Effective sign management is essential for maintaining brand quality, especially for managers of large property portfolios, according to Reilly McHugh of SignManager.
By Reilly McHugh, marketing manager at SignManager.
Poorly designed, constructed or maintained signage can severely impact a company’s brand reputation and operational efficiency across sites. For those managing large property portfolios, the challenge of overseeing signage often results in a loss of control over brand quality and costs. Signage is a crucial asset for any building, representing the company’s brand and serving functional purposes such as wayfinding and safety.
Unlike off-the-shelf products, most signage is custom-built to align with a company’s branding and operational needs. Therefore, it is best to entrust signage design to specialists who can ensure consistent branding, efficient production using sustainable, high-quality materials, and functionality. Signage projects also involve processes similar to large construction works, including permitting, engineering, landlord permissions, operational compliance, safety and certifications.
When sign management is mishandled, cost-cutting often takes precedence over quality, leading to higher long-term expenses. Signage may deteriorate within a few years, necessitating costly repairs or replacements that are typically handled by non-specialised trades. For example, facility managers might call electricians for illumination issues with their signage, but electricians may not fully understand the complexities of signage construction and repair, exacerbating problems and perpetuating costly cycles.
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The main challenge for managers is to find a partner who can assist with design, ensuring quality, risk management and compliance while providing good value and access to a team of national resources. Engaging a signage project management consultancy, rather than a traditional signage company, ensures that every detail, from design to installation, is handled precisely. This guarantees regulatory compliance, brand consistency, effective communication and adherence to high-quality specifications and construction methods.
SignManager simplifies branded asset management, ensuring that managers’ properties’ signage is optimised and functioning efficiently. Serving as a single point of contact for a company’s nationwide needs, SignManager covers all aspects of design, installation, maintenance and risk management, including safety, insurance, compliance, engineering and permits. This approach eliminates the hassle of coordinating multiple companies across the country, ensuring consistent and compliant portfolio management.
Advanced systems and tools
Successful project management requires consolidating all project information into a single collaborative space. With 25 years of experience, SignManager understands the complexities of signage management and the importance of staying ahead with cutting-edge project management technologies. Standard tools are often inadequate for signage projects across multiple sites, which is why SignManager’s innovative asset management tools are crucial in today’s environment.
SignManager’s solutions simplify project management by providing a centralised hub for all project information – empowering collaborative and transparent stakeholder integration with access to essential site and asset information. This enables real-time tracking, better communication and informed decision-making. For managers of large portfolios, initiating projects with a structured management plan allows them to streamline processes, reduce inefficiencies and enhance productivity.
SignManager’s expertise, advanced systems and comprehensive management provide peace of mind, exceptional results and long-term savings. For instance, by engaging SignManager, Starbucks reduced outages by 30 per cent, cut repair response times by 80 per cent and lowered maintenance costs by 40 per cent across 1,000 sites.
Successful risk management
For large corporations with extensive property portfolios, effective risk management is crucial. Well-maintained and safe signage prevents accidents and liabilities that could result in serious injuries and damage to a company’s reputation. SignManager understands this importance, which is why its custom-built asset management system effectively manages risks by ensuring that all assets are regularly inspected, documented and maintained.
During inspections, SignManager frequently identifies unsafe assets, such as signs at risk of falling, which pose significant hazards. Maintaining signage safety protects both the public and the company’s reputation from these liabilities. This is why SignManager conducts national safety programs for major organisations like Australia Post and NAB, ensuring that all high-risk assets are properly maintained, repaired or replaced. By prioritising risk management through comprehensive asset inspections and maintenance, SignManager safeguards property portfolios from accidents while protecting corporate reputations and mitigating risks and liabilities.
Best market value
At SignManager, delivering high-quality, compliant and consistent signage is just one of our many comprehensive solutions. We also ensure that clients receive the best value in the marketplace. SignManager solicits bids from local contractors across the country, allowing clients to receive multiple competitive quotes. Working with multiple local contractors, rather than relying on a single nationwide supplier, provides specialised expertise and quicker turnaround times at cost-effective price points. This flexible approach optimises costs and mitigates risks associated with dependence on a single supplier.
SignManager leverages a well-established nationwide network of over 3,000 regional contractors and service providers. This extensive network allows us to tap into local expertise and resources for projects across the country, eliminating the need to mobilise teams from major metropolitan areas. By engaging these locally-based partners, clients support skilled local tradespeople while still benefiting from SignManager’s nationally integrated services. Through this robust nationwide network and a competitive multi-quote process for each site, SignManager delivers best market value by combining local knowledge and agility with the quality assurance and oversight of a national company. This approach provides clients with the best of both worlds: local familiarity paired with nationwide standards and coordination.
Brand confidence
Sign management extends far beyond installation; it encompasses the guardianship of consistent and presentable branding across the built environment. For managers, this means ensuring that their brand is represented by clean, well-maintained and visually appealing signage at every location. Organisations like Australia Post, Kathmandu, Rip Curl and Starbucks trust SignManager with this crucial aspect of their branding, working with us on thousands of national projects.
Delivering this level of service at the best value requires smart resource allocation, robust supplier networks, exceptional technical knowledge and innovative management systems. SignManager’s extensive experience and supplier relationships enable competitive pricing, efficient supply chains and streamlined processes for manufacturing, installation and maintenance. Combined with decades of industry and project management expertise, this comprehensive approach guarantees high-quality, efficient and cost-effective sign management across national site portfolios and throughout the brand’s lifecycle.
By taking a holistic view of signage as an ongoing branding asset, SignManager enhances our clients’ images through meticulously designed, managed and maintained signage.
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