Every inch of retail space has value. Adjusting and optimizing a current space can make all the difference in a competitive and ever-changing market. Ascertaining what interior and exterior space design changes need to be made starts with one crucial first step: a retail site survey. How you approach this survey impacts the effectiveness of your project and, ultimately, your store’s success.
What is a Retail Site Survey & Why is it Important?
A retail site survey notes, maps, and measures all existing physical elements inside and outside of a store, including the architecture and infrastructure. It’s usually performed as a walk-through, when surveyors take photos and record details like doors, walls, shelving, signage, displays, kiosks, and brand colors. They’ll also locate and review blueprints of the structure, noting any changes since the original build.
Collecting data is the crucial first step of a retailer’s infrastructure design project. This information guides store owners, procurement managers, and construction teams as they make critical choices about changes to interior and exterior spaces.
Some businesses attempt to conduct their own in-house site surveys, which can be daunting, especially for chains with multiple locations. In addition, there’s much more room for error. Tape measures and photos can never capture the intricate details of a retail space. Invariably a measurement won’t get captured, necessitating yet another survey.
A 3D scan stores all measurements, making it possible for retailers to access them at any time. In fact, the surveys can be accessed via any smartphone, tablet, or VR headset. This is why more and more retailers are taking a creative and contemporary approach and hiring enterprising design companies to develop virtual, visual, 3D site surveys.
How a 3D Retail Site Survey Benefits Your Business
A 3D site survey delivers the same information as a traditional site survey, including measurements and floor plans, but takes the viewer on a virtual walk-through of the retail environment. This interactive experience shows all angles of the store and allows the user to move about freely, zoom in or out, and explore all corners of the space.
This deep digital dive benefits store owners, procurement managers, construction crews, and adjacent teams in myriad ways.
Saves on resources. Hiring a company to perform a 3D site survey produces better results than trying to manage this step in-house. Relying on internal employees to procure equipment or undergo training for even a basic site survey costs companies time and money.
Promotes collaboration. Digitized 3D site surveys are simple to use, for everyone involved in the project. The visual elements can be easily viewed and shared by stakeholders. Designers and installers can see what their worksite looks like, measure difficult to reach areas, and organize site documents in a collaborative space, facilitating proactive communication.
Informs all departments. From risk management and loss prevention teams to marketing and merchant teams, the site survey allows everyone to see exactly what a store looks like. Departments can utilize the information to inform current and future strategies.
Ensures brand consistency. For retailers who manage chains or are looking to expand, hiring a company to handle the entire project from start to finish ensures that design elements are realistic, repeatable, and buildable across multiple locations.
There’s less confusion when the project moves out of one phase and into another, such as from the team who designs the signage to the team who builds it. Choosing a single comprehensive company often proves more affordable and easier to manage than hiring multiple contractors.
3D Site Surveys and Environmental Design Solutions
Begin your infrastructure design project with a detailed 3D retail site survey from King Retail Solutions. We’ll handle all the subsequent steps of your project as well, including design, fabrication, and installation. Contact us today to learn more about how we can assist you.
