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Benchmark Estimating Software – The complete estimating and quoting package

Glenn Hamblen is a marketing graduate from the University of Wollongong and the latest member of the Benchmark team. When he started work on this Newsletter one month ago, he asked me to tell him the Benchmark story.  For those of you who know me you will understand that he didn’t have to ask twice! 

So here it is - the Benchmark story! Nearly 10 years of hard, enjoyable and incredibly rewarding work condensed into 2 minutes….

As an Estimator with then 25 years experience, Benchmark was originally a simple idea of mine to make the task of estimating easier and faster.  It has now developed into a complete estimating and quoting package, and one that our clients tell us, is a true market leader in many ways.

My whole philosophy of Benchmark was to give an estimator all the tools they required at their fingertips, and for it to be easy to use.  From this philosophy, we have seen the development of many unique and amazingly powerful features that are visible today.   

The Item and Resource Libraries were radical concepts in estimating, as many other estimating packages operated on the principle of having a master project from which you copied.  The Resource Library provided organisations with the controls they needed to manage their base cost data.  The Item Library saved estimator’s reinventing the wheel and improved estimating consistency. In recent times I have seen the Item Library act as a primary source of corporate knowledge for our clients; something that is vital to a company’s continuity.

Then the Routine Library was created to speed up common estimating procedures to further benefit the estimator.  Routines turned out to be a perfect tool for pricing day-to-day estimates quickly, and for pricing Items in larger projects where many variables affected the price.

As Benchmark has advanced, so too have the ideas of our customers and our staff on how to best simplify and speed up estimating while retaining accuracy.  Auto Allocate, the first of a series of power estimating features, prices Bills of Quantities in less than 50% of the time it normally takes.  More recently we have developed Power Routines; a new module with unlimited potential and capable of pricing maintenance and particular construction estimates in a matter of minutes. 

It has always been my aim to keep Benchmark focused purely on estimating, as I cannot stress to you enough the importance of getting your estimates right!   Despite this, and through much valued involvement with our clients, we have learnt and understood the importance of being compatible with other business systems.  Linking to project management software, accounting software and spreadsheets allows us to retain our focus on the estimating process at the same time as facilitating integration with your business systems. 

Many other features have transpired over the years.  Notable features are the quoting side of the package which includes quote follow up, marketing reports, auto email, the new quote with options report and the upcoming Word template quote reports. 

All these features are great, but most importantly Benchmark offers ease of use, speed and unparalleled flexibility to price day-to-day quotes, construction projects and maintenance tenders.  It even allows you to estimate at the detailed, resource level or with unit rates.  All these aspects make Benchmark the complete estimating and quoting package!!

That is the Benchmark story (well part of it anyway).  Regarding this newsletter, I would like to draw your specific attention to one point below – Benchmark’s new Client List page on our website.  As founder and a Director of Benchmark it gives me great pride to see so many businesses happy to be listed as a client on our website.  Many of these have purchased additional licenses recently and we thank you for your continued support.  The entire Benchmark team is very proud and happy to see the software working well for so many businesses.  This, I believe, is the true indication of Benchmark’s value.

Yours, in the interest of better estimating,


Rob MacDonald
Director

Development - Version 6.05 Release for mid 2006

Client Success Stories

Brisbane CityWorks:
Benchmark helps to manage projects and resources across the business

The Brisbane CityWorks Asphalt Operations Group is a part of Brisbane City Council, Australia’s largest local government authority.  They have successfully integrated Benchmark into the business which allows them to better manage their entire estimating process, and to more effectively utilise their plant resources across the whole council.  Read More...

Northpipe Constructions
Benchmark helps Northpipe improve their win rate

Northpipe Constructions provides its customers with outstanding civil and plumbing services and outcomes.  When they identified a need for a new estimating system to complement their operations, Benchmark was the logical choice and they have not looked back.  Read More...

New Client List on Website

The new Client List is now online.  This will provide our current clients with exposure as leaders in business innovation, as it shows that they are implementing best practice estimating in their organisation.  It also demonstrates how Benchmark is successfully being used by hundreds of reputable organisations of different scale and in many different industries. 

If you are a current client and want to be included, simply contact us by email or phone.  Conversely, if you have any changes to your details as they appear, or if your website address has changed, please contact us. 

Latest Client Testimonials

Since the February 06 newsletter, the testimonials page on the website has added the testimonials of Prismo Contracting Services, MidCoast Water, Boral Shared Business Services, Neale Jones Civil Contracting, GW & BR Crameri, and JMAC Constructions.  Thank you to these companies for their time and kind words.

Although the UK is not getting much warmer, things are heating up in Benchmark.  Recently we have been training and implementing Scottish Borders Council SB Contracts division.   We certainly had a great time, and it seems Scottish Borders will soon be reaping the huge benefits of Benchmark.   With each training session that we complete here in the UK we further see that good estimating, and Benchmark, will greatly benefit our current and future clients.  

Rob, the Director, recently paid the UK office a highly successful two week visit.  We were able to visit several companies to maximize the benefits they gained from Benchmark, and we found time to work on the strategic direction of Benchmark in the UK.

Amy-Ruth MacDonald
UK Business Development Manager

Benchmark’s trainers have been kept busy delivering high quality training courses and implementation throughout Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.  The New User and Advanced User courses are attracting record attendances, and their popularity is growing as more and more companies select Benchmark as their estimating solution. 

Click on the links below to secure your seat on one of the upcoming Benchmark training courses, and be on the path to producing better estimates in less time, with Benchmark.

The Benchmark team prides itself on its support of industry.  We also enjoy the feedback from our users and prospective users and there is no better way to do this than to exhibit at a trade show.  Below are the upcoming trade shows Benchmark are booked in for.

Keep an eye out for Benchmark at one of the following events:

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