When you buy dispatch console furniture, you are making an important choice that will affect your team’s productivity for years. You do not want to make your purchases too quickly and end up with furniture that is not ideal for your team.
This advice will help you choose the best furniture for your dispatch center.
#1 Start With a Reputable Manufacturer for Your Dispatch Consoles
The best to way to ensure you are getting high-quality, durable dispatch console furniture is to work with a knowledgeable manufacturer.
A good relationship with the right manufacturer makes the buying experience easy. They will help with design, purchase price leverage, act as vendor liaison and maintain service continuity. In addition to providing you with the material quality you need for 24/7 mission critical work, a reputable manufacturer will help you with the regular maintenance or service you may need for your furniture and accessories.
We recommend choosing a console furniture manufacturer who can help you throughout the whole process, from design to installation. While there are only a few companies who can provide this level of detail to design, manufacturing and customer care, they are the ones who provide higher quality products and bring a valuable body of experience to the table.
Additionally, we recommend choosing a console manufacturer who can provide furniture for all areas of your facility, not just the dispatch center. Vendor consolidation allows you to implement a continuous design and technology throughout the building.
There are a handful of dispatch furniture manufacturers, like Russ Bassett, with a proven ability and reputation for supplying top quality dispatcher consoles in addition to conventional tables, storage space, and accessories. If you choose a manufacturer like Russ Bassett, you will know you are getting the quality you need.
#2 Plan for Work Zones for Your Mission Critical Space
If your funding vehicle allows, it is best to consider full-facility furniture needs before you buy your dispatch consoles. In addition to technology furniture, you will likely need conventional commercial furniture in many parts of your agency’s head quarters.
Before you start buying dispatch console furniture, break down your facility into different work zones. You may have a dispatch area, reception, work/mail room, training and meeting areas, spaces for storing different types of equipment, director offices, and a lounge or break space. Each team in your dispatch center will have different furniture and storage needs.
For example, a small PSAP with a single meeting room may not have enough space to set up the different seating arrangements needed for formal training, group discussions, and impromptu debriefing. This center may benefit from reconfigurable tables that can be arranged to provide more seating as needed.
However, the same center may not need these types of tables everywhere in the facility. Furniture for the dispatch area may need to be more durable and sturdy, with cable pass-throughs for wire management and storage for hardware.
Meanwhile, storage areas will need to be optimized for security, organization, and fast deployment. To meet these needs, choose a combination of shelving and locking cabinets. You may also want a work table or two for small equipment service.
If you plan furniture based on what you will need for different work zones and storage areas, you’ll cover all your bases, creating well-organized, efficient work spaces.
#3 Consider Dispatch Console Ergonomics
Look for a manufacturer who goes beyond the basic standards when designing for operator health. Good ergonomics and other design considerations improve the long-term health of your dispatchers.
In general, dispatchers should be able to sit with relaxed shoulders, feet flat on the floor, wrists resting slightly above the desktop, and plenty of back and arm support. That means your furniture must adjust to fit different body shapes and sizes. Another way you can help keep your dispatch team healthy is by finding furniture with sit-to-stand height adjustability. When used correctly, a sit-stand desk can reduce lower back pain and circulation.
To maximize healthy posture options, look for the following console furniture adjustability options:
- Adjustable surface height
- Adjustable monitor height
- Focal depth adjustment
- Peripheral depth control
- Controls located within ergonomic reach zones
- Clear space for a person’s knees, thighs, and feet under the desk.
#4 Look for Durability In Your Dispatch Console Furniture Options
Dispatch centers need exceptionally durable console furniture that can withstand shift work for a decade or more. The best furniture is rated for 24/7 durability and capable of protecting the technology you use.
Most high-quality PSAP technology furniture lasts 7-10 years of 24/7 use. PSAPs often receive funding for new furniture in line with this cycle.
Many durable dispatch console furniture pieces are designed with a combination of wood and metal construction. The best pieces are both structurally durable and include soft touch details that make the furniture comfortable and professional.
#5 Identify Helpful Features of the Dispatch Consoles
The speed and accuracy of communication at your dispatch center depends on a broad array of technologies: video, text, voice, VolP, and many other forms of data. What’s more, your dispatch center must be able to adapt to new technology as it develops. Technology will likely change before you replace your consoles.
To make your dispatch furniture work with all the systems you use, you need dispatch furniture that makes technology integration simple. Features like easy-access technology walls with integrated power and data, rack-mounted equipment, and dedicated cable channels for power and data can make your dispatch console safer and more functional.
For meeting and training rooms, you may want to choose furniture that is somewhat adjustable to accommodate different groups, especially if you are using the room for a wide variety of situations. Look for technology furniture that allows plug and play activity for emergency teams, training and debriefing.
Choosing the Best Dispatch Console Furniture for Your Team
At Russ Bassett, our goal is for every client to have an excellent experience working with us from project inception to successful installation and beyond. We strive to exceed expectations with our ongoing support.
All of our products are covered by a lifetime warranty and selected for decade-plus, shift work performance. We work to provide you with worry-free, safe, durable, and comfortable technology furniture. We design and build our dispatch consoles for 24/7 shared workspaces.
Contact us today to learn more about planning your dispatcher console systems and how we can help.