The Big Machines

I was visiting a large engineering firm today. It was my first time to this particular outfit. It was very professional and I really liked what I saw.

However instead of being the hustle bustle type place it was constructed to be it was a ghost town.

The Big Machines have slowed way down to.

The thing that I find the most interesting is that companies like this ones client base are the ones that spend most of the money but the smaller companies like mine are busier.

Is this the dawning of a new age of surveying?

Yes I believe it is.

I have been saying for years that big firms will eventually only staff in house RLS that only handle legal and the rest will be done by contract labor.

This is something that is an awesome and sustainable fact for the small survey business. The companies that only handle surveying will grow while the big machines develop into engineering and legal only. They will no longer be the mass production of yesterday but instead will spearhead technology and efficiency.

We are seeing a huge shift in surveying and where the dollars will go. The big guys will always be on top just in a different way and the small guys revenue will grow as they hire surveyors. (Notice how I said surveyor, not staker?)

Yes let's talk staker for the moment. The big contractors will all have their own stakers and will hire out to the big firms for their legal. Asbuilts etc.

I say let them have it all. I love legal stuff.

The new world of surveying is here and it arrived a lot quicker than I anticipated. Be ready boys and girls. This is huge and if you aren't ready you are going to get squashed.

This recession that we are now coming out of is really one of the best things that has happened to Surveying. It has added a corrective measure that will be hard for us to mess up and it has also shot us in a new direction.

Oh yeah!!!!!

Virtue of the 1 man crew

The other day this friend of mine called me to ask if I can refer a gun runner to him. I promptly sent him to a guy that used to work for me that aside from exceeding the gunner skill he is also a fantastic person who I believe will fit well at this particular company.

Before referring him I asked the guy if he needed the body or if a 1 man crew would do the trick therefore cutting the payroll and improving the bottom line. He said that a set of hands was really needed for tasks that could be easily done by one guy but in his mind could not be. He is obviously still an old school thinker.

Back when I had a bunch of employees I did an experiment. Utilizing technology I broke people into 1 man crews. Almost right away my crew production jumped 30%.

My idea proved itself true, people in pairs screw around but when left alone they do more work simply because there is nothing else to do. And yes, I know this is not a genius idea and that people have been doing it for a long time.

From then on I went with only 1 man crews unless two were absolutely needed and then I would pair a crew for the day. I was able to thin my staff, have less administration, less headache and still bill the same rate therefore improving the bottom line.

Here in Arizona technology has made possible to run single person crews 80-90% of the time condition dependant.

I believe it is the wave of the future and yes even on big construction sites. Anyone been watching the Kiewit stakers on the 101? Notice how I said staker and not surveyor?

To all of the worker bees that may disagree with my thought process I will say this. Wake up, the future and technology are going to eat your job up unless you take action now and improve your position and skill set.

Personally I use a few people when I need a hand. This week I have a tree covered house topo to do. I will bring in an LS that has his own company and insurance as contract labor for this project. This is the direction that I am going in the future. Payroll employees are a thing of the past. Even office staff will be contract.

1 man crew is the future of Land Surveying.

Big Changes Coming

I am starting to see more job posts on Topica and am hearing rumblings of people getting busy again.

It's about time!!!

Those of us that have survived this whole thing need to take a moment of gratitude and celebrate ourselves because we as individuals are the only reason we did.

I to am getting busier again. I am seeing a lot of new starts in custom homes, remodels and boundary surveys.

Anyone that tells you that commercial is coming back is extremely naive. Commercial is 5 years out. Tract housing is longer and I would be glad if it never comes back.

2012 is going to be a much better year, especially since most believe that we will have a new President elected in November. That right there is easing nervous feelings and causing people to spend.

Let's all try and keep a positive attitude. Ever notice when the world hands you a fistful of shit, if you keep a positive attitude things usually end up being better and when we let it kick our ass it gets worse?

Chin up fellow surveyors. This thing is almost over and those of you who are still in the game you will kick some ass and make some serious bank.

I am currently working on a project that will help change surveying for the greater good. If I can get this particular thing through the hoops it will be one of the biggest things that has ever happened to us.

I will disclose more information as time goes on, but right now I want to plant the seed that big stuff is coming.

We are responsible for so much. We have to know 10 different ways to 1 things. We are extraordinary in what we do.

Let's make this the worlds most respected profession once again.

We can start by speaking of the un-speakables. If  it makes you uncomfortable it is probably worth discussing.

I am inviting any and all that read this blog to post any topic about this profession and I will post it in front if you really have something worth while to say.

It all starts with communication and I know that most of you hold back. Stop! It only holds everything back.

Super Hero of the Week

I don't know who this person is but I want to thank them for an awesome comment. I truly appreciate what they said.

Thanks for calling how it is.

 

See below 

Anonymous said...

I don't know about the global ramifications of our new economy but I do know this. This recession is the best thing for the surveying profession. I can see positive changes already. The slackers amongst us whom have been dragging us down have or will flee the profession before it is all over. If a surveyor is not working right now it is because somebody better is in his/her place. Life is not fair and this is survival of the fittest. Last time I checked. I know this is coming off as harsh but consider this thought for a moment. When we were booming a few years ago; we put equipment in anybodies hands just to get the work done. Now, only the guys who truly want to be surveyors are struggling to make it. This is called paying your dues. When the economy swings upward again; the surveyors who stuck it out and survived will do the best. It is times like these that separate the chaff from the wheat.