Meet Rob from Akerlof

Akerlof is a specialist consultancy, delivering impactful and viable solutions to real estate’s biggest challenges. Our service lines include Cost Management, Industrialised Construction (innovative building methods and digital tools that enhance quality, reduce waste, and improve efficiency), and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) (developing projects that are sustainable, socially responsible, and well-governed). We work across all parts of the value chain, advising government bodies, through to manufacturers, and operate across many sectors including residential, health, science, education, infrastructure, and manufacturing / technology.

We use Kreo predominantly in our Cost Management and Industrialised Construction work. The software helps us quickly gather large quantities of data for activities such as estimating and creating standardised design guidance. In my previous role, I helped to select the best software for this type of work, narrowing down over 200 software providers in the market to find the right fit. So, when I joined Akerlof at the start of 2023, it was a no-brainer picking Kreo as our go-to tool. It’s intuitive, compatible with our systems, uses AI effectively, and handles data in a way that makes our work much easier.

I have been using quantification software for many years but have always found the technology clunky and frustrating to use. Historically, estimators and cost planners spend much of our time gathering data (known as quantification) to calculate the specific amounts of materials or resources needed for a project, applying rates to arrive at an overall cost forecast – this process is hugely laborious and generally not a ‘value add’ activity for our clients.  Many of our clients are under huge pressure to deliver more impactfully. To do this they need meaningful insights from their consulting partners, not just numbers.  Our primary driver behind the use of Kreo is to shift the dial from the bulk of our time being absorbed by labour-intensive, quant generation, to spending more time on analysing the data to provide meaningful information and recommendations for our clients. With Kreo, we’ve cut the time spent on quantification by over 50%, which has enabled us to step back and focus on how we use these data insights for maximum impact. Now, we can provide the very best investment advice to our clients, often in real time as drawings are developed and designs become better understood. This shift is important because it allows us to deliver more strategic advice, ultimately leading to better project outcomes and greater client satisfaction.

Firstly, our people are happier. They can spend less time getting bogged down in the detail, and more time generating value for our clients. It’s also easier for them to collaborate and solve problems together. With Kreo, we work more efficiently, meaning we are less reliant on a large resource pool, and instead can respond to our clients' needs with senior personnel. We no longer need an army of people behind us as projects progress through the design stages. Instead, we can be much more agile in addressing requirements with a team of experts that are equipped to deliver the right solutions. As a result, our clients are often pleasantly surprised by the powerful insights we provide – insights that help them make better decisions that work best for their projects.

Yes, absolutely. Choosing a software provider is a big commitment. I’ve witnessed first-hand that going too far down a track with one provider can often make it difficult to change, but I believe that using Kreo is a smart choice. The return on investment is the ability to deliver much better outcomes for both clients and business.

We are always keen to learn new hints and tips to deliver greater levels of productivity and accuracy in what we do. The Kreo team is always super helpful - I ask a LOT of questions (many of them silly) and they’re always on hand to walk me and my team through the issues simply and concisely, which we really appreciate.