling restaurants where you can barely hear yourself speak, shouting up the table to make conversation. It’s enough to put you off your food. The reason is a lack of consideration to a room’s acoustics and it can have a massive impact on a customer’s overall experience. In fact, reports have suggested that 91 percent of people wouldn’t return to a venue where noise levels were too high. While it’s accepted that the atmosphere inside stadia is likely to be raucous, within hosting environments, it’s clear that appropriate noise control needs to be considered. For operations directors, this raises the question, are they doing all they can to ensure indoor hospitality spaces are as comfortable as possible for future visitors?

Acoustics: The Secret To Staying Safe

But creating acoustically balanced rooms isn’t just about enhancing the ambience for guests. In a post-pandemic world, it’s now becoming crucial for personal safety, both for visitors and staff alike. Whereas previously, serving staff were able to dodge the decibels by leaning-in towards guests to speak, social distancing measures now demand that we keep our distance. When combined with speech-muffling masks, it means that vocal intelligibility and communication is likely to be problematic. As people emerge from a third national lockdown, it’s a given that attendees will be tentative about getting too close. Creating surroundings in which people can comfortably converse without removing masks will help put everyone at ease.

Pre-Season Preparations

The current downtime, with fans and hospitality guests absent, presents facilities managers with an ideal opportunity to make changes.

One of the benefits of modern-day acoustic solutions is that installation can be quick and efficient, with short lead times and a minimal number of staff required to carry out the work. Acoustic absorbing sprays also have the flexibility to be applied to almost any surface, and a quality spray should only require a single coat to be effective. This option can also provide safety in terms of its fire rating, and operations directors should look out for sprays that perform over and above the updated Approved Document B regulations. As in all industries, the carbon footprint of a building is now incredibly important and the option to choose sprays that are carbon neutral, recyclable and environmentally friendly should be considered.

What’s clear is that operations directors can play an active role in keeping everyone safe on site. A degree of social distancing is likely to become common practice, so making the right preparations in advance will pay dividends come match day.