ConQuest, a successful and widely used estimating system in the U.K., is building on its platform of over 7000 estimating users by setting its sights on the larger contract surveyors market by completely re-designing their valuations product.

As Tony Day from ConQuest Ltd explained: "it has traditionally been difficult to persuade surveyors away from Excel, which is a great pity since the benefits of running with one system from initial enquiry to final account are immense and pretty obvious.

"We have consulted with many existing ConQuest users, some of whom got along well with our old valuation system and more importantly some who had struggled. The common theme of what people wanted was a system which was extremely flexible and easy to follow, with a great emphasis on data exchange with Excel to allow the surveyor to top and tail the valuation in any way he wants.

"We are pretty excited with what we have come up with and the response from customers has been excellent. The biggest obvious advantage is evident as soon as a surveyor picks up a contract. All of the set up and preparation done during the estimating period is immediately available. The job is already marked for subcontract and supplier packages, lists of subcontractors and suppliers to whom enquiries were sent are readily available with contact details and corresponding quotation comparison sheets, all linked to Microsoft Word for the production of new enquiries or order letters.

"The surveyor is immediately in a much better position to go out to the market to secure the most favourable trade package prices. Not to mention immediate access to priced schedules for labour plant and materials along with detailed analytical rate build-ups.

What's more, the internal valuation will be already coded to match the cost headings from your chosen accounts system. This means that cost value reconciliations can be carried out in a fraction of the time taken by any other means.  And the surveyor also has the full range of ConQuest measurement, billing and pricing tools available for the production and pricing of variations.

"I am convinced that, with this new package it is now possible for the contracts team to enjoy all the benefits that ConQuest has been delivering to their estimating colleagues for many years. It's about time!"

ConQuest will be showing the new system along with the latest release of their market leading estimating software at future iT Showcase Live events.  

www.conquest.ltd.uk
www.itshowcase.co.uk