Maybe you just started in your new role, or maybe you have been with the same company for a long time. Either way, when it’s time to update the command and control center, it’s time. You know it, and your operators also know it. Providing a comfortable, ergonomic environment for your people is the right thing to do. 

It’s important to start with your mindset. Is the purchase of new consoles a cost or an investment? If it is a cost, that will be tricky to justify. I can just hear management say that they already have desks that work, so why would they spend money on that? Instead, try to think of it of as an investment for your people. A more comfortable environment improves the health and performance of your team, which can surely lead to a ROI.

If you’re advocating that new consoles or workstations are an investment for your people, here are some important factors that will help make your case:

via GIPHY
I usually like to do a review on all of the competitors and highlight what was new at APCO 2017. I was busy this year (busy is a good thing), so I didn’t really get to check everything out this year.  

That being said, I still took notice of overall trends that will affect what your dispatch console furniture will look like in the next few years. Here’s my two cents on what to expect in the near future:

Perhaps you’ve been noticing that your current work space just isn’t what is used to be. Maybe the furniture is beginning to show some breakdown, or perhaps the style is simply outdated and unpleasant to look at. Even worse, maybe your colleagues are hunched over the desks and operating their jobs in uncomfortable positions. And they’re telling you about it. (Image via GIPHY)

If you have ever bought a new house, you know that the house comes basically as a shell. Without knowing it, this probably means that you'll be getting carpet in your kitchen and laminate flooring throughout. As for the carpet, you'll get the choice a hideous shade of gray or an even worse shade of what they call "beige" and a lackluster carpet pad that might as well be non-existent. Anything that would be included and installed as “standard” is often the cheapest of the cheap. You'll have to expand your budget or subtract some common features if you’re even going to start thinking about doing things like changing the paint color or adding hardwood floors. All the sudden that dream home you'd visioned is looking a bit more cloudy.

There are many different avenues out there when purchasing your height-adjustable dispatch workstations and dispatch furniture. Some 911 Comm Centers require a three-quote process, others purchase directly off of state contracts, and some "piggy-back" off of open contracts in their states. If your 911 Comm Center chooses or requires a formal bid process, the journey can be more complicated than you expect! You will have to draft up arequest for proposal (RFP), which often has an addendum or two. Then you also have to think about reviewing and scoring the submittals. Then, when the RFP is closed and the vendor is awarded, you might think, "Hooray! We're in the clear!" Let me put the brakes on that dream wagon; there's still some more work to do.

I have witnessed many instances where 911 Comm Center staff members are shopping for new equipment, but they will not call any references of the vendors-in-question. I am not sure why this is? Maybe the dispatch managers know that the companies they’re looking into will only send them the “good” references, maybe they simply do not have the time to call around, or maybe they just feel silly asking someone else if they’ve made a good choice or not.

This is something that we get asked quite a bit. Understandably, many of you want to get the best value out of your purchase for dispatch furniture. This consists of the initial cost of the dispatch station as well as the expectant lifetime of the product and the warranty. Getting the most for your money is important no matter where you work.

There are several different avenues available for researching new dispatch furniture, and sorting through them all can often feel overwhelming. Depending on how your center makes this kind of purchase, you might have to collect three or more quotes, purchase off of a specific contract, or even go through a bid process. It’s also likely that a salesperson will visit your center with some literature and provide a proposal configuration.

Doing your own research during this time is critical, as it gives you as a buyer or an end user a good foundation to pinpoint your specific needs. One of the best ways to achieve this is by going on a field trip or Comm Center tour! Visiting neighboring centers or taking a tour at a national trade show are a couple of the most educational ways to explore furniture options, as you’ll get to see the furniture in person and ask the staff and representatives questions about their experience with it.

DistribuTECH is right around the corner. Are you building or updating a TOC or DOC with new command center consoles? What are some questions you need to be asking as you start the planning process? Or, if you are already in the process, what types of questions should you be asking now that can save you time, money and energy down the line?

Personally, I am not a dispatcher. However, I am lucky enough to get to spend time with many first responders, and I have learned a lot from this great group of individuals over the years. Specifically, I’ve been educated on what does and doesn’t work for them when it comes to their dispatch consoles. While I came into this market with an understanding of how office furniture is designed, manufactured and installed, the furniture needs of an administrative setting are a bit simpler when compared to the complicated needs of a dispatch center. The dispatchers who I’ve gotten to know have opened my eyes to how important the process of selecting new dispatch console truly is.