What Does Your Makeup Say About You?

There’s a lot of talk about durability in the dispatch furniture industry, and we get asked a ton of questions. Is steel stronger? Is wood stronger? Is 12-gauge steel really better than 14-gauge steel? What is the lifetime of the furniture? 10 years? 15 years? 20 years? The truth is, a dispatch console could be made of bulletproof glass and hurricane-rated I-beams, but if the integrity of the completed product isn’t tested, it couldn’t withstand a Donald Trump temper tantrum, let alone the amount of abuse a console takes in a comm center!

There are about a half dozen imaging furniture manufacturers that have been in the business over the last couple of decades, so selecting the right manufacturer should be an easy decision. The truth is that it is if you do your homework and don’t just pick one that promises the world or advertises in every possible venue.

Ask the Obvious Questions

To help you find the right manufacturer for your imaging furniture needs, here are a dozen questions you need to answer that will address the obvious:

• Does the provider offer true dual-surface desks with both surfaces being capable of moving from 22” to 50”?
• Is the focal depth of the monitors adjustable up to 10”, and can you move all of the monitors together?

We are living in a fast-paced world these days where we are all in a hurry to get multiple tasks done, and if you’re like the rest of us, the thought of having to jump through hoops and over hurdles to cross items off of your to-do list makes you want to cringe. Trust me, I get it!

At Xybix, we understand the importance of making things as fast and efficient as possible for all of our clients. We use two new forms to help us gather all the pertinent dispatch furniture project info and details.

You’re a Comm Center manager or supervisor and you’ve been tasked with buying new dispatch furniture. HOLY (insert choice four letter word) ! You probably feel like you are just not ready to tackle this monstrosity of project, or maybe you feel rather intimidated like buying a new car. Hey, we get it, this task is not an easy one. Infact, while reading this, you might already be thinking of the best way to secretly exit the building (never to return). Whoa-nelly! Take a minute and remember the beloved childhood icon, Thomas the Train. I want you to try whispering quietly to yourself “I think I can…I think I can…” and DON’T panic! Here are three tips to buying dispatch furniture that can help:

I was listening to a Podcast interview with Robert Downey Jr. the other day, and the interviewer asked him how he goes about choosing his roles and knowing he’s going the right direction with what he does choose to do. Downey responded by saying that people who have 30 choices when choosing a fabric, for example, will never be 100 percent confident in their choice and will always think they could have done better. When given only three choices, people tend to be completely confident in what they chose, why they chose it and at the end of the day, feeling like they got the best bang for their buck. He’s picky! Downey’s response is so applicable in many arenas, but for the topic of this blog, I thought it was especially poignant — and not just because he looks awesome in that Iron Man suit.

As I am writing this blog, the Northeast is facing yet another blizzard warning. Yep, you read that right... ANOTHER!  I, like many of you in the North, choose to live in an area with four seasons. I love the snow… but after 78 inches of the fluffy stuff in the past 3 weeks, it is safe to say I am wishing for a warmer climate.

We all have Moms and some of us are even Moms ourselves. After some time (and I'll admit, after my teenage years) it struck me, that maybe we should listen to our Moms a bit more often. So, I want you to close your eyes and think of a time when your Mom has told you to do something or maybe NOT to do something. There! Got it…? Now, with that in mind, read these helpful tips on how you can extend the life of your dispatch workstations.

“We spent good money on these height-adjustable consoles 7 years ago, and none of my dispatchers use them!” I can spot this problem immediately when I walk into a 911 dispatch center. Both the workstation surfaces are the exact same height, with paperwork and radios spread out across them. Most dispatchers in the center are not working in the best ergonomic position. What can I say? Some people simply do not like change.

Exercising at work has numerous benefits including reducing stress and improving your health. Suggested exercises while at work often involve getting up from you desk. For example, it is suggested that employees walk to another employee to engage in conversation instead of staying at their desk and sending an email. Another common suggestion is to get up every hour and walk around the office area taking stairs if they are available.  

While these are great ideas they may not be as helpful to people in fields where they can not just get up from their desks whenever they desire. Employees, such as 911 dispatchers and public safety professionals, need tips that allow them to exercise without leaving their workstation. Not only is it important for these employees to have the opportunity to improve their health but their high stress jobs make identifying options for stress relief while at work imperative.  

Let’s face it, when you sit at a desk all day, it is hard to stay healthy and active. In most office jobs, people are afforded the opportunity to get up for a multitude of reasons - to take a bathroom break, refresh coffee, chat with a coworker about the weekend, head to lunch, or to just simply to stretch their legs.

Unfortunately, in the world of 911 dispatch, security monitoring, utility monitoring or in any call center, employees are tied to their desks. Want to get up and walk around the office? What if an emergency call comes in? The truth is, in these 24/7 industries, it is just not that easy!