Why Braille Is Important For Signage?

In previous blog posts, we have discussed the variety of important roles signage can play in organisation. However, one aspect of signage that has become vitally important in recent years for signage to include braille for visually impaired people.

A common issue organisations face, when planning their signage out, is forgetting to think of their signage from other people’s perspectives. We have seen how this issue plays out when signs are positioned incorrectly or complicated sign systems are implemented. However, one major factor that is often overlooked is the importance of utilising braille in signage. In this article, we’re going to talk about what braille exactly is and why it is beneficial for signange.

1. What is ‘braille’ and how does it help?

Braille is a reading system for people with visual impairment, which was invented in 1821 by the French educator and inventor, Louis Braille. Being born blind in both eyes, Louis Braille discovered a method of using raised dots and letters, to express words and letters to people who were unable to see. Due to the successful nature of Braille, the system has not changed at all since its inception. Common places you can find braille include: ATMs, public phone boxes, landline phones, pedestrian stopping areas and crossings, and of course, signage.

 

2. What is the DDA and why should your signage be DDA compliant?

The DDA stands for the Disability Discrimination Act, which is a civil rights law that was introduced to promote equality and human rights across the UK. The act was first brought into legislation in 1995, but since it has had a successor in the form of the DDA 2005 legislation. When it comes to buildings, they have to meet the new regulations that the DDA requires. This includes, but is not limited to; steps, ramps, door widths, rails, lifts, toilets and signage. Signage itself can be DDA compliant in a few different ways, which includes: the size and dimensions of signage, colours used for both signage and any graphics or vinyls, and of course braille. There are further resources out on the internet to find out all the precise guidelines for DDA compliancy.

3. What are common examples of braille signage?

Braille signage can be found everywhere in many of the world’s buildings now. Perhaps the most common braille signage is used for WC (toilet) signage. Other uses include: directional signs with arrows, room signs, push and pull door signs, building sections etc… There are almost no limits on the number of signs that feature braille. With braille signs being implemented within your organisation, you can assure that all visitors will equally understand your sign system and have an enjoyable visit at your establishment.

If you are interested in braille signage or signage that is accessible for everyone, please take a look at our sign systems which are all DDA compliant. All of our braille utilises tactile, embossed dots that are clearly raised from the signage but do not distract visual sign users.

Creating internal signage for your business is more than just a practical way of directing employees and visitors around the building, it’s also a great way to communicate your brand identity and highlight important information.

Internal signage can be used for a variety of purposes, helping you to streamline access to your building when visitors arrive with deliveries or to attend appointments by providing essential information. Below we’ve highlighted the importance of internal signage and how using a bit of creativity can improve the experience visitors have when they meet with you:

1. Customer journey

Your internal signs will help to create a consistent customer journey throughout your business, directing visitors and staff throughout the building. Especially as it might be the first time people have visited your site, your signs can reassure visitors they’re in the right place. Much of a customer’s opinion of your establishment will be made before they even arrive at their relevant meeting. Just as a website has UX (user experience) designers, your physical space should also apply the same UX principles. In a world that is competitive as it is in 2017, your signs must be effective in helping your visitors find their way around the building, without searching for a member of staff to ask for directions. You can also avoid potentially awkward situations as private rooms are signed as such.

 

2. Give a positive impression of your business

By using creativity in your internal signage you can give a positive impression of your business. People really take notice when you implement pride and a creative intent in the tactile/physical things such as internal signage. There are a large range of ways in which you can apply creativity to internal signage: From premium materials, and brushed metal to neon flex lighting, exciting materials all help to engage people using your building with your messaging. The more eye-catching and attractive your signs, the more likely people are to read and pay attention to them, and the higher your prospective customers will think of your establishment.

3. Your brand

Another great thing about internal signage is that you can project your brand personality on to the signs throughout your building. We all know you’re probably proud of what your business stands for, but unless you incorporate this into your physical space via internal signage, your visitors are never going to know: Whether it’s promoting recent achievements or awards you’ve won, or highlighting exciting staff news, you can utilise your internal signage to share your brand personality throughout your building.

For more traditional signage, make sure that you are using a strong branding colour, theme and font throughout your signage that expresses your individuality. For a more creative physical space, perhaps use metallic finishes, smoked acrylic and 3D lettering formed off the sign to draw attention to key information throughout your building.

If you’re looking for high-quality interior signage for your building, whether it’s a health centre, education facility, or office, contact Select Sign Systems today to see how we can help.

One of the biggest issues that repeats itself in the world of signs and sign systems is: not having customer focused signage.

Imagine this scenario: You are in a geographical location that is unknown to you, so you stop and ask a local person for help. How often do their directions turn out to be incomplete? Or, imagine you’re driving in a town you’ve never visited before, and while the road sign at the first roundabout gives you the directions you need, at the second, your destination appears to have disappeared of the face of the Earth.

A simple problem

The difficulty in both situations has the same cause: the information has been provided by someone who knows exactly where they are going when they take that journey. It has not accounted for all the other potential users of the physical space, who may be new to the building and feel in a state of disorientation. This means that the verbal directions given, or the roadside signage, is incomplete, and thus is of minimum use to those not familiar with the area.

These scenarios help to highlight a common signage problem, whether for outside direction-giving or interior corporate, office, hospital or other destination signage. Often, the individual responsible for the creation and placement of such advice is well used to the location or area, knows how to find their way around, and can be prone to inadvertently creating signage from that ‘insider’ viewpoint.

A step-back solution

One way of avoiding this is simply to be well aware of the possibility. Then, like an artist who steps back from the close-up work of their painting to judge how it will be viewed at a more normal distance, the sign creator can mentally step back and take time to assess how what they intend to do will be viewed by other’s eyes.

A second possibility is actually to ask a stranger. For example, for an interior location, someone who has never visited that building or complex could look at the proposed signage and highlight any problems that they find. The same idea can be transported outdoors, although it is likely that this might not be possible in every situation.

A very effective solution is to employ professional, wayfinding consulting to be undertaken for a building, before sign systems are placed within it. Wayfinding helps break down how a stranger would interact with your signage and how best to design it.

Problem solved?

Once you are confident that the signage you have decided upon is ready to be produced, get in touch with our experienced Select Sign Systems team to discuss your modular sign systems, architectural signage or any other physical signage needs.

Brand identity is highly important, it sets you apart from your competition, and if you do it correctly, your customers will start to associate your business with quality and reliability.

Whether you’re selling products or offering a service, it pays to have a distinctive and recognisable brand image, especially if you operate within a crowded market place.

Building a picture

With something as visual and physically large as signage, it is important you make it match your organisation’s brand. Everything from interior signage to door signs and beyond will help potential customers build a picture in their minds of who you are as a company. Effective branding and high-quality signage can illustrate what you stand for and whereabouts you fit in within the needs of your potential customers. There always needs to be a sense of coherence in your branding which further emboldens the trust your clients, potential customers or users have for your establishment.

First impressions

For many potential customers, your signage will be the first aspect of your business they encounter. You only get one chance to make a good impression, so low quality signage simply won’t cut it. Instead you should look to align your brand with signage that conveys strong standards, together that can create a powerful first impression. In the reception area, signs can be integral to your brand’s identity. Even seemingly trivial decisions such as the typeface you use can have a large impact, even if it’s on a subliminal level. Whilst not one of the first thoughts in people’s minds … signage, due to it’s very visible nature, is perhaps one of the most branding aspects your organisation has to get right.

 

Corporate signs

When it comes to corporate signage, a lot of people make the mistake of thinking they are only in place to instruct visitors and as such, they lose a chance to showcase their brand identity. Whilst it’s important to welcome and instruct visitors, companies can also use corporate signage to create a strong first impression. There are a number of fantastic signage options that will help you achieve that pleasing first impression and encourage visitors to invest a level of trust in your brand. It’s a good idea to think about what you want to represent to your consumers, it could be a sense of fun, it could be dynamism and professionalism. Once you’ve decided on a key component you’ll be able to roll it out across all your signage to further extend the brand image and create a level of continuity.

Whatever your signage needs, Select Sign Systems can help. We have over 20 years of experience within the signage industry and can help you find a signage solution at an affordable price.

When you’re putting together specifications for signage in your office, school, university or hospital, you may be preparing a long list of requirements. It’s easy to overlook sign mistakes, but making silly errors can make signage look unprofessional and can even make the meaning unclear or incorrect.

 

At Select Sign Systems we make sure to thoroughly check the signs we produce, but we’d recommend familiarising yourself with some common and easy sign mistakes so that you can avoid them first time – this will make the overall process more efficient.

 

Common spelling errors

Not all sign mistakes are immediately obvious. Sometimes words don’t sound quite as they are spelt. For example, we’ve seen safety signs instructing people to wear ‘high visability clothing’ – this should of course be ‘visibility’. Similarly, signs instructing users to ‘seperate’ rather than ‘separate’. Indicating a need to hold onto a ‘handel’ or to ‘handel’ with care conjures up images of Gretel’s brother Hansel, rather than the instruction indicated by the correct spelling, ‘handle’.

Watch your apostrophes

Apostrophes are used to show possession or where two words have been contracted. For example, saying “my mother’s pen doesn’t work” requires an apostrophe in both contexts. A common signage error, particularly on corporate signage, is using apostrophes for days of the week. A sign which says a venue or room is open on the first three days of the week, for example, should say Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and not Monday’s, Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s. The correct way to say it uses ‘s’ at the end of each day to show it is plural. The incorrect way suggests possession. A common apostrophe error is the misuse of ‘its’ and ‘it’s’. ‘Its’ indicates possession in the same way as ‘his’ or ‘hers’ does, whilst ‘it’s’ means ‘it is’. For example, “the car has its window wipers on because it’s raining”.

 

 

Keep punctuation neat

As well as correct use of apostrophes there are other common punctuation errors to avoid. Using exclamation marks where they aren’t really needed can make signs look immature or even silly. Similarly, using speech marks around blocks of text is only really appropriate when indicating speech. A sign that says ‘This way to the “toilets”‘ is incorrect, for example. Equally, full stops are only needed at the end of sentences. There’s no need for a sign to say ‘Toilets.’, for example.

At the end of the day, some people may say this sort of information is not ground-breaking. However, think to about how many times you possibly have criticised an establishment for not taking care of some of the most basic details. People do care about th small things and it really does reflect on your establishment.

If you’re going to invest in sign systems, it is best to do it correctly first go.

For accurate and correct wayfinding or interior signage, contact us at Select Sign Systems today.

One of the obligations that’s possible to overlook when managing a busy education establishment is regular audits of safety signage. On the other hand, the problems and dangers faced by anyone responsible for large bodies of people – particularly in the event of an evacuation – are nowadays better known than ever before.

 

The entire UK has been provided with vivid and tragic examples of why moving people around and out of buildings quickly can save lives. Alongside this increasingly sensitive topic is a growing awareness of how building managers must provide equal access and care for students and staff with disabilities.

So, what do you need to do to ensure that your college or school safety signage is effective and up-to-date?

Regular Signage Checks

School and college managers are advised to timetable regular signage audits:

– Is all the interior signage still in place?
– Has it been tampered with in ways that render it unreadable?
– Is all signage fully visible to students and staff?

The exterior signage which flags up evacuation points and procedures needs to be checked to ensure that it is all present and correct. Is wayfinding signage managing the vehicle traffic flow well? Is signage at entrances and exits working effectively to keep access available in an emergency?

 

Compliance Check

Auditing school and college signage should also take into consideration whether it conforms to current ISO 7010 legislation. There should also be further consideration as to whether the signs are DDA compliant. Schools and colleges should bare in mind eye-friendly colour combination as well as raised tactile and braille features on signage.

Facility managers and local authorities are not obligated to update all signage in buildings to new variations. However, creating a uniform, clear signage system can mean a complete overhaul, rather than piecemeal adherence to different legislative standards.

 

Better Use of Resources in Schools and Colleges

Another reason to check and possibly replace safety and wayfinding signage in education buildings is to take advantage of new developments in design and manufacture.

Sign systems in the UK have evolved into something far more durable and vandal proof. A thorough audit of your school and college may mean staying one step ahead of the potential for older signage to sustain damage.

A more robust replacement can ensure you remain compliant, and safeguard your students, even in the face of the most determined efforts to vandalise signage. Plus, it provides future cost savings by having a longer lifespan.

 

A Professional Eye on Signage

Contact Select Sign Systems today to help analyse your particular educational organisation and provide the perfect sign system solution for you.

In the UK, there is growing discontentment around the NHS, and more and more people are instead choosing to turn to private healthcare. It is imperative therefore that if you work at or own a private healthcare clinic, the overall service you provide is of the utmost quality. One small area that many often fail to give due respect to is the signage systems.

 

Here are three key reasons on the importance of providing quality signs throughout your private clinic, practice or hospital.

 

1. Quality

When you think of private healthcare, you naturally think of a service that is the best of the best in its field. People classify private healthcare with quality, especially when compared to some public hospitals and medical practices. High-quality signage has the ability to come across as sophisticated and it displays style. Signs will be used throughout the customer experience of visiting your practice, from the moment they open the door until they find your office and enter it. Ensure your signage evokes feelings of trust, giving them further confidence in your medical expertise.

 

2. An Easy Service

Hospitals are notorious for their complicated navigation systems and their ability to further concern already anxious visitors. Properly thought-out wayfinder signage is the clearest way to provide directions for guests to the hospital and make sure they can find loved ones as quickly as possible. Similarly, for those arriving for a check-up or to have something looked at that has been upsetting them, they want to be in and out as smoothly as possible. Clear signage helps achieve that goal.

 

3. Branding

There are, of course, many private healthcare clinics all across the UK. Whenever you have someone arrive, you want to help them trust and use your brand again and again. Signs are a great way to reinforce your company brand and remind them of your name and credentials. Then, next time they need some services or need to recommend you, your practice is at the forefront of their mind.

 

If you’re looking to implement a new, high-quality sign system at your practice or hospital, then check out our amazing range. For high quality, sophistication and class, it could be good to start at the bespoke curve sign system selection that we have on offer.

An effective sign system is essential if you run a business or a government body within a large building. Indeed, an effective sign system can help set you apart from your competition. Here’s why:

It will enable you to demonstrate your brand

We’ve mentioned branding in association with signage before, but it’s worth reiterating how important it is. Your sign system can be used to demonstrate what your business is all about. If you want to create an air of sophistication and reliability, your sign system can help. Your business’ growth goes hand in hand with the trust the market has in your business … and trust goes hand in hand with your brand. If you want to be seen as modern and forward thinking brand, then your choice of sign system can make a big difference.

It will show that your business is committed to improvement

How many large businesses reach a certain point and stop improving? Many. With regards to any business that has been established since the dawn of time, if it isn’t growing, it’s most certainly dying. If you don’t want to settle for simply coasting gradually downhill, an effective new signage system can be a great way of showing that your business is always looking excel in every sense.

 

It will show you’re focused on being an excellent employer

In today’s competitive job market, it can be tricky trying to hold onto the best employees. After all, the web has made it very easy for good employees to find opportunities, and that’s without mentioning how the internet has revolutionised the recruitment industry, with hundreds of recruitment companies that are out there trying to poach the best people. Installing an effective sign system will make the lives of your employees easier, and will set you apart from the competition as a company that takes care of its staff.

 

It can give you a head start in terms of efficiency

Today’s business world is as competitive as it’s ever been. You now have to compete with businesses on the web as well as those in the local area. Any small change you can make to help improve how efficiently your business runs can make the world of difference. Your signage system can be one of those changes. Though the difference might seem minor to one employee, when you’re running a large building, those five or ten seconds saved can really start to add up, especially once your staff numbers begin to reach the hundreds. In terms of working hours, you could save yourself thousands in the long-term, for one upfront investment.

Get in touch.

If you’d like to find out more about how a good sign system can benefit you, pick up the phone and call Select Sign Systems today. We’d love to hear from you.

Everywhere you travel in the world, there are good signs, bad signs and outright bizarre signs. Signage helps everyone learn what they should and shouldn’t do. They tell people which lane to drive in, and they even help people watch for things like children playing or deer crossing the road.

Signs have become an important part of everyday life, and they seem to be in every place imaginable. On the other hand, man signs have also become quite the joke. We’re not sure if these signs are meant to be funny, are the source of some outlandish creativity or if they may be the result of someone’s stupidity, but they are definitely bizarre.

These top five bizarre signs from around the world are guaranteed to make you crack a smile, shake your head, or both:

1) Funny Speed Limit Signage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This awesome speed limit sign can be found in the United States. It is always a great idea to remind drivers of the speed limit with a sign, but it may be difficult to make sure you don’t go over that extra little half. A cop might just clock you going 12 6/7 m.p.h. instead.

Drivers in this area better hope there isn’t a nice little speed trap waiting for them.

2) No Touching Yourself in This Chinese Store

 

 

 

 

 

China has signs everywhere that have been translated into English. They are known for their children learning to speak English at an earlier age, and they go above and beyond to make tourists that speak English feel comfortable.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult to translate from Chinese to English, especially for people that are not native English speakers. This sign was meant to tell customers that the sales staff will be more than happy to help them try things on, but it makes it sound like it is trying to discourage people from masturbating in the store.

3) Please Be Careful When Hunting Pedestrians

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hunting is always a dangerous sport, but apparently it can be particularly dangerous when someone is going after the people on the walk trails. So dangerous, that hunters needed to be warned about those pedestrians.

They need another sign to warn the pedestrians about the hunters that are coming after them.

Some punctuation and an extra word would have made this sign make sense, but then it wouldn’t be on this bizarre sign list.

4) No More Fishing in the Bathroom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This incredible bathroom sign, that was spotted in Russia, gives everyone a detailed picture of what they are, and are not allowed to do in the bathroom with this toilet. Sitting on the toilet for a number 2 is okay, but that’s about it.

No one is allowed to throw up in the toilet, go fishing in the toilet or even breakdance in front of this toilet. There went someone’s weekend plans.

5) How Did Man Discover Milk?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This sign reads “when man discovered milk what was he doing to the cow”. Well, the whole point of signs are to grab the customer’s attention, and this sign definitely does it.

They managed to grab the customer’s attention, and, on top of that, they make people really put some thought into something with this sign.

The only problem is that there may be quite a few people grossed out at the thought of buying milk for a few days.

The entire point behind select sign systems is to make sure that the customer remembers the sign. Some of these bizarre signs will make a person wonder what the sign maker was thinking, but they also will always be remembered.

That’s the thing about advertising: if it’s memorable, it’s a good thing, even if it’s telling people not to touch themselves while they go shopping in China.

One of the core ingredients to any successful business is efficiency. Tasks have to reach completion as quickly as possible and with minimum use of resources and energy. In organisations that deal with the movement of people, items or physical messages, you have to factor in travel time between end points to your equilibrium and the disruption to working rhythm that comes with movement. Fortunately, there is a solution in sign systems – they can be used to orchestrate work flow, guide people who come into your premises to unfamiliar places and enhance the focus of an employee.

Sign systems are important for a large range of reasons. Creative work needs breaks, materials and input from other people to thrive, and banks and service oriented businesses require the movement of individuals to even exist. Here are the following ways in which is can help:

Avoid confusion

An issue that commonly occurs, especially in large office spaces, is people feeling lost and not understand how to navigate the environment. This is not only an issue for visitors but also for staff trying to access another department of a business’ office space. Proper sign systems get rid of the confusion involved when navigating a building or property to deliver items. They point people to where they need to go and give them the shortest route. You do not need to stop and converse with signs to get directions, and neither do you need to write them down; only follow the arrows until you find the right place.

Improving safety

In businesses that involve a lot of foot traffic, whether it is just people or even merchandise and supplies that move, congestion can occur and slow down movement. People need direction to avoid collisions and interference with their work. A clear pathway can mean the difference between making a deadline or not. Another use for a sign system is maintaining safety in the work space. Alerting people to areas that will have heavy or hazardous materials is necessary for a facility involved in any level of manufacture.

A sense of ownership

Signs also give working people a sense of purpose. A sign can change a working area from an arbitrarily allocated space for an employee to a specially designated area intended for their job to take place. Signs add a sense of ownership without having to use walls and dividers which can result in a floor feeling confined and congested. If you want to focus employees without spoiling an open plan office design, signs will do the job.

If you want to benefit from the advantages signs can have for your business and understanding how signs can improve a working environment, browse our full range of modular sign systems and wayfinding signage today.

Like many things in business, signage may seem like a fairly simple topic on the surface, but making sure you’re getting the most from it can be a real minefield. There’s a lot that can go wrong when you’re in the market for signage or designing a wayfinding system. Here, we’ll go over some common signage mistakes, and how you can avoid them.

1. Oversaturation

Having a lot of blank space in your business premises’ signs can strike many entrepreneurs as a great marketing opportunity. For many, it’s tempting to fill a sign up with all the information possible about your business. This is one sure-fire way to oversaturate your signage, and stop would be customers from giving your signs a second glance.

Great corporate signage design relies on the effective use of white space, which naturally guides the human gaze around typography and graphics. Cram in too much and you’re certain to chase away your customer base.

2. Going too cheap

Everyone loves a bargain, especially if they happen to be running a fledgling start-up and money is tight. However, like many things, you get what you pay for when it comes to corporate signage. High quality signage will not only prove to be more durable, but will also add an extra dose of prestige to your brand.

Good workmanship and high quality materials will always result in a longer lifespan for your signage and a more visually appealing end result. Any big purchase can be nerve-wracking for business owners, but this is certainly one area you should aim to invest in.

3. Failing to use signage as a branding tool

Signage can be an excellent physical branding tool, so make sure you’re using it! Again, this is a matter of getting what you pay for. Signage that follows an over used template will save you money, true. However, if you spend a little more, and make sure there’s consistent branding on all of your business’s signs, you’ll tell everyone who comes to your premises that you really care about your company, and, therefore, your customers. Fail to do this, and you’ll have let a wonderful branding opportunity slip through your fingers!

Select Sign Systems delivers high quality signage products for customers across the UK in a multitude of sectors. We provide a flexible, personalised service when creating sign systems for you. Get in touch with us today.

When businesses think of signage, they often think about their brand logo that can be seen on the exterior of the building and on websites. Although this signage is incredibly important, so too is the choice of interior office signage. Below we share why your choice of interior signage is important and how their use can benefit staff and clients.

 

Create that professional atmosphere

There is nothing worse than walking into a corporate building that does not have an appropriate, coherent sign system. The first thought that arrives in people’s heads is: ‘If this is how unorganised they are in their building’s directional plans, how organised must their business be?’.

When you have professionally made interior signage for your office, you are presenting a professional working space. This not only has an impact upon your clients, but also on your staff. Signage can help to create the correct working atmosphere of cooperation, teamwork and ultimately, comfort. Your staff will feel like professionals, and this mood will be conveyed to your clients.

 

Clear information for clients

The main purpose of office signage is that of conveying information. Clear and concise office signage will tell any clients where they are and where they need to be. This creates a sense of calm and belonging, without the need to seek assistance in an unfamiliar space. This sense of ease and organisation, although hard to measure, will result in  It’s also a good idea to incorporate your office brand into your office signage, so that the client is reminded of what your business is all about, as well as feeling a part of your company.

Share your company brand

Branding matters across every area of your business. Strong and matching brand, equals more trust and status for your business, which equals an increased bottom line for your business. Therefore, it is important to incorporate your brand into any signage. This can be through the use of colour, style or by simply incorporating your logo. This is why it is very important to work with a professional sign systems company, who can deliver signage that is specialised in for office space.

Appearances do count

Finally, your clients will judge you on the aesthetics of your office interior, and that includes your signage. They will quickly judge the quality of your brand, and your customer service, by simply looking at the interior space, staff and signage.

 

To find out more about professional signage for your office space, please do browse our office section on the website. Here at Select Sign Systems, we are more than happy to help you with your interior office signage needs.

As we delve deeper into the digital age, many may say relying on signs is not important as it used to be maybe 20 years ago. However, we beg to differ.

With a new university terms approaching, it’s easier than ever to pull out your mobile device and simply ask for directions and be there in the blink of an eye. However, when it comes to spaces such as Universities, it’s still exceptionally important to implement a sign system for the following reasons:

 

1. Premium connotations

Having reliable, high quality signs within a university is a sign of class and establishes the university’s place as a reputable establishment. Many universities now have extended campuses, meaning it can be more confusing than ever to try and navigate around, especially on that first weekend, with the car loaded with belongings.

Helping users to navigate around easily and efficiently can make the world of difference. This doesn’t just apply to new term times in September and October, either – come the summer, the campus will be brimming with new hopefuls attending open days and loved ones watching their children graduate, which is where signs will also be highly beneficial.

 

2. Student guidance

Further to the above, implementing a high quality sign system within a university campus helps guide and advise students, especially those who have just begun their journey, around the facilities.

This helps increase efficiency, helps reduce lateness and avoid any confusion on-site, and drive higher levels of student attendance. For example, if a lecture has been moved last minute, the likelihood of students attending is higher, if they’re comfortable and confident in finding the location as quickly and efficiently as possible.

3. Consistent branding

Having a premium, easy to understand signage system in place also helps contribute to establishing a university as a high-quality, recommended place of study. Those universities without signs lack efficient and consistent branding, whereas having a high-quality signage system in place drives an increase in recognition of an established place of study, and consistent branding.

 

When you need a company who can make university sign systems that are fully personalised to fit your branding, guide your students with ease and show off your stellar reputation, turn to Select Sign Systems. Get in touch with us today.

There is a growing importance for businesses, health and education sectors to seriously invest in wayfinding sign systems as a response to a new era where rapid and clear information wins.

Few companies underestimate the need to get their external signage right, projecting their brand in a high impact way and ensuring visitors and potential customers can spot them from a distance. However, the same attention to detail and emphasis on clarity is not always found inside business, health or education premises in the UK. Once you have people inside your site or building, the importance of signage doesn’t reduce. In fact, it is more vital in some respects, and could actually damage your reputation far more seriously than failing to have a logo emblazoned outside.

 

Changing Perceptions

Consider the way millennials see the world around them. An estimated 91% of adults in the UK own a mobile phone. That device, rarely far from their hand, can connect them and provide information 24/7. It’s instant, controllable and highly responsive. It means people these days expect the same instant and clear communication in all aspects of their life. And they can get easily frustrated and “turned off” if it doesn’t happen. If they are walking around your buildings or site lost, with little or no clarity of directional information, it can cause greater irritation than with previous generations.

Matches Lean and Agile Working

Mapping wayfinding needs for any company, and using the most appropriate interior signage, can make a big difference to customer experience. But if you have a complex building it can also save time. If your staff, visitors and suppliers can get to places easily and swiftly, it dovetails with the modern principles of lean and agile working.

Sending the Wrong Message

Having your stakeholders wandering around lost and having to ask for directions around your site, does not give the right impression of your organisation. A lot of effort and consideration goes into developing brand identities and tools. Yet you may be inadvertently giving a negative non-verbal message to your customers or staff if finding their way around is largely left to chance. One of the advantages of well planned and expertly produced wayfinding signage is that it can create subliminal messages. Constant repetition of your corporate identity, alongside clear instructions that are presented well, leaves site visitors feeling well informed and well looked after.

 

Contact us today to discuss wayfinding signage at your site or in your premises. Don’t let your competitive advantage “get lost” from lack of planning.

 

Hospital Wayfinding is increasingly becoming an important part of a Hospital’s communications strategy. Wayfinding is an essential tool to develop user experience and in order to improve efficiencies within a particular Hospital. Here we discuss 4 key components when developing a hospital wayfinding strategy:

Clear and Consistent

A clear and consistent signage strategy makes it easier for the public to navigate any given hospital. By understanding how the public will process information we can begin to display communication systems which comply with our natural navigation abilities. Signage which is consistent throughout a building is much easier to understand and therefore follow to your required destination. Good hospital wayfinding chooses to be clear and precise in order to avoid visual noise which could be impairing a visitor’s ability to navigate efficiently.

Terminology

Hospital terminology is riddled with jargon which average person may not know or understand. Such complexities within a hospital tends to lead to confusion and anxiety in an already stressful environment. Hospital wayfinding seeks to simplify such technicalities by offering a logical system which communicates clearly and efficiently.

Flexibility

Hospitals are environments that constantly change. Investments in the NHS to improve healthcare facilities lead to building extensions and renovations. Consequently the wayfinding strategy around a given hospital must be flexible. Flexible wayfinding means a system can by continuously improved and maintained to accommodate new buildings and wards. A systems which exhibits flexibility will also allow rooms and wards to be interchanged without significant cost in designing a new wayfinding system.

Digital

Digital technology is becoming increasingly important in all public environments. As the ownership of smart phones increases and Wi-Fi systems improve, mobile technology is beginning to become a significant aspect of our lives. In the area of hospital wayfinding we have seen a need for such technology to guide users around a hospital environment. Such a digital system allows for precise internal communications for all users through social media and booking systems. Digital technology can provide a distinct advantage when contemplating navigation and communication strategies.

 

Why you might be underestimating the power of signage and physical space branding, in an ever digitalised world.

Before we delve into the topic of ‘branding’ it would perhaps be appropriate to define exactly what it is:

“The process involved in creating a unique name and image for a product in the consumers’ mind, mainly through advertising campaigns with a consistent theme. Branding aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers.”

Source: Business Dictionary

It’s no mystery to any forward thinking person that ‘Branding’ is one of the most integral aspects to any organisation’s overall success and longevity. If you try and

Add to this the rapid influx of social media and online presence in the last 5-10 years, competition is bigger than it’s ever been and it’s more important than ever that organisations ranging from: businesses, to hospitals, to charities and the government to take branding seriously.

This being understood, it is astounding the number of establishments that completely disregard signage when thinking about branding. I urge you to think of the last time you bought something in a showroom or store. The subtle layout, cleanliness and general effort put into the details of the physical space you buy/discuss in makes a significantly large conscious and subconscious impact on visitors and potential clients.

Signage plays one of the most pivotal roles in providing a first impression of your organisation to your customers – whether this is done explicitly or subtly. It totally reinforces brand identity and garners both the absolute trust and respect of your target audience. Typically, the higher quality the signage, the better the impression left.

Here at Select, we understood a simple concept that is commonly overlooked by most organisations:

• Organisations need more business
• Business is created by relationships
• Relationships are nurtured in real life, physical interactions
• Your physical space still matters greatly
• Signage is an indispensable part of your physical space

Some organisations have understood and acted on this logic, in order to beat the competition. This information isn’t new knowledge and many other institutions and business have covered how vitally important physical space branding is and further ways in which you can improve it.

Stating it simply, here are our 4 main reasons explaining why signage is so important for branding:

1. Consistency: As humans, we both consciously and unconsciously try to figure out whether someone or something is authentic and trustworthy. When your signage matches the rest of your brand, this creates immediate trust.
2. Professionalism & Respect: Respect and authority is
   important in both staff and customers. A person’s immediate environment is heavily linked to their behaviour and thoughts. A quality, personalised sign system in an organisation’s headquarters accomplishes this effectively.
3. Attention to Detail: There’s nothing better than an organisation that takes notice of all the finer details of their brand. This ties back into the idea of consistency and building the image you want in your customer’s mind.
4. Premium: Many brands want to be elevated to that ‘Premium’ standard that we all know and value. Nothing quite says ‘We’re the best’ like a sleek, well-executed sign system at a corporate headquarters.

Signage can be bought from a number of different sources with a very broad range in quality. At Select, we believe a quality sign systems that gives a sense of a seamless brand and professionality within an organisation are far better than other, less cohesive options.