Xybix vs. Other Dispatch Desk Providers

Xybix vs. the Competition:
Other Dispatch Desk Providers

In a consumer society with endless options, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the choices. The best strategy is to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples and focus on the features you really need—whether you’re buying an actual Apple product, a car, or a 911 dispatch center console. To help with your research on consoles, we’ve compiled details on key differences and a handy side-by-side comparison chart based on options available from Xybix and our top competitors.

Xybix vs. EVANS Consoles

When you look for innovation, EVANS Consoles and Xybix stand shoulder-to-shoulder in offering unique features for operators and dispatchers. The EVANS and Xybix consoles carry a lifetime warranty on the parts they manufacture. A significant difference between these companies is access—the proximity to the manufacturing plant, the availability of the customer service department, and the number of entities the product sells through to get to you. Xybix products are made in the USA, the company takes pride in the 24/7 customer service department and it does not sell through a dealership network. Another difference between EVANS and Xybix arises in comfort and ergonomics. 

AMPLE KNEE & LEG SPACE

Space for your knees and legs goes beyond the desire to stretch out on a long shift. This space is dictated by OSHA for safety and necessary for proper ergonomic positioning.

EVANS Consoles provide ample space for computers under the consoles but not quite enough room to really stretch out and get comfortable. Xybix consoles place computer cabinets off to the side, leaving plenty of space to stretch while remaining productive. A user in a wheelchair or walking boot will appreciate the extra space.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT WHEN YOU NEED IT

In 911 centers, teams answer the phone and serve their communities and customers 24 hours a day. Don’t these dedicated users deserve the same level of service when something goes wrong?

EVANS Consoles has struggled to provide quick and effective solutions for their clients’ needs. This is why Xybix pulled best practices from other industries and developed a live 24-hour customer service process. Give them a call and you’ll hear the difference yourself. Xybix also works to ensure that all parts are available until aging products are truly obsolete.

ERGONOMICS FOR ALL

Consoles must be adjustable so users of any size can maintain neutral wrist alignment while standing or sitting with feet comfortably on the ground. These types of ergonomic adjustments matter in dispatch, utilities and healthcare roles that require 10- to 12-hour shifts.

EVANS Consoles fall short here with an adjustable range of 29" to 45.5". The Xybix sit-to-stand desk adjustable range is 22" to 48", accommodating everyone from the 5^th percentile sitting to the 95^th percentile standing. Whether you’re 4’11" or 6’2", the Xybix console lowers or raises to suit you.

To ensure that users actually make the ergonomic adjustments they need, Xybix provides an intuitive mobile app for saving settings. The Axys control center saves an unlimited number of settings for desktop height, climate controls, and lighting colors for an unlimited number of users at shared workstations. EVANS only offers a Windows-based app that saves settings for 4 users.

MADE IN THE USA

Location matters when it comes to efficient delivery and service.

EVANS Consoles manufactures up in Calgary, so your freight charges include that extra distance. The Xybix manufacturing facility is conveniently located in Littleton, Colorado, smack in the middle of the United States. We provide good jobs in our community and stand at the ready for any service needs.

THE BENEFIT OF A FAMILY-OWNED MANUFACTURER

When you work with a business that is owned and run by family members, they take your projects personally.

EVANS boasts nearly 45 years’ experience in manufacturing and designing for control rooms, but the corporation is driven by financial interests. With Xybix, the Carson family has been involved in the day-to-day business for 35 years. Dave Carson and his sons Kenny and Barry are passionate about quality, safety, and ergonomics to ensure that your employees are able to be at their best every day. If you have an issue with a Xybix console, the family reputation is on the line and they are ready to serve.

Xybix vs. Russ Bassett Consoles

Few companies will work as hard for your business as the teams at Xybix and Russ Bassett. Both have expert sales organizations that know how to get you answers fast. Where Russ Bassett falls short is in usability, ergonomics, safety, and warranty.

EASILY SWAP IN LARGER & CURVED MONITORS

If it seems like everyone is upgrading from 24" to 42" (and bigger!) screens, it’s because they are. Prices are going down while monitor size and resolution are going up, leading to proven gains in productivity. Consoles need to be able to handle the weight and shape of these new screens.

The Russ Bassett solution works well in terms of monitor placement, but has some issues. The screens are mounted on monitor arms that mount to a slatwall array. The monitor arms, however, often are not strong enough to bear the weight of the monitors. Over time, the arms start to sag and require continual tightening. In addition, lifts under the slatwall intrude on your leg space under the console.

Xybix engineers foresaw the need to manage more and heavier monitors and designed a multi-monitor array to handle these larger and curved screens. The curved arc fits the arc of the new curved screens, and the solid mounts prevent droopy screens. As a side benefit, the monitor array allows for easy ergonomic adjustments at shift change.

ERGONOMIC EASE OF USE

While dispatch console manufacturers love to tout their ergonomic features, they know the features are meaningless if people don’t use them. Despite the benefits—such as preventing carpal tunnel, eyestrain, and neck pain—users just won’t bother to make adjustments if they’re tedious or confusing.

That’s why Xybix offers an intuitive mobile app, Axys, which allows an unlimited number of users to save settings. Users can save desktop height, climate controls, and lighting colors as “scenes,” and activate a scene with a touch of a button. The closest thing Russ Bassett offers is a desktop dashboard of manual controls to adjust.

DURABILITY TESTED TO THE BIFMA STANDARD

The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) develops safety and performance standards to ensure the safety and quality of office furniture solutions. To meet voluntary BIFMA standards, manufacturers must submit products for rigorous testing that encompass setup, strength, durability, usability, stability, and more.

Russ Bassett consoles are not BIFMA certified. All Xybix products and moving parts are engineered for optimal performance and they easily withstand BIFMA testing. These third-party tests help ensure superior product performance over time.

CONFIDENCE THROUGH WARRANTIES

When you believe in your product, it clearly shows in your warranty program. For consoles used in mission-critical 24/7 organizations, you want to know that products are made to last and repairs guaranteed.

Russ Bassett has a nice 10-year warranty program. But the company will not warranty anything they sell for more than 10 years—even with the parts they manufacture. If you want a warranty that covers your product for as long as you own it, look to Xybix. All Xybix-manufactured parts are warrantied for life while moving parts are guaranteed for 10 years. Many Xybix customers are still working happily at consoles that are 12–20 years old.

Xybix vs. Watson Consoles

Xybix and Watson both build durable console furniture using a combination of sustainable wood and steel. These companies are both privately owned and have been in the industry for decades. Both offer lifetime warranties on the parts they manufacture, and their workstations feature ample legroom. But Xybix is the clear choice when it comes to creating a quiet workspace with one-touch ergonomic adjustments, IT access to monitors, and project management services.

A COMFORTABLE WORKSPACE

Most dispatch console manufacturers, including Xybix, offer acoustic panel systems to absorb sound and offer privacy where needed. Generally, the panels are available in various colors and surfaces—fabric, whiteboard, etc.—for both usability and aesthetic reasons. Watson offers only half walls, which provide little to no sound absorption or privacy.

In addition, Watson has no ability to save ergonomic and personal comfort settings, including desktop height, heating, cooling, and lighting colors. Xybix, meanwhile, offers an intuitive mobile app for saving settings as an unlimited number of “scenes.” A touch of a button allows Xybix console users to make the ergonomic adjustments they need to prevent musculoskeletal injuries and eyestrain while enhancing personal comfort to boot.

EASY MONITOR SWAPS

Upgrading stationary monitors is not easy. You may need to crawl on the floor or throw yourself across the desk to reach the back of the monitor. In addition, consoles need to accommodate ever-larger and new curved monitors.

Watson’s Mercury solution supports different monitor sizes, but it is not easy to swap out monitors. No so with the Xybix patented Rollervision system. The sturdy arc allows for quick release and replacement of monitors using the standard VESA mounting brackets that adapt to all monitors. When upgrading to large screens or wide curved screens, Rollervision’s arc support system is designed to fit the largest and most challenging setup. (Bonus: Rollervision makes it a snap to achieve the proper focal distance and prevent tired eyes.)

PROJECT MANAGEMENT & CARPET INSTALLATION

You know how it goes even at home—you rearrange the furniture and spot a dire need for new carpet. This situation occurs x10 with the removal of PSAP consoles—maybe you find holes in the floor for the prior electrical configuration or faded walls where filing cabinets stood. It’s likely that you’ll want new flooring, and it's as likely that you’ll appreciate help managing all the tradespeople.

The difference between Watson and Xybix is vast here, as only Xybix has a field operations team with decades of flooring contractor experience. Xybix even has carpet tile samples and can offer installation quotes for your upcoming project.