How to Get More Complete Site Survey Measurements

A site survey builds the foundation for every part of a sign project. Errors at this stage can ripple through the installation, causing additional costs, missed deadlines and upset customers. Unfortunately, many signage companies rely on time-consuming and error-prone manual processes to take measurements and photos and incorporate them into the production and design phases. With a modern measuring approach, you can complete site surveys more accurately and quickly and connect them with the rest of your signage projects.

Let’s look at typical site survey issues and how to avoid them.

Common Problems Within the Sign Survey Process

Almost every sign company faces one or more of these complications at some point during their surveying operations.

• Lost notes and photos: Organization problems frequently cause surveyors to lose essential information, resulting in repeat site visits or uninformed decisions. This obstacle is especially prevalent if you’re combining digital and manual processes.
• Inaccurate or missing measurements: Unfortunately, inaccuracy and forgotten measurements are inherent in most manual measurement techniques. These human errors can impact your results.
• Coordinating multiple photos and notes: Site surveys involve taking measurements and pictures from multiple angles, especially when working with complicated layouts. When looking back on them later, it can be hard to tell what’s what and make informed decisions.
• Long time frames for transferring data to other devices: In today’s fast-paced industry, returning to an office to upload photos and notes is a disadvantage. You should be able to update your system and communicate with stakeholders directly from the field.
• Lengthy turnaround times to print, mark up and organize information: These administrative tasks may seem insignificant, but they add up quickly. With traditional manual processes, you’ll need to mark up your photos and compile them for use by your team, other stakeholders and client presentations. These tasks can limit your efficiency and reduce the time you have to devote to more mission-critical tasks.
• Extensive training requirements: Site surveys often require experience and considerable training to learn field measurement tools and processes. These can increase the challenge of efficiently obtaining accurate measurements, especially when facing a challenging staffing market.

The Impact of Problems During a Site Survey

Every signage project relies on a thorough site survey. It provides the backdrop for the rest of the project, and errors made during a survey can ripple through other parts of the process. For example, a missed measurement might require a repeat site visit, which delays the project, increases labor costs and adversely impacts your relationship with the client. Incorrect site survey measurements could even reach the production phase, leading to costly replacements or drastically inaccurate estimates.

A poor site survey could cause further issues like:

• Reduced quote-to-win ratios
• Increased errors
• Costly return site visits, redesigns or other corrective action
• Inefficient survey processes that increase costs and completion times
• Poor communication
• Unhappy customers
• Increased safety risks
• Disorganized and hard-to-follow data
• Material waste due to inaccurate measurements

Without dependable measurements, your site survey can hinder more than it helps. Getting it right can help you work confidently and use the survey information to its fullest potential.

How to Improve Sign Site Surveys

Implementing technology is one of the best ways to avoid these obstacles. Evaluate how your site survey process performs in each of the following areas. If you have room for improvement, consider implementing an innovative survey system like Spike®, our compact laser measuring tool with a companion app that’s compatible with nearly any mobile device.

1. Improve Accuracy

Inaccurate site surveys can cause drastic problems down the road, including repeated surveys, redesigned products and delayed completion dates. The right equipment makes a remarkable difference in accuracy, with laser measurement devices offering some of the most accurate surveying resources available, especially at long distances.

Photo Measurement and Point-to-Point Measurements provide ±1% and ±3% accuracy, respectively.

2. Work More Efficiently

Though your survey must be thorough and accurate, it can’t take too much time out of your workday. Efficiency is the secret to completing more surveys and ultimately taking on more jobs. You’ll need speed while working on the site and throughout the rest of the project, such as sharing measurements with other stakeholders.

Spike’s easy-to-use interface requires minimal training and can take site survey measurements in a fraction of the time of traditional strategies. It also reduces the need for heavy equipment that could complicate the survey process.

3. Integrate the Survey Components

Unfortunately, many signage companies disconnect their site surveys from the rest of the project. You might have images stored on different devices, notes taken in various ways and stakeholders working from inconsistent information. Reconciling all this information becomes challenging and time-consuming, often leading to lost data or decisions based on out-of-date information.

With Spike, you can keep your survey data in one place. Photos, notes, measurements and communications become easy to find, access and share with this sophisticated signage tool.

4. Improve Communication With All Stakeholders

Your site survey should be integral to communications between you and stakeholders like subcontractors and clients. As you discuss the project, referring back to your survey measurements can help everyone stay on the same page. A sign measurement tool that simplifies communication can save time on compiling notes and measurements and discussing details with stakeholders, making it easy to stay connected.

5. Provide Easy Data Access

Similarly, easy access to data can help you work faster and communicate effectively. Organizing your site survey data in the cloud simplifies sharing, makes it easier to sift through information and allows you to work from anywhere. For instance, sharing an image of the site with superimposed measurements would be much more efficient than driving back to the office, accessing pictures stored on a local computer, sending them via email or text and adding numbers in a separate document.

A cloud-connected laser beam measurement device can make data access much more comprehensive and easy to implement.

If your site survey techniques fall short in any of these areas, you may have an opportunity for improvement, boosting your profitability, efficiency, win rates, customer satisfaction and even your surveyors’ safety.

How Spike® Can Help

Spike combines a streamlined solution to many signage site survey headaches with an exceptional return on investment. This laser measuring tool conveniently connects to nearly any mobile device and allows you to start gathering measurements and taking photos immediately. Its easy-to-use interface requires minimal training and pairs seamlessly with the Spike Cloud, an online space for storing images, making adjustments, sharing results and exporting data.

This comprehensive system offers the speed, accuracy and connectivity modern surveyors need to stay competitive, all at an affordable price. Shop Spike products today, or contact us to learn more!