Why GIS matters for smaller organisations
In anticipation of GIS Day, we wanted to shine a spotlight on how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be used both technically and strategically to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make informed strategic decisions to aid growth.
GIS is a method of understanding how patterns in place and time influence business performance. For small organisations where every resource counts, visualising where customers, assets and risks are located can reveal efficiencies and opportunities that are not obvious in spreadsheets.
What keeps smaller players out?
GIS is often perceived as an expensive, highly technical tool that is only useful for large infrastructure projects or multinational corporations. However, this assumption overlooks an important truth: insight derived from GIS can be just as valuable for smaller organisations, and it is much more accessible than many believe. Most people interact with some form of GIS every day - looking at traffic on Google Maps, or tracking an Amazon parcel.
By dismissing GIS as something out of reach, SMEs risk losing out on practical ways to visualise their data.
Cost of Software and Data
- Commercial GIS licences can cost thousands of pounds per year, creating a perception that mapping is only for major projects.
Platform Complexity
- The technical setup and specialist language can feel daunting for those new to GIS.
- GIS as a discipline takes time to learn, and many tutorials are aimed at academic or large-scale applications rather than small business needs. For busy teams, it can feel unrealistic to dedicate days to learning new software when their focus is on operations.
Skills Gap
- Small organisations rarely have a dedicated GIS resource making it harder to get started.
Time Pressures
- In small businesses, staff often wear multiple hats, and mapping can easily be deprioritised against day-to-day operations.
Uncertain Return on Investment
- Without clear examples of success, it can be difficult to justify spending time and effort on GIS tools.
Bridging the Gap: Emerging opportunities
The good news is that the barriers to entry are lower than ever:
Open Data Availability: The UK is a world leader in open geospatial data, including Ordnance Survey base maps, Environment Agency flood data, and a wide variety of information published by local authorities. This is readily available in open data portals, such as data.gov.uk.
Free and Open-Source Tools: Tools like QGIS and OpenStreetMap allow SMEs to produce professional, data-driven maps without expensive licences.
Accessible Support and Training: More consultancies and training providers are now focusing on smaller organisations, providing affordable, hands-on support that helps teams use GIS independently.
An example in action: plumbing service
In this example, we are keen to show that even when using the most basic functionality of mapping software, we can begin unpicking the patterns in our data.
A small plumbing service based in Chelmsford collected data on their callouts over the past year (pictured below). They are looking to reduce their drive time and Co2 emissions, in turn reducing their fuel expenditure.
In this form, they were unable to draw any insights from the data despite it containing information that can be used to create a map. As the data is inherently geographic, they decided to plot this information using a QGIS (a free open source resource).
This step alone became valuable to the company. The map revealed clusters of jobs in Moulsham and Chelmer Village, both within easy reach of existing engineers, but also a growing concentration of calls to a new development in Beaulieu Park. These calls consistently took longer to reach (point size) costing more fuel (colour).
The map was then enriched with plotting drive time isochrones, identifying that the cluster of new jobs from from the Beaulieu Park area fall outside of a typical 10 minute journey from their home bases/depot.
At this point, the company has a strategic decision to make...
They can:
- Rebase or reposition an engineer: Instead of every van returning to the same depot each night, one vehicle could be left overnight at a partner site, rented parking spot, or a secure lockup. The engineer starts their day by driving directly to the job immediately reducing unnecessary travel time.
- Implement a satellite van stock point: The engineer restocks locally instead of returning to the main depot saving on unnecessary round trips and maintain productivity throughout the day.
- Part time contractor in the area: If we can not fully justify a rebase, we can instead subcontract or hire a part time technician to cover the patch. This offers flexible coverage without the commitment of a full relocation.
- Change job allocation routes and policy: GIS can provide the flexibility to speak with other systems seamlessly if configured correctly - integrating map analysis into the booking system can allocate the closest engineer rather than the first available. Scheduling could be adjusted so that one engineer handles all northern calls in a week, with their calendar being front loaded with work in that area to reduce idle time. Both approaches allow the business to use it's existing workforce more intelligently, directing engineers to the areas needed the most.
Together, these approaches demonstrate how even a simple spatial mapping exercise can inform a coherent strategy that is all backed by their own data.
Conclusion
For small organisations, GIS is not just a technical platform but a way of thinking spatially. It helps reveal how geography shapes customers, operations, and strategy.
A plumbing company can use GIS to reduce response times and emissions, while a café can better understand where its customers come from and when they visit. In both cases, the principle is the same: spatial thinking leads to smarter, evidence-based decisions.
As data becomes more open and tools more accessible, GIS is no longer out of reach. For small businesses, now is the time to explore how location intelligence can guide growth and efficiency.
Are you interested in exploring more about GIS and its place in SMEs?