“We’d outgrown spreadsheets,” says Rob Brady, Director. “It was slowing us down and introducing risks we just couldn’t afford.”
In those days, quoting a job meant hours—sometimes days—piecing together costs and specs from multiple suppliers, checking that inventory was available, and trying to make sure nothing critical slipped through the cracks. Each shade structure involved dozens of variables: the type of fabric, the colour, the hardware, the tensioning system, and the specific engineering required for each site. If the project was in a high-wind zone or an unusual shape, the complexity multiplied. The sales team had to cross-reference everything manually, then recheck the details with operations and production before a quote could even be approved.
What made it even harder was that all this knowledge lived largely inside one person’s head. Christine had become the linchpin holding everything together. If she took a day off or got sick, the quoting process slowed to a crawl. And once a quote finally made it through, the handover to production often meant reinterpreting details, rekeying numbers, and hoping nothing had been lost in translation.
It was clear they needed a better way—a system that could handle complexity without slowing them down.
That’s where TidyQuote came in. Unlike generic quoting tools, TidyQuote was designed for exactly this kind of business: one where every project is custom and no two jobs are the same. The platform didn’t just generate quotes; it connected three crucial pillars—Catalogue, Stock, and Work—into a single, seamless process. Sales reps suddenly had real-time supplier pricing at their fingertips, accurate inventory checks built right in, and the power to turn an approved quote directly into a production job without retyping a single detail.Rob still remembers the first time the team used it on a big project. The system guided them step by step, automatically adjusting the options based on the product line, the installation method, and even the customer’s region. What used to take a full afternoon now took about fifteen minutes. No more emailing spreadsheets back and forth, no more chasing down details. And for the first time, quoting didn’t depend on one person alone.
The impact was immediate. Quotes that once took hours were finished in minutes. The margin checks, compliance validations, and supplier pricing all happened in the background. Christine still oversaw everything, but she wasn’t buried under it. The pressure lifted, and the business finally had room to breathe.
Sunshades quickly saw tangible results. Quoting time dropped by as much as 70%. Errors and oversights all but disappeared. Margins stayed consistent across different regions, no matter how complex the job. Production ramped up faster once quotes were approved because everything was already in place—materials assigned, timelines set, and everyone clear on what needed to happen next.
Sunshades quickly saw tangible results. Quoting time dropped by as much as 70%. Errors and oversights all but disappeared. Margins stayed consistent across different regions, no matter how complex the job. Production ramped up faster once quotes were approved because everything was already in place—materials assigned, timelines set, and everyone clear on what needed to happen next.
Today, when a customer says yes to a proposal, that quote becomes a production job instantly. Teams can assign tasks, track materials, and watch the timeline in real time. There’s no rekeying, no rework, and no second-guessing. And when the job’s ready to move forward, TidyQuote generates everything from branded client quotes to cutting sheets and picking lists in seconds.
“It pays for itself by reducing man-hours, eliminating admin friction, and speeding up delivery,” Rob says. “Now quotes take minutes, not hours. Christine still has oversight, but the pressure’s off. We’ve finally freed her up to focus on bigger priorities.”
Sunshades found what they were looking for: a smarter, simpler way to quote that doesn’t compromise on complexity or craftsmanship. TidyQuote has become not just a tool, but the digital brain behind their promise to deliver outdoor comfort, faster and more reliably than ever.
