Getting the most from your kit: protecting valuable items

As anyone involved in inventory management knows, it’s crucial that valuable portable items are used as intended with due care and responsibility. This helps ensure they remain in good working order and can produce the high quality results they are designed to. Here are some approaches used by our connect2 university and college customers in protecting their investments:

• For larger cameras and video kits checked out for use on location, staff make sure students have suitable transportation. Some include this in their loan terms and conditions or ask the question as a distinct step in the reservation process with the student’s response required before a reservation can be finalized
  
  
• Students may be asked to state they have adequate insurance cover in case expensive items are lost or stolen while in their possession. Again, this may be included as a mandatory question in the online process of making a booking
  
  
• At some institutions, a more rigorous approval process is in place for specific high value equipment items – where the exact intended use and location are reviewed prior to the reservation being confirmed. Meanwhile, more generic, lower value items will have instant automated authorizations in place to support fast access to resources
  
  
• If equipment damage occurs due to usage other than that described at the point of making a reservation, the student can be held to account. At these universities, the rule is that usage has to remain transparent and accountable. So say if a camera comes back with sand in the lens and water damage, the student can be challenged over the downtown location details given when making the reservation

Connect2 equipment checkout software offers a fully customizable booking process to accommodate various terms and conditions, as well as flexibility in the authorization process.

Generally speaking, only students with the required experience, skillset, and genuine requirement have access to borrow certain high-end resources. Controlling this through connect2 with integrated borrowing permissions makes it very easy to implement and establish as best practice. In this way, availability of specialized items is exclusive to those students that really need them, the return on investment is greater in terms of the quality of the work produced, and damages due to unintentional misuse are greatly reduced.

Benefits beyond protection of resources

Connect2 enables institutions to protect their resource investments while lending items more confidently. Not least, it encourages students to act responsibly when borrowing and using equipment. This has further benefits beyond investment protection. Putting the responsibility back in the hands of the student is critical for development of professional competencies. Above all, it helps keep them motivated by encouraging them to rise to the responsibility.

Connect2 equipment scheduling software helps support all of the elements discussed above through an online, automated, paperless system. Each of our customers has seen inventory management improve, students become more accountable, and resource utilization increase following the roll out of connect2 for equipment lending. Talk to us today to find out more!