It’s a common question: "What’s the average lifespan of dispatch console furniture?" Potential customers often raise this question, which calls to mind advice shared by a real estate agents during house-hunting: should buyer's ask why sellers are selling? "No, they won’t give you the full story anyway.” It's a fair point. No one’s likely to admit, “The neighbor’s dog barks all night and drives us crazy.“ When questions about console furniture durability arise, it’s tempting to make a remarks like, “It lasts a thousand years!” But the topic is important. Everyone wants to know if the furniture will endure or if unexpected replacement costs will crop up in just a few years. Here is an informed and detailed perspective on what to expect.

A "Meet and Measure" with Xybix is much more than just pulling out a measuring tape and jotting down wall dimensions. It’s the first step in creating a workspace that’s custom designed to your needs. Think HGTV-style renovation, but for your dispatch center! Here’s a  guide to help you prepare and know what to expect during this crucial first step in the process.

In operations centers for 911 dispatch, utilities, transportation, and security, monitors matter. The 6 to 8 monitors at your console are your window into the world you’re working to serve and protect. To serve you well, the monitors need to be positioned properly, which is where monitor mounts come in.

Most dispatch console manufacturers—including Xybix—are expert with the shoehorn. We help PSAPs and operation centers add or replace consoles as needed, and our designers work with the center to make it all fit. We love the creativity that goes into this process, and we’re happy to be involved in any upgrade or remodeling project.

That said, when console manufacturers get the chance to be involved from the inception of a project, we jump! For a new center—not hampered by tight spaces or weird columns—we can employ all our innovative technologies and years of experience in creating functional and inviting floor layouts. Plus, we bring the expertise in the unique needs of dispatch centers to the architects and interior designers involved in the project. Read on for details.

Well-designed dispatch consoles are so sleek that it’s easy to wonder where the computers go. For most people, it doesn’t really matter until the computer breaks or needs an upgrade. Then you care how fast IT can take care of it, and IT certainly cares about having to crawl around the floor or squeeze behind a heavy desk.

Backup 911 call centers used to be bare bones—just enough to get the dispatchers up and running at a moment’s notice. These days, PSAPs are starting to build more robust backup centers, likely due to the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. Whatever the cause of this trend, creating a space with a similar setup helps PSAPs remain mission ready and maintain response times, no matter where they are located.

In the 15 years that I’ve been sharing my thoughts and knowledge through our Xybix blog, our most popular blogs are consistently on boosting morale in dispatch. People are thirsty for information on this topic—likely because high morale at a 911 comms center is proven to improve the quality and efficiency of work, job satisfaction, and employee retention while decreasing absenteeism and burnout. (And, I like to think, because making people happy in their jobs is the right thing to do.)

Building or remodeling the space for the lifeblood of an organization is a serious investment in material goods and services along with employee health and morale. Critical functions take place around the clock at 911 dispatch centers, radiology imaging rooms, telemetry labs, utilities and transportation control centers, and the like. The professionals who work there need spaces and desks designed for their specialized equipment and 24/7 operations.

Our customers are always happy to share how much they appreciate the control that we give them over their personal climate. And this doesn’t just mean heating and cooling—it also means lighting. In fact, thoughtful lighting design and controls have been proven to improve morale, health, productivity, energy efficiency, and more. According to Green Bee Energy Efficiency consulting firm:

Long shifts and stressful work result in muscle tension that follows you home in form of headaches and body aches. To help, Certified Personal Trainer and Xybix North Central Territory Manager, Jhovana Cervantes, demonstrates a variety of practical stretches that dispatchers can easily do at their desks or on break.