7 Things to Consider When Purchasing a Charging Cart

by Natalie Schlueter

Choosing devices for your environment can be a difficult task. Knowing where and how to store, manage, and deploy these devices can be an even more difficult task. Charging carts can increase efficiency, and save you time and money if deployed correctly and used correctly.

If you have never purchased charging carts for your environment before, or are considering an upgrade, it can be difficult to know which cart is the best for your situation and technology.

Read more to learn 7 things to consider when purchasing a charging cart.

1. Capacity

How many devices do you need to charge? If it is a small fleet, something like a CUBE Micro Station® would suffice. When you are considering a product for a small group of devices, think about the space the product needs to live in. If the space is small, investing in a product that can attach to the wall like the CUBE Micro Station® or any Smart Hub that sits on a desk would be the best option.

If the devices need to travel from place to place, then a charging cart with mobile ability would enable users to transport the devices wherever they need to go. Carts carry more devices than a traditional station would. Bretford charging carts range in capacity from 16 to 45 devices total.

Consider the space you have and the amount of devices that need management in order to choose from a station with a smaller footprint, or a cart with a larger capacity and mobility options.

Planning out the amount of devices needed and how many of those will be in your hands to change, manage, and secure will help you decide which solution to agree to. Make sure that whichever solution you choose, the amount of devices can be easily supported and charged no matter what.

2. Accessibility

Accessibility can be a major influencer in your device management plan. Carts come in all different forms from an open concept to a very secure system for devices. When considering different charging carts, imagine the type of person who will be utilizing the cart most often. Are they young and need something easy to grab and see? Are they an adult who wouldn’t mind easy access to their device? Or would they like the devices to be more secure?

The easiest access you will have for a charging cart would be an open concept cart with no doors. This would come in the form of a traditional book cart with charging capabilities, like the CUBE Transport®. This cart can be easy to use and quick to move with it’s extremely open concept.

A less open concept, but still easy and quick to deploy devices and reboard devices is the CUBE Toploader™. This cart protects devices from being damaged, lost or stolen with increased security, and also allows for easy reboarding of devices with a door that opens from the top like a chest. These types of carts are most efficient in a classroom setting, but can be used in many different environments.

Whichever one works best for your environment is the best one for you, but make sure there is a conversation that happens before the purchase of your charging carts to ensure that the right cart is chosen for your unique situation.

3. End User Ease of Use

An effective cord management system can save you time, money and ultimately increase your efficiency. It is known that over an hour of manpower can be saved with effective pre-wired charging carts.

It is important to consider the amount of time and staff you have to set up the amount of carts you need. A pre-wired option can save an hour of time by having all wires already inserted into the cart for you upon arrival. Pre-wired options are a good way to ensure you have a strong device management solution and cord management solution. Without both, you will not be able to experience the increased efficiency you had hoped for with your new devices.

Even though pre-wired is the best way to maximize efficiency at your organization, there are other ways to increase productivity and ensure a user friendly experience wiring carts.

Bretford’s unique Cable Boss™ cord management system is the perfect cord organizer that has a user friendly system to effectively wire all device bays while hiding all adaptors and wires in the back of the cart, out of sight. It is like a personal cable management box in each cart.

4. Personalization

Your brand is your being, your identity, the way the world views you. Why not have it on your charging carts as well? When considering a charging cart, make sure you consider the cart much more than an additional support cart. It is something that will be utilized daily and probably will travel throughout the organization daily. Make sure that the cart you purchase represents or says something about your brand.

This might not seem like a big deal, but having cheerful, branded carts rolling down the hallways of your organization will provide a unified feel to something that can feel mundane if not thought about properly.

Bretford offers personalized carts with 16 color options to choose from and the option to add your unique logo to the cart as well. With options like these, you will be able to have your brand resonate throughout all of your organization, even in the seemingly industrious charging carts.

5. Longevity

Would you like your new carts to last a long time? Are you planning on using these carts daily? If you answered yes to either of these or both of these it is imperative that you buy a product that is durable, and is built to last. This means that you should try and find products that are 95% made of steel to support the wear and tear of everyday use in a fast-paced environment.

You should also consider the warranty that is attached to the cart you choose. A 7 year mechanical warranty is standard, but think about the warranty for the electrical side of the cart. Bretford offers a one-of-a-kind 7 year electrical and mechanical warranty that is designed with the consumer in mind. A non-nonsense warranty like this provides you with added security knowing that your valued solution will be taken care of no matter what the issue may be.

Plan out how long you think that the devices will be used in the capacity they are being used in and then plan accordingly with finding quality charging carts to support that plan. Make sure that the charging cart is part of the solution and not an addition to the problem at hand with a guaranteed long life.

6. Need for Security

It is important to consider where the carts and devices will live and if the devices need to be secured. Security is not an issue with locking charging carts that will provide a safe environment for devices overnight while they charge for the next day. A cart like the CUBE Cart® Pre-Wired option will allow for your devices to charge and be secure for the next day.

If you are not in need of security open-concept carts or other solutions might be the best option as they are easier for fast-paced environments with devices in view. A solution like the CUBE Transport® Cart would be a good option if there is no need for security, but there is a need to grab devices fast.

Whatever your need may be, make sure that you consider and audit every place that the devices will need to be. If there is a place where added security might be necessary, it would be the best option to go with something that is enclosed and can lock, even if for most of the time the devices will not need to be secured.

7. Variety of Devices

Will you be needed to charge a variety of devices? It is a policy at your school or place of work that users can bring their own device? If you said yes to either of these questions, you will need to consider charging solutions that house a variety of sized devices. There can be a one size fits all solution for your organization and scenario as long as you choose the right solution for this need.

A cart like the Core® X Cart that has adjustable device slots to fit the width of any device will allow you to manage the bring your own device strategy and allow students or other users to charge their device in a cart that suits them.

Finding a cart that does everything you want and more might be a difficult task to undertake, but here at Bretford we know we have a solution that will fit you best. If you would like to find the solution that will suit you and your organizational needs, reach out to one of our reps today with our “contact” button, or visit below to browse some of our very best options!

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