James Boatwright is the director of Bigprinting, which also produces signage. Boatwright, who also owns a software company, tasked the firm with creating an app that would dispel the need for sign-makers to spend additional time writing up sign surveys.

Boatwright comments: “We highlighted that no change was required to our product or installation methods, but we were simply spending too much time producing detailed sign surveys. It wasn’t collecting the data that was the problem - we were doing it the same as everyone else - drive to site with a camera and pad, take notes on the job, then drive back and type everything up into a decent looking document. It’s the latter that was taking the time, the need to repeat everything back in the office.

“For every sign job we did, we - like everyone else, were wasting hours of time typing up the survey for estimating, the customer & production department.”

Sign Surveys has already been downloaded 221 times since its launch on the App Store on October 4th and has garnered positive feedback from those in the industry. Katie Asken, of Make It Happen signage consultancy comments: “The Sign Survey app is a must have tool – especially for small and medium sized sign businesses. It’s quick and easy to use with each section being totally customisable. Everyone needs to know about this app!”

Boatwright is offering the fully-customisable app free of charge to small and medium-sized signage businesses, looking to streamline the estimation and surveying element of its workflow.

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