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.

I just had a great conversation with one of Xybix’s longtime customers in Joliet, IL. I still remember our presentation with Joliet/Will County. Sometimes you just know right away that it is a great fit, and this was one of those times.  

What got me excited to write this blog is that the furniture in Joliet is now 10 years old, and according to the chief administrator who has been there the whole time, it still looks new. I found this out as we were discussing depreciation rates of the dispatch consoles. This falls into how long you should hold onto your dispatch furniture. Each center is going to see things differently. In this case, they are looking at the 12-year mark, and they may go to 15 if needed.  

In 2014, we built an entirely new 911 center. Prior to our new center, we were in a basement for 36 years, our last furniture system (a Xybix competitor) we had for over 10 years. “We won’t make that mistake again”. 

With another year of RSNA is behind us, we have had a weekend to rest up and now it is time to go back to work. With over 20 years of building and selling height adjustable desks for imaging centers and 24/7 markets I always like to cruise the show floor and see what is new each year at RSNA. 

In the business world, everyone talks about return on investment (ROI). Recently, I have been seeing this term pop-up more and more in relation to buying dispatch furniture.  It’s often illustrated like this:  

Cost of work station: $22,000.00

Longevity in years: 15

Cost per year: $1,466.00  

This magic number of dollars to return on investment is simply about profit margins and the bottom dollar. When in fact, ROI can actually be much more complex than this.

I want to ask a simple question: how often do you read the labels on your packaged food? Are you Person A, meaning you thoroughly inspect the label for hidden chemicals or cleverly-named additives, or are you Person B, which means you just toss the package/can in the cart because you know Uncle Sam won’t let companies put anything too crazy in the food?