Almost 300 years ago Benjamin Franklin wrote “time is money”. In our fast paced, modern, technologically advanced society the aphorism “time is money” is even more true now than it might have been in 1748. There’s never enough time!
In my previous blog post “Why Do I Need Survey Equipment?” I wrote about possible reasons for needing or being interested in survey equipment: total stations, GNSS equipment, 3D Lasers Scanners, etc. I suggested spending some time researching and looking at information online about the equipment you are interested in. Yes, I realize it’s hypocritical to say “there’s never enough time” and then tell you to spend time researching. Here in Saskatchewan, January is the perfect month to spend time researching and looking things up on the internet.
There is no way to get around the investment of time and learning that will need to take place when you are interested in purchasing survey equipment. The benefit will become clear as you use the equipment and begin to see savings in time, efficiency, and materials.
The amount of time saved using survey equipment typically increases with the amount of time it takes to master the equipment. With any type of equipment I’ve used I’ve noticed the same thing:
- The first few times I use the equipment/instrument it takes a while to get it set up, working properly, and learn best methods and procedures to achieve the desired outcome.
- Over the next few weeks, months, and years I get more familiar with methods and procedures, begin to learn little tips and tricks that improve my efficiency and the final product, and I am able to anticipate and be prepared for problems or issues that arise at work (and there are always problems or issues that arise at work).
- I finally master the equipment! I’m able to use the equipment/instrument to its full potential, work at peak efficiency, and it often feels like I’m on cruise control while working.
If you don’t have time or interest in doing research on the internet there are a couple of things you can do. First, you can contact survey equipment suppliers in your area – this is something I recommended in my previous blog. A member of their sales team will be more than willing to visit you and give you a demonstration of their equipment. This will require a time commitment to allow the salesperson to join you at work and perform the demonstration. It also means that you have to interact with a salesperson, which – depending upon the salesperson and their company – may or may not be irksome and frustrating.
My final recommendation would be to talk to others in your industry, especially if you trust their opinion. Find out if they’re using survey equipment and what kind they’re using. Ask them about pain points: what errors or issues have they encountered or what kinds of things do they wish were different about the equipment or software. What are they using the equipment for and have they seen an increase in productivity and efficiency since starting to use it?
If all else fails and you still have questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help increase awareness and interest in survey equipment! Survey is an important part of everyday work in an increasing number of fields and will only become more so in the future.
Geomatics Guru 