Wynne Construction Doubles Tender Capacity with Access ConQuest
Business size
Small-Medium
Industry
Contracting
Product
Access ConQuest
Challenge
Prior to implementing Access ConQuest, Wynne Construction relied heavily on Excel and Word for their estimating work. This labour-intensive approach was prone to human error, leading to cost loss.
Approach
In a bid to improve accuracy, efficiency and overall usability, David Wynne introduced Access ConQuest Estimating to Wynne Construction two and a half years ago, incorporating modules like Online Enquiries Subcontractor Bid Management and Takeoff for further time savings.
Results
- Tender Output: Doubled capacity, completing in one day what previously took a week.
- Time Savings: Automation significantly reduced manual effort across enquiries and document processing.
- Improved Estimating Quality: Enhanced focus on detailed and robust estimates.
Wynne Construction is a fourth-generation family business operating across Wales, Northwest England, and beyond. Specialising in schools, hospitals, commercial buildings, social housing, and specialised projects like RNLI lifeboat stations, the company prides itself on delivering high-quality, tailored solutions.
David Wynne, a Director overseeing estimating, commercial, and finance, spearheaded the effort to modernise their estimating processes by introducing Access ConQuest to the business.
Results At-A-Glance: Wynne Construction and Access ConQuest
- Doubled Tender Capacity: Wynne Construction has doubled its tender output capacity, reducing processes that once took up to a week to just a day, allowing the team to price more work and enhance project quality.
- Significant Time Savings: Automation of tasks like enquiry generation and document processing has saved days of manual effort, enabling faster and more accurate project planning.
- Enhanced Project Focus: With time freed up, the estimating team can focus on building more detailed and robust estimates, improving both the quality and quantity of tenders.
- Streamlined Workflows: Tools like Online Enquiries, Takeoff, and Comparisons have centralised operations, delivering consistency, visibility, and better-informed decision-making.
- Future-Ready Efficiency: By modernising their processes with Access ConQuest, Wynne Construction has positioned itself to remain competitive and handle increasing project demands with confidence.
The Challenge Before ConQuest
Prior to Access ConQuest, Wynne Construction relied on Excel and Word for their estimating work. This manual approach was labour-intensive and prone to inconsistency.
While functional, these tools proved inefficient, time-consuming, and prone to inconsistencies. Generating tender lists and enquiries required considerable manual input, and aligning data across multiple tabs increased the risk of errors.
David Wynne, who had previously worked with Access ConQuest, recognised its potential to modernise their operations. After moving into an estimating role, he spearheaded the introduction of the platform to address these inefficiencies.
"We were using Excel and Word for all our enquiries, and it was just so long in the tooth... producing tender lists and enquiry lists was taking too long and was inconsistent."
David Wynne, Director, Wynne Construction
The Solution: Introducing Access ConQuest
Approximately two and a half years ago, Wynne Construction brought Access ConQuest back into their workflows, implementing modules such as Online Enquiries, Takeoff, and Comparisons. These tools allowed the team to centralise and streamline processes that were previously disjointed.
Key drivers for choosing ConQuest included its user-friendly interface, seamless integration between modules, and its ability to produce consistent, reliable results.
With these capabilities, the platform quickly became an integral part of the team’s day-to-day operations.
"The usability was key... it was just the process of making your schedule work, sending enquiries, tracking them, doing comparisons, and feeding them into your tender—all in one system that speaks to each other."
David Wynne, Director, Wynne Construction
Day-to-Day Use and Impact
The introduction of Access ConQuest has profoundly changed the way Wynne Construction handles estimating. The Online Enquiries module, in particular, has become a cornerstone of their workflow.
It automates the creation of enquiry documents and correspondence while providing real-time visibility into subcontractor engagement. This ensures that efforts are focused on the right contractors, saving both time and resources.
The Takeoff module has also delivered significant time savings by enabling faster and more accurate quantity take-offs. By allowing users to isolate relevant details and eliminate unnecessary layers of information, the module has streamlined the preparation of tenders, ensuring greater precision with less effort.
Additionally, the Comparisons tool has enabled the team to make well-informed decisions when evaluating subcontractor quotes. By organising and standardising quotes within the system, Wynne Construction can easily identify discrepancies and choose the best options for their projects.
Overall, Access ConQuest has transformed Wynne Construction’s estimating process, becoming an essential tool in their daily operations. David shared:
"I use ConQuest pretty much every day. If I ever tried to do a bid on Excel again, I couldn't—it would drive me mad."
David Wynne, Director, Wynne Construction
A New Approach To Subcontractor Enquiries:
Results of Implementing Access ConQuest
The implementation of Access ConQuest has delivered transformative results for Wynne Construction, particularly in terms of time savings, efficiency, and capacity within their estimating department.
Doubling Tender Output
One of the most impactful outcomes has been the dramatic improvement in tender capacity. By streamlining key processes such as enquiry creation and tender preparation, ConQuest has enabled the team to double their output.
What previously took a week to complete can now be achieved in as little as a day, freeing up valuable time to focus on additional tenders or enhancing the quality and robustness of their pricing.
“ConQuest has allowed us to get enquiries out a lot quicker than we used to and allows us to pull together prices quicker. In turn, we can price far more work, and it's likely doubled our tender output capacity.”
David Wynne, Director, Wynne Construction
Time Savings Across Projects
The time saved extends beyond tender preparation to other areas, such as processing complex drawings and schedules. Tasks that used to require days of manual effort, such as typing out detailed document lists or extracting data from hundreds of drawings, are now automated with ConQuest. This automation not only reduces the workload but also ensures greater accuracy and consistency.
“Before ConQuest, depending on the quantity of drawings, or size of the schedule of works, some jobs meant you were in Excel for days arranging documents. Now, with ConQuest you just press upload, and it does all the heavy lifting for you”
David Wynne, Director, Wynne Construction
Improved Project Focus
With the efficiencies gained, the estimating team can now dedicate more time to understanding the nuances of each project. This allows them to build more detailed and accurate estimates, providing clients with a stronger foundation for decision-making.
The balance between handling a higher volume of tenders and improving the quality of submissions has proven invaluable.
“ConQuest now gives us more time to completing more tenders AND improve the work we are already doing. It frees up time to look into projects in more detail, built a more robust price and increase the quality of our output, as well as the quantity.”
David Wynne, Director, Wynne Construction
Access ConQuest and Wynne Construction: Overall Impact
The combination of these results has not only made the estimating department significantly more efficient but has also positioned Wynne Construction to take on more complex projects and remain competitive in a fast-paced industry.
For David Wynne and his team, the transition to ConQuest represents a step-change in their approach to estimating, providing both immediate and long-term benefits to their operations.