I previously wrote a blog highlighting which companies selling imaging desks will be at RSNA.  If you are shopping for a new desk, the following advice should help get you to the right booth without wasting time.  

Once you get to the booth and start talking to the helpful (pesky?) salesperson, what are some good questions to ask?  If you are like me, you probably think of them after you’ve already walked away. Fortunately, I have put together some questions that will help you make your best decision.  

In the first installment of tips on how to choose your imaging furniture provider, we went over the basics of why it’s important to look for a provider who wants to have a long-term relationship with you, along with what to expect from warranties and customer service. So, as promised, we’re back with more details on how to choose a furniture provider. Without further ado, let’s pick up where we left off by discussing what things to take into account before signing on!

As a customer, you can and should expect high quality products, as well as a full service support team, when choosing an imaging furniture provider. What you really want is a partner, meaning the provider is looking for a long-term relationship instead of just hoping to close the first sale. It takes some time and research to find the best provider for the job, and here is some sound advice to help you on your way.

When it comes to purchasing dispatch furniture, there are many reasons why touring the manufacturing facility that you’re buying furniture from can be beneficial. Why should you take the time to do this? Why is it important to know how manufacturers build their furniture? Why is a plant visit a critical part of due diligence?

APCO International’s 81st Annual Conference and Expo is right around the corner, and that means all of the newest and most innovative dispatch furniture will be on display for the world to see. Ha, ha, ha! Ok, not really! Similar to last year and every other year, you'll see almost all of the same vendors making a repeat cameo appearance!

So, same vendors, same sales pitch, pretty much the same product. With a variety vendors offering 911 furniture choices, it can be tricky arriving at an informed decision when it comes to who to make a purchase with for your next dispatch furniture project. This list of questions can be used to help narrow down which vendor has the product best suited for your needs:

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:

Purchasing capital equipment is always a fun and exciting endeavor (insert sideways glance). It always proves to be a politically driven, a molehill-out-of-an-anthill struggle that can make even the most seasoned professionals wave the white flag. So, how do you make nice with the powers that be in the ivory tower? You present strategic and economical solutions, that’s how!

Being new at something is equally exciting and terrifying. On one hand, you’re in uncharted territory and you are constantly in awe – think Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz stepping into Technicolor. You are a sponge, absorbing as much as you can to learn about the new challenge. On the other hand, you don’t know what you don’t know and there is an overload of information to retain.

Thinking of re-modeling your imaging center? Maybe even replacing a few desks? Purchasing new furniture? Here are a few questions you should ask your next imaging desks provider:

1. Is it possible to have custom sizes that meet our environmental constraints without paying custom up charges? It is possible. Look for manufacturers who build their own product. What does this mean? Doesn't every manufacturer build their own stuff? No. Some companies just buy parts from other manufacturers and sell them as their product. This limits them to supply only what they have available, not what you need. Ask if they manufacture their entire product?
   
   

Keeping your computers cool is an important concern to address in your dispatch center as a hot, running computer will show you the blue screen of death if it gets too warm. While this is a built-in fail-safe for the CPU itself, this is not what a dispatcher wants, especially in the middle of an important call. Computers that run on higher temperatures also tend to have shorter life spans which can lead to spending budget money sooner than you would like.