New technology provides small surveying firms the ability to expand their business without sacrificing quality or overburdening the business with excessive overhead.
All small surveying firms reach the point where they want to expand their business, but the owners hesitate because they do not want to take on more or larger projects than they can handle. Many surveyors also express concerns about the potential sacrifices in quality that may occur if they expand too rapidly. Additionally, these small business owners worry about the overhead associated with hiring more crewmembers. A recent article in Point of Beginning provides a case study illustrating how a small Ohio surveying firm leveraged new advances in surveying technology to expand their business in a cost effective manner while maintaining the quality their clients have come to expect from their firm.
The Advantages of Using Robots
Jared Atkins, who owns the Alliance, Ohio based Aktins Land Surveying with his father, saw a demonstration of the Leica TCRP 1205 Robotic Total Station at a trade show. He convinced his father that this technology offered the solution they needed to overcome the barriers they faced in their efforts to expand their business. After much research and discussion, they decided to purchase the robot.
Some of the benefits they realized during their first year of using this robot included:
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• An increased ability to take on larger projects and meet deadlines without the need to hire new crew members
• More flexibility in the scope of services they can provide and the number of projects they can work
• They found they could complete projects more quickly because the robot did not need to take breaks
Despite the significant capital investment required to purchase the robot, the Atkins family found they recouped 50 percent of the cost by not having to pay wages and benefits for new crewmembers
How do you plan to use emerging technology in your surveying business?
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