Virtual Cosmopolitan

Author: Amanda

Google maps is a very underappreciated application. For its intended use, it’s very helpful, giving us a chance to use satellite imaging to see a location that we haven’t traveled to. Now, if you use Google maps you may have noticed the ability to use the satellite mapping from ground level. Instead of seeing the map from an aerial point of view, you drag the little gold stick figure located above to the zoom bar and place it on the map. Where the figure lands you are given a street-view of the area, in this map format you can ‘turn around’ and zoom in on different locations. What makes this such a wonderful application for the Sign shop is the ability to view existing signs.

Often we have customers arrive wondering how much it would cost to replace an existing sign. Most have just moved into the store location, they don’t know the size of the current sign, the material it’s made of, how high up it is, or how it’s bolted in, from the top of their head. Before Google maps there wasn’t much we could do to help our customers without having to do an initial site visit. However, with the new application we simply enter the customers address and zoom in on their current address. We’ve worked in the business long enough that we can make a valid guess of the material, and how it’s bolted in just by seeing an image. We can judge how high the sign is and whether or not it will need scaffolding for install. This saves us hours of travel from extra site visits, and we’re able to give more accurate quotes to our customers on their first arrival, e-mail or call.

I personally also like clicking on random places on the map to see how cities look across World. With just a small drag I can see Kyoto, Japan or Lyon, France over lunch break.