SDL Surveying has revealed a number of new initiatives as part of its technology-focused business continuity plans to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

The initiatives are focused on lender clients as well as a range of support services for its surveyors to help them work through the current lockdown period.

SDL Surveying recently updated its desktop valuation product for lenders in order to cope with the increased level of volume required by clients. The updated product is both PII wrapped and completed by local qualified surveyors, and SDL said it had seen a noticeable increase in the take-up of desktop valuations by lender clients since the introduction of the lockdown on 23 March.

As part of its focus on communication and support to staff, network surveyors and consumers, SDL Surveying has also launched an information hub available at: https://sdlsurveying.co.uk/covid-19-hub

The hub contains advice to surveyors and consumers, and a range of resources covering advice for home movers, information on personal wellbeing, as well as business and finance guidance.

The surveying company also hosted a live panel Q&A session for its network and third-party partners on Friday 17 April via Zoom.

This was an opportunity for these stakeholders to gain further updates on SDL Surveying activity as well as discussing questions surrounding the firm’s view on desktop valuations, physical inspection volumes, lockdown exit strategy and business collaboration. It also explored the wider impact the virus has had on the market while discussing what the future might hold for the sector.

Simon Jackson (pictured), managing director of SDL Surveying, said: “At times like these, communication is vital which is why we’ve launched these tech-based initiatives, to support the work of our lender clients as they seek to utilise our desktop valuation product, and to keep all our stakeholders informed on the work we’re carrying out and how we can best support them.

“We’ve had a hugely positive response from lenders who are increasingly using our desktop product, which certainly gives us confidence to press on to the next level and deliver some exceptional results for them.

“We’ve also developed the information hub for surveyors and consumers, and we held our Q&A on Friday to provide as much detail as possible on how we’re working with other industry leaders to continually strategise for the constantly changing market.

“A huge thank you must go to our team who have worked tirelessly over the past few weeks in order to provide this much-needed support and have developed new ways of working not only internally with our surveyors and operations team but also externally with our lender clients. Technology is at the heart of this and we fully anticipate that, as difficult as this period is, it will be the start of a new age where technology is increasingly utilised in the valuation space.”