Signage is one of the last things companies or campuses will do upon moving into or remodeling their buildings. For purposes of illustration, we’ll focus on wayfinding signs here but it could apply to any type of signage.
Let’s assume you’ve invested the time and energy into a uniform sign program and some modular approach for your wayfinding signs such as Vista signs. Even if you’re successful in managing your signage program in-house what other factors must you consider?
- Attrition
- Sign Distributors
- Central Purchasing
Attrition at either your company or the sign company can cause the sign program to be compromised. Graphics or templates get lost or discarded. The wayfinding sign inserts must be re-created and the colors, fonts and calibration values of the machines must also be re-created too to mirror the existing signage.
There are numerous sign distributors throughout the country so if the material or product that you’re trying to source is not very common, it becomes a formidable challenge for your local sign company to procure. Sign distributors also change their materials over time so it’s possible that even if you were able to find it you may discover that it’s not exactly what your originally installed. Acrylic or faux metal inserts for wayfinding signs is just one example where this can occur.
Finally, set up a single point of contact when ordering your signage especially if you have distributed offices or are located in a campus environment. Establishing a central purchasing entity will mitigate any downstream issues.