be a salesperson’s best friend. Jaunakais states that customers are easi- ly won over by precise testing. “When used by professionals to sell or service water fil- ters, reverse osmosis systems or softeners, customers are impressed by the sophistica- tion of equipment being used to give exact concentrations for the test,” he says. Robinson echoes that sentiment, “If a pic- ture is worth a thousand words, sharing the resulting values of an accurate handheld sample with the customer before and after treatment takes away much of the mystery.” Accuracy, however, is not a given with every handheld. Many devices have differ- ent degrees of accuracy. Robinson states, “Accuracy specifica- tions can make it difficult to determine what you’re actually getting. Percent of scale is very different from percent of read- ing, particularly when testing a wide range of values. You must understand what your accuracy requirement actually is, then determine if the device is capable of per- forming to it.” look for in a handheld. While multiple-touch user interfaces might be welcomed by the tech savvy, they can cause confusion for some that are not as computer friendly. “If programming is not your cup of tea, you might want to consider what’s required to take a sample, record that sam- ple and calibrate the device,” advises Robinson. “Many devices have features that on paper appear advantageous, but when you try to apply them in the field, they are simply not practical.” Handhelds have come a long way in recent years — they are faster, more accu- rate and easier to use than their analog ancestors. And with new innovations occurring
Many devices have features that appear
advantageous, but when you try to apply them
in the field, they are simply not practical.
— Dan Robinson
rapidly, handhelds should continue to improve as technology advances. “I see future handhelds being smaller, smarter and more capable,” predicts Robinson. “As microprocessor chips become more compact, efficient and pow- erful, the devices will be able to perform additional functions, parameters and tasks. With the advancing technology, I see future handhelds solving more and more of the water treatment professional’s prob- lems in one very capable tool.” Samborn also foresees feature upgrades for handhelds. “The inclusion of digital calibration and on-screen temperature display may soon become the norm for the mid-priced and up handhelds,” Samborn states. Jaunakais envisions a future where handhelds are commonplace. “Handheld colorimeters will become as normal as mobile phones within another two years in the water industry,” he concludes. WT
Reliability and durability Handhelds must be sturdy enough to hold up to the sometimes harsh environ- ment in which they’re meant to serve. “All products should be built to last,” says Samborn, “but it’s important to keep in mind that digital testing instruments are portable scientific electronic devices that are continually exposed to water. The last thing a dealer wants is for a meter not to work during a sales or service call.” No matter how durable they may be, most handhelds will have to be serviced or will require replacement parts from time to time. “Can the device be field serviced or does it require factory service?” asks Robinson. “Are the consumable goods (batteries, life- limited sensors, etc.) easily obtained and installed? If you do need to get factory service or support, is it easy to obtain?”
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