The problem
On a marquee site visit, the surveyor measures the lawn, checks the slope, the gate width, overhead cables, drains and buried services, where the generator and toilets go and how far the kitchen tent is from the house, often in the rain with a tape in one hand. Typing it up afterwards for the quote and the crew's job sheet takes about 30 minutes a visit. With 12 visits a month that's 6 hours, and one forgotten detail, such as a narrow gate, can mean a second trip or a crew carrying frames by hand.
What the AI does
ChatGPT's voice with video lets the surveyor walk the site with the phone camera on and talk: reading out tape and laser measurements, describing the ground and slope, and pointing the camera at access, cables, drains and power. A brief at the start asks it to prompt for anything on the firm's checklist not yet covered. After the call, the transcript stays in the chat, and a text request turns it into a job sheet under the firm's own headings. Video needs ChatGPT Go (about $9£7€8A$13C$13 a month) or above, in the iPhone and Android apps, using the Advanced voice option. Measurements come from the tape, not from ChatGPT's view of the camera, and marquee size, layout and anchoring stay with the firm and its risk assessment.
A worked example
A marquee hire firm in Herefordshire does about 12 site visits a month for weddings and garden parties. The owner walks each site with ChatGPT video on, reads out tape and laser measurements, and turns the transcript into the crew's job sheet before quoting.
Before
About 30 minutes typing up each visit: 12 × 30 = 360 minutes, 6 hours a month
After
About 10 minutes checking each job sheet: 12 × 10 = 120 minutes, 2 hours a month
What it's worth
About $160£120€143A$230C$226 a month in time saved, against about $9£7€8A$13C$13 for ChatGPT Go. Write-ups drop from 6 hours a month to 2, and 4 hours at an assumed $40£30€36A$58C$56 an hour is $160£120€143A$230C$226.
How to set it up
- Choose ChatGPT Go (€8, about $9£7€8A$13C$13 a month) or above and use the iPhone or Android app; the free plan doesn't include video.
- In the app's voice settings, choose Advanced: OpenAI says the newer Live option doesn't support video.
- Before the visit, start a chat with your survey checklist and a brief: "I'm surveying a site for a marquee. Prompt me for anything on this checklist I haven't covered. Don't estimate sizes from the camera; I'll read out measurements."
- On site, start voice, tap the camera button and walk the area: read out each measurement and describe the ground, slope, access width, overhead cables, drains, power and toilet positions.
- End the call and ask in text for a job sheet under your own headings. Check every figure against your tape notes, then decide the marquee size, layout and price yourself.
What goes wrong
- ChatGPT can't judge ground, slope or buried services from video. Anchoring, wind limits and services stay with your risk assessment, the crew lead and a cable scan where needed.
- OpenAI says voice transcripts aren't word-for-word records, so check every measurement against your own notes before quoting.
- Video clips are stored with the chat for 30 days. Ask the host before filming, and avoid filming people, house interiors and paperwork.
- Free has no video, and Live voice doesn't support it; use Advanced on Go or above.