Solarized

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @HousingITguy
or LinkedIn here https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy



After the glorious extended dry summer we have encountered and mini-drought this year, I suppose it was inevitable that concerns about climate change would not be so far behind. I do believe the majority of scientists and a big fan of microgeneration technologies, utilising wind & solar, instead of usual carbon based sources.

On a recent trip to Scotland, South of Edinburgh, someone has already calculated that an average of just about 3.5+ hours of sunshine a day, might be sufficient to invest in.

Its not surprising that homeowners and Socialhousing landlords, including Torus & GGHT in my own locality, are investing in solar panels, to offset resident energy costs. These also make a significant contribution, particularly during the summer, to the national grid. Earlier in 2017, it was stated that in a particular June week, renewables provided over half of the UK electricity supply. See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40198567

EPC’s (Energy Performance Certificates) have been an EU requirement for summarising the energy efficiency of buildings, since 2007, initially as part of HIPS. I have often worked with and introduced asset management solutions that enable the rdSAP figure to be recorded and monitored over time.

Typically, improvements in more efficient heating and insulation will increase a rdSAP rating from the mid 60’s towards and ideal of 100.

Interestingly enough, addition of microgeneration, such as wind turbine or solar PV on the roof could potentially increase the SAP rating above 100. IE a property could become a new generator of energy. I discovered this recently working with a local RSL, when an EPC could not be recorded within an asset management module, as an upper limit of 100 was being imposed by the software. While a helpdesk call was already logged, it was only progressed when the use of solar PV was shown.

I so enjoy working with innovative landlords. We need much more thinking out of the box to safeguard our planet and reduce resident fuel costs. 


Related Post: This is not the time to be giving up on the fight for affordable housing 

Catch the blog monthly archive at https://soundcloud.com/housingitguy/

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I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.

Ian Brown – Solarized.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here

Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.
File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. , 07854655009 ,365Agile," """" ",,#UKHousing,#HousingDAY, #HomesForBritain,#InternetOfTenants, #Shout,1st Touch,3squared,Accuserv,Acutence,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,AirWatch,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos, Asprey e-state pro,ActiveHousing,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,App,Associates,ACL,Abritas,AMS,AX,aspireview,Agile365, BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning, Business Process Review,Business social networking, Blockwise, Block wise,BI,BancTec,BluTek,Bluebox, Castle,CBL,Cedar Open Accounts,Cx,Change,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, CHR,Citrix,Civica,Clearview,CMS , CCS IT Keystone CCSIT,Civica Genero,Contractor Systems,CORE,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,CRM,Crystal Reports,CTI,CTX,Customer Relationship Management,Cashflow, COA,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Competitive Dialogue process,complex IT procurements,Component Accounting, Community Reward Services, Consilium, Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Contact 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software,open tender,OpenHousing,Opti-time,Oracle,Orchard,Optitime DRS,Outsource and outsourcing,OpenContractor,ORS,OneServe, PIMMS Data Systems, Paloma,performance management systems,PfH, Pick,PIMMS,pimms4communities, Planned maintenance,People Value,Plus, Peoplevalue,Portfolio Management System, PM,Progress,Promaster,Proval,Pyramid,PRINCE2,prince,Pamwin,PlanForm, Propoints, Pro-Points,predictive analytics for housing, QL,QLX,Quiss,Qlikview, QueryView,Queryview reporting,Registered Providers,Registered Social Landlord,Rent Increase Freezes,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,ROCC,RobotAutomation,Rave Technologies (India) PVT Limited, Rocket,RPs,RSL,Reality,ReAct,reidmark,RM865, Saffron,SAP,Scots, "Social Housing IT",Social Housing ICT, Scottish,Scenario, Scotland,SDM,sector,TonySmithHou,Safron,Server Virtualisation,servicing, Servitor,Sharepoint, Simdel,Simdell,SimPro,Sim Pro,Slash and Burn,Social Media,Software,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting Services,SQL reporting services,SQL Server,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic Asset Management,Sunguard ,Surveys,Sx3,System alignment,Symatrix Human Capital Management, TonySmithHousing, Systemwise,SM,Sequoa,Serros,SP,Scout,score,Swordfish,Serengeti,SOTI,southview,Sunguard,Service Charges,Spotlight Service, Spotlightservice, SunAccounts, Social Housing Software Applications, Template,Task,Terminal Services, tonys , tonysm , tonysmi , tonysmith, tonysmitht, gotonysmith, tableau Business Dashboards, tonysmithth, tonysmiththa, tonysmiththat, tonysmiththath, tonysmiththatho, tonysmiththathou, tonysmiththathous, tonysmiththathousi, tonysmiththathousin, tonysmiththathousing,Tony Smith That,Tony Smith That Housing IT Guy,TonySmith that housing IT, guy,tonysmiththathousing, tonysmiththathousinguy,tony smith housing guy,sharepoint, share point, SHBVN, Three Star,Today,Total repairs,Tribal,Twitter,U2, tonysmith , tonysmiththat , thathousing , thathousingIT , thathousingITguy, TED,Tagish Casework,TP Tracker,Telecetera,Tagra,Trace, Totalmobile, Total Mobile, UniClass Enterprise,Unidata,Universal Housing,Universalcredit, universal credit, universal credits,UC,Universe,Unrest, UK, United Kingdom ,Ukhousing,UK Housing, Van Stock,Voice and data,Vantage Sentinel,verse one,verseone,vWork,Version One,Visualmetrics,Valueworks,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Windows Server,Workflow and tasking,Wheatley,Works Connect,worksConnect, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App ...

Come Back Brighter

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @HousingITguy
or LinkedIn here https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy


Do you provide self-service to your residents?


If so, which internal team are responsible for it?


Just let those two questions linger for a while.

Anyone who knows me, will be aware I do a lot of Twitter. I learn a lot there, I really do. It is quite true, as my old man used to say, “Things you see, when you haven’t got a gun”. I love observing the experiences of tenants and particularly the service they receive. There were plenty of alternative views on #HousingDay18, many of which maybe warrant a blog or too.

There are a lot of reasons that residents can benefit by doing their business with their landlord online, not least it should be quicker and can be done without restrictions of office opening times etc. Good use of the internet clearly can make shopping and other things more convenient too, reducing what we pay if we are keener finding canny bargains.

I am not a believer that ‘if you build it, they will come’, far from it. Self-serving for housing often needs some careful thought, communications, nudge or maybe even incentives (how about £10 off your rent every month?). So if you have a resident enjoying self-serving, make them a keeper.

On twitter recently, I spotted one tenant of a medium sized social housing organisation, near to me in the North West of England, who looked to have been locked out of self-service. Password no longer worked and sounding quite digitally savvy, had even emailed then tweeted to ask for help.

Apparently the reply they received was that they were going to get the IT Crowd to look at it. Now I know that in some organisations, if it’s got a 13amp plug on it, that will be the remit of the ICT bods.

Now last time I checked, most self service is sans-plug. 

In fact it’s the new frontline for the service, for a growing audience. Can you imagine Amazon, Sainsburys, EasyJet or John Lewis thinking like that?
Then why in #Socialhousing do we think that would be remotely acceptable?
Those organisations see self-serve as a massive chunk of customer service delivery, if not customer service themselves.

What I think we miss still in many corners of the sector, is that customer service is less of a team, than an overall attitude.

It should be foremost in the minds of all staff, including ICT and perhaps the nice comms person Alison, who replied to the tweet. While problems do occur, self-service needs to be friction free, easy to use and work around when problems occur.

I am aware of what self-service product is in use here. Firstly, if I were in their shoes or that of any landlord witnessing this kind of difficulty, I would be working with the solutions supplier to be fine-tuning this to continually improve it. Test it to distraction too, to ensure all eventualities are catered for, resets etc can be done quickly at at any hour of the day without manual intervention.

Secondly, I would have back office staff aware of how to smoothly help to have that resident up and running again ASAP, maybe in preference to others, first thing the following working day.

I was asked when presenting at a recent conference on Digital Self Service, from people I have worked with, who seems to do it well? My answer was what I had seen from another large North West based landlord, (that began with a T). While queuing at their front desk I witnessed one tenant teach another, to self-serve, while queuing ahead of me, to log a repair.

When it works so well your staff no longer need to promote it and your tenants are doing it for you, I think you may have the problem licked😉

Related Post: Testing, an absolutely essential activity 

Catch the blog monthly archive at https://soundcloud.com/housingitguy/

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.

Reef – Come Back Brighter.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here

Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.
File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. , 07854655009 ,365Agile," """" ",,#UKHousing,#HousingDAY, #HomesForBritain,#InternetOfTenants, #Shout,1st Touch,3squared,Accuserv,Acutence,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,AirWatch,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos, Asprey e-state pro,ActiveHousing,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,App,Associates,ACL,Abritas,AMS,AX,aspireview,Agile365, BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning, Business Process Review,Business social networking, Blockwise, Block wise,BI,BancTec,BluTek,Bluebox, Castle,CBL,Cedar Open Accounts,Cx,Change,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, CHR,Citrix,Civica,Clearview,CMS , CCS IT Keystone CCSIT,Civica Genero,Contractor Systems,CORE,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,CRM,Crystal Reports,CTI,CTX,Customer Relationship Management,Cashflow, COA,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Competitive Dialogue process,complex IT procurements,Component Accounting, Community Reward Services, Consilium, Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Contact Manager,Context,CIH,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cadcorp,Cerrus Saturn,convergeOne,CACI,CPL, CRS Director, Deeplake,Development Systems,Accuserve,Document Management,Documotive,datasystems , Microsoft dynamics GP 2013, DynamicAI, Dynamic AI, ECMK,EDRMS,England, English,EnterpriseBI,ERP Systems,ERP,Elmhurst,Estatecraft,EDM,ESRI,Exponential-e, Finance, Financial Systems, Financials, Factorwise,Facebook ,Footprint,Fusion, Getting best from,gotonysmith, Grasp,Grip,GeoSolveIT,GIS,GGP,Genero,GCloud,G-Cloud,HouSys,Housing software,HFI (Housing Financials interface),HG,Housemark survey,Housing Blueprint,Housemark,Housing Portfolio Management System, HRA,housingtITguy,Housing Support Pro,HousingSupportPro,Housing Options,Hometeam, Housing Group,hotpixuk, HousingIT,hotpix,Hardware,Hitex,Housing Contact Company,housing predictive analytics, Impact Response,iPayPro,implementations,iRobot,In House,InHouse,In4,InMotion, InMotion2016, InMotion2015, InMotion2016 , Exhibition, conference,Housing Management Consultant,Housing Management Consultants, Infoflow,Information Technology,Informix,inHouse,in-house workforce,Information@Work components, Innovation,Inside Housing,Internet Portal,Internetalia,Information Management Server,IMS, Invu,Ireland,Irish,Inphase , IT Budget,IT Training,iWorld, Innovation Group Apex,ITIL, In4Systems Promaster,IT,Insight, iSupport,iSupportPro, Keylogic,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera,Keypera Hometeam,Keyfax,Ledgers,Linkedin,Locality,Liquid Voice,MD ,Mr Void , MrVoid, Measuring Change,Mebus,Miracle,MISCS,mDesign,mobile functionality,mobile platform,Monopoly board images and pictures, Montal,MS Dynamics,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Miracle Software,MDM,Management,CRM2013,Reporting,MI,M3,MIS,MIS-AMS,Mobysoft, Northgate Codeman,Neighbourhoods and Communities,NPS,NPS Housing,NPS CRM,NPS Job Manager Mobile, Northgate,Notice,NROSH,NINTEX,NINTEX workflow,Natural Forms,Nintexworkflow,NPS ASSIST, OA,OGC Buying Solutions,Ohms,OJEU Limits,OmFax,Omniledger,Open source software,open tender,OpenHousing,Opti-time,Oracle,Orchard,Optitime DRS,Outsource and outsourcing,OpenContractor,ORS,OneServe, PIMMS Data Systems, Paloma,performance management systems,PfH, Pick,PIMMS,pimms4communities, Planned maintenance,People Value,Plus, Peoplevalue,Portfolio Management System, PM,Progress,Promaster,Proval,Pyramid,PRINCE2,prince,Pamwin,PlanForm, Propoints, Pro-Points,predictive analytics for housing, QL,QLX,Quiss,Qlikview, QueryView,Queryview reporting,Registered Providers,Registered Social Landlord,Rent Increase Freezes,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,ROCC,RobotAutomation,Rave Technologies (India) PVT Limited, Rocket,RPs,RSL,Reality,ReAct,reidmark,RM865, Saffron,SAP,Scots, "Social Housing IT",Social Housing ICT, Scottish,Scenario, Scotland,SDM,sector,TonySmithHou,Safron,Server Virtualisation,servicing, Servitor,Sharepoint, Simdel,Simdell,SimPro,Sim Pro,Slash and Burn,Social Media,Software,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting Services,SQL reporting services,SQL Server,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic Asset Management,Sunguard ,Surveys,Sx3,System alignment,Symatrix Human Capital Management, TonySmithHousing, Systemwise,SM,Sequoa,Serros,SP,Scout,score,Swordfish,Serengeti,SOTI,southview,Sunguard,Service Charges,Spotlight Service, Spotlightservice, SunAccounts, Social Housing Software Applications, Template,Task,Terminal Services, tonys , tonysm , tonysmi , tonysmith, tonysmitht, gotonysmith, tableau Business Dashboards, tonysmithth, tonysmiththa, tonysmiththat, tonysmiththath, tonysmiththatho, tonysmiththathou, tonysmiththathous, tonysmiththathousi, tonysmiththathousin, tonysmiththathousing,Tony Smith That,Tony Smith That Housing IT Guy,TonySmith that housing IT, guy,tonysmiththathousing, tonysmiththathousinguy,tony smith housing guy,sharepoint, share point, SHBVN, Three Star,Today,Total repairs,Tribal,Twitter,U2, tonysmith , tonysmiththat , thathousing , thathousingIT , thathousingITguy, TED,Tagish Casework,TP Tracker,Telecetera,Tagra,Trace, 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Love Goes To Building On Fire

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @HousingITguy
or LinkedIn here https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy



That phrase ‘Building On Fire’ in the UK pretty much conjures up thoughts of the London Grenfell Tower tragedy 14th June 2017, in which 72 people, including a stillborn birth perished, needlessly.



Originally tower blocks such as these were designed with fire safety in mind. In most cases, each flat was totally self-contained, sealed by concrete in most cases. Fire could not spread, this was a design feature. 

Improvement works, often with great intentions, to improve energy efficiency or aesthetics, can often introduce new fire hazards or new means for fire to accelerate, through new voids between dwellings or into them.

Often capital works are initially well planned, with regard to fire safety. Often if these works are cut back or only initial phases are completed, this is where opportunity for fire risks can be introduced. Alternatively, if a robust fire risk assessment regime is not in place, or maybe one is in place but reports are not actively closed out, problems and likelihood of risk to residents may result. I know the ICT systems are out there to record regular FRA’s and what follow up actions are required & taken. There’s plenty of them.

A new TPAS course, has been put together to try to address some of the problem areas above. ‘Resident Engagement in Building Safety’ runs on the 31st October 2018. This will cover:

•    How to support residents to understand building safety
•    Ways to involve residents in decision making with a focus on Multi Storey Blocks
•    How to share key information clearly and transparently
•    What types of support and resources deliver meaningful engagement
•    How to engage vulnerable residents successfully 

This course is designed for staff, board members and councilors or anyone who has an interest in, or responsibility for, resident engagement in building safety.

Lets work together landlords and residents, to make these tower blocks safer.

Read about the TPAS course here - https://www.tpas.org.uk/tpas-events/show/252 - I urge tower block tenants, landlords and contractors involved with tower block capital/planned works, to check it out. This course will do more than just raise awareness, this will potentially save lives. Just one more life lost as a result of lax fire safety, is one too many IMHO.

Additional dates this course runs are:

• Thu 31st Jan 2019, 10:00am - 4:00pm Exeter 
• Thu 7th Feb 2019, 10:00am - 4:00pm Birmingham  
• Thu 21st Feb 2019, 10:00am - 4:00pm Manchester 
• Thu 28th Feb 2019, 10:00am - 4:00pm London  

Book early! 

Related Post: Never mind your digital firewall, are you working on your human one? 

Catch the blog monthly archive at https://soundcloud.com/housingitguy/

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.

Talking Heads – Love Goes To Building On Fire.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here

Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.
File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. , 07854655009 ,365Agile," """" ",,#UKHousing,#HousingDAY, #HomesForBritain,#InternetOfTenants, #Shout,1st Touch,3squared,Accuserv,Acutence,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,AirWatch,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos, Asprey e-state pro,ActiveHousing,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,App,Associates,ACL,Abritas,AMS,AX,aspireview,Agile365, BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning, Business Process Review,Business social networking, Blockwise, Block wise,BI,BancTec,BluTek,Bluebox, Castle,CBL,Cedar Open Accounts,Cx,Change,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, CHR,Citrix,Civica,Clearview,CMS , CCS IT Keystone CCSIT,Civica Genero,Contractor Systems,CORE,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,CRM,Crystal Reports,CTI,CTX,Customer Relationship Management,Cashflow, COA,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Competitive Dialogue process,complex IT procurements,Component Accounting, Community Reward Services, Consilium, Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Contact Manager,Context,CIH,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cadcorp,Cerrus Saturn,convergeOne,CACI,CPL, CRS Director, Deeplake,Development Systems,Accuserve,Document Management,Documotive,datasystems , Microsoft dynamics GP 2013, DynamicAI, Dynamic AI, ECMK,EDRMS,England, English,EnterpriseBI,ERP Systems,ERP,Elmhurst,Estatecraft,EDM,ESRI,Exponential-e, Finance, Financial Systems, Financials, Factorwise,Facebook ,Footprint,Fusion, Getting best from,gotonysmith, Grasp,Grip,GeoSolveIT,GIS,GGP,Genero,GCloud,G-Cloud,HouSys,Housing software,HFI (Housing Financials interface),HG,Housemark survey,Housing Blueprint,Housemark,Housing Portfolio Management System, HRA,housingtITguy,Housing Support Pro,HousingSupportPro,Housing Options,Hometeam, Housing Group,hotpixuk, HousingIT,hotpix,Hardware,Hitex,Housing Contact Company,housing predictive analytics, Impact Response,iPayPro,implementations,iRobot,In House,InHouse,In4,InMotion, InMotion2016, InMotion2015, InMotion2016 , Exhibition, conference,Housing Management Consultant,Housing Management Consultants, Infoflow,Information Technology,Informix,inHouse,in-house workforce,Information@Work components, Innovation,Inside Housing,Internet Portal,Internetalia,Information Management Server,IMS, Invu,Ireland,Irish,Inphase , IT Budget,IT Training,iWorld, Innovation Group Apex,ITIL, In4Systems Promaster,IT,Insight, iSupport,iSupportPro, Keylogic,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera,Keypera Hometeam,Keyfax,Ledgers,Linkedin,Locality,Liquid Voice,MD ,Mr Void , MrVoid, Measuring Change,Mebus,Miracle,MISCS,mDesign,mobile functionality,mobile platform,Monopoly board images and pictures, Montal,MS Dynamics,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Miracle Software,MDM,Management,CRM2013,Reporting,MI,M3,MIS,MIS-AMS,Mobysoft, Northgate Codeman,Neighbourhoods and Communities,NPS,NPS Housing,NPS CRM,NPS Job Manager Mobile, Northgate,Notice,NROSH,NINTEX,NINTEX workflow,Natural Forms,Nintexworkflow,NPS ASSIST, OA,OGC Buying Solutions,Ohms,OJEU Limits,OmFax,Omniledger,Open source software,open tender,OpenHousing,Opti-time,Oracle,Orchard,Optitime DRS,Outsource and outsourcing,OpenContractor,ORS,OneServe, PIMMS Data Systems, Paloma,performance management systems,PfH, Pick,PIMMS,pimms4communities, Planned maintenance,People Value,Plus, Peoplevalue,Portfolio Management System, PM,Progress,Promaster,Proval,Pyramid,PRINCE2,prince,Pamwin,PlanForm, Propoints, Pro-Points,predictive analytics for housing, QL,QLX,Quiss,Qlikview, QueryView,Queryview reporting,Registered Providers,Registered Social Landlord,Rent Increase Freezes,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,ROCC,RobotAutomation,Rave Technologies (India) PVT Limited, Rocket,RPs,RSL,Reality,ReAct,reidmark,RM865, Saffron,SAP,Scots, "Social Housing IT",Social Housing ICT, Scottish,Scenario, Scotland,SDM,sector,TonySmithHou,Safron,Server Virtualisation,servicing, Servitor,Sharepoint, Simdel,Simdell,SimPro,Sim Pro,Slash and Burn,Social Media,Software,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting Services,SQL reporting services,SQL Server,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic Asset Management,Sunguard ,Surveys,Sx3,System alignment,Symatrix Human Capital Management, TonySmithHousing, Systemwise,SM,Sequoa,Serros,SP,Scout,score,Swordfish,Serengeti,SOTI,southview,Sunguard,Service Charges,Spotlight Service, Spotlightservice, SunAccounts, Social Housing Software Applications, Template,Task,Terminal Services, tonys , tonysm , tonysmi , tonysmith, tonysmitht, gotonysmith, tableau Business Dashboards, tonysmithth, tonysmiththa, tonysmiththat, tonysmiththath, tonysmiththatho, tonysmiththathou, tonysmiththathous, tonysmiththathousi, tonysmiththathousin, tonysmiththathousing,Tony Smith That,Tony Smith That Housing IT Guy,TonySmith that housing IT, guy,tonysmiththathousing, tonysmiththathousinguy,tony smith housing guy,sharepoint, share point, SHBVN, Three Star,Today,Total repairs,Tribal,Twitter,U2, tonysmith , tonysmiththat , thathousing , thathousingIT , thathousingITguy, TED,Tagish Casework,TP Tracker,Telecetera,Tagra,Trace, Totalmobile, Total Mobile, UniClass Enterprise,Unidata,Universal Housing,Universalcredit, universal credit, universal credits,UC,Universe,Unrest, UK, United Kingdom ,Ukhousing,UK Housing, Van Stock,Voice and data,Vantage Sentinel,verse one,verseone,vWork,Version One,Visualmetrics,Valueworks,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Windows Server,Workflow and tasking,Wheatley,Works Connect,worksConnect, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App ...

Diamonds In The Dirt

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @HousingITguy
or LinkedIn here https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy



Last week I was honoured to be asked to speak at the first Digital Self Service Conference, #DSSC18 in Solihull.

It was a very interesting event and also good to meet so many people and organisations I have worked with in #SocialHousing and hear how other sectors are doing it well.

It can seem at times, getting digital self-service right, is a bit like searching for diamonds in the dust. Self-serve can feel like graphite, soft & sludgy, not what would be ‘the residents best friend’, the shiny, sharp diamond.

Give your residents diamond service

It was obvious from the conference and some of the comments from attendees, we are getting closer to realising what we need to provide for residents, although still struggling to get there practically. Many of the speakers highlighted how speed was important. If self-service was fast and effective, it will have a pull factor. Then it will be easier to report repairs, pay rent etc that way, better than holding on the phone for ten minutes, or wasting two hours travelling to your landlords town centre office. That’s not to say I believe those latter two options should disappear, but if self-service is done well, other channels for the most common tasks, you would think, will naturally become less popular.

One important point made at the conference, was that just building fantastic self-service, is not enough to make your residents come. I believe it should be fantastic too, in order that we have the best carrots and no need for sticks.

It was clear that robust targets and some change of internal culture is necessary, in order to inform, reveal, assist and help customers get the most from what can be provided. That might mean that staff are trained to help residents access more services digitally, wherever they can. That might be on the housing scheme, in reception, or when meeting them in their homes. Added to this, excellent communication via quarterly newsletters, posters, Facebook, Twitter, the ubiquitous fridge magnet with a QR code on it etc, will all help.

Those are some of the multitude of imaginative ways, that Yarlington & Torus were looking to sign up significant numbers to make the digital option the one of choice, for the majority of customers. Yarlington have seen massive uptake for their self-service, in just the first six months. Inevitably, as more customers self-serve, back office staff mix and the jobs they do, will need to change. It is likely that they will be available to be involved with higher value work, where more empathy is needed, rather than mere repetitive transactional skills.

If you think I can help with your journey to better self-service, selection / comparison of solutions, dealing with your suppliers to help make your solution integrate well, as critical friend, or to review what you already have in place, please get in touch.  

Related Post: Be a smooth operator, when your projects go live 

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I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.

Joanne Shaw Taylor - Diamonds In The Dirt.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


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