Tuesday 26 April 2022

Get Back

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

You, like me, will have no-doubt heard the recent directive from some of our government MPs, that everyone should get back to the office, as soon as possible. Certain journalists have also suggested home-working is just a ‘remainer-cult’ (while writing the article WFH). So go figure. I have read Lord Sugar is also a fan of getting everyone back into their old workplaces too. That’s clearly from a bloke with a big office portfolio. That may be affecting his personal thinking, or it might be that he cannot connect his Amstrad at home to the interweb for downstreaming.

Of course not everyone has been lucky enough to be able to do their job from home from a computer screen, or have a suitable space there to efficiently perform to a similar level. Good connectivity of course is essential, plus reasonable ability to access and use the same systems and applications etc, that were used originally in the past. WFH potentially reduces car use, use of fuel, carbon footprint and reduction of pollution, if we can practically manage it.

I think the tech generally got introduced within the first two months (March & April 2020) of Covid19 lockdown, as there was no alternative to introducing Teams, Zoom etc for many, otherwise organisations could not operate at all. We all had to adapt quick to a new normal. Organisations on old versions of solutions, suddenly woke up to the problems these created for staff WFH.

Its hard to determine what the motivation is for the current rush back, is it that all those sandwich shops, cafes, train companies etc are feeling the pinch? Maybe it’s that we still have a problem in some quarters, seeing that work is something we do, not necessarily a place to go. Seeing employees nine to five in an office can feel reassuring, although that does not equate to knowing how much actual work staff are really doing.

JRM setting the standard for in-office productivity

If managers cannot measure the work throughput and being completed, then that is poor management, if present in an office or working from home. There are many examples of MP’s being present in the House Of Commons, clearly not doing anything productive. Lounging around or watching porn on their smartphone or tablets.

So do people want to ‘get back to normal’ and have things all face to face again? I would guess not, although in some situations do work much better that way. One example is software demos, I would always want to meet the bidders in real life, particularly if spending hundreds of thousands of pounds. In the quite rare situations where I personally have been able to ‘do things the old way again’, its worked well. Even sitting in the odd motorway traffic jam has not really irritated me, as I am no longer doing it every single day.

If staff have worked from home for a couple of years, maybe they don’t see the point of hours stuck back on the journey in/back, sardine packed peak time trains, office gossip, meetings where disrespectful staff arrive late or leave early. Its crazy to rush back to presenteeism, rather than doing the best to complete the work needed. Its great at times to actually be together with colleagues IRL, to bounce ideas off them and collaborate. That is one particular thing we cannot lose.

Cartoonist Matt's take on it

Not having staff workload monitored is the same problem for WFH as when present in the office. If workload is not being controlled at home, its not likely to change overnight when offices are filled again.

A lot of local and council services have degraded over the last two years. Some of this might be down to staff vacancies, cutbacks or perhaps working from home not properly managed. I was chatting to a friend last week, trying to obtain a death certificate from her city council. These are generally issued to a target of a week. Already 9 days on and unable to progress funeral, probate etc, this is being blamed on ‘Working From Home’ apparently.  

Is WFH turning into a convenient scapegoat, maybe taking over from ‘Sorry, our computer system is not very good and that’s slowing everything down’ ?

Would you accept a cut in pay if we choose longer term working from home? How much might it be worth to you?


Another example last week was on an LBC piece on Passport issue delays. Nick Farrari hit out at the Director General of the Passport Office, saying “This woman is on the thick end of £200k pa, she doesn’t go into work and thousands of Brits are desperately waiting for their passports”. Does he think she might abandon her Peloton, slippers & jogging pants, go into the office and start knocking some of the nice new blue ones out herself personally? Does anyone actually have any evidence at all that she is unable to effectively do her job at home? That in fact is the only criteria that really matters for this.

Has your organisation got the ability to really monitor what work is being done, different types of interactions, whether that is one or more physical offices, at home or a hybrid of both? That is the key to where the right place physically, for each member of staff.

If we can help your organisation with any aspect of transformation issues/procurement, please just get in touch, for a chat over a brew. I will bring the chocolate Hobnobs 😉

       Related Post: Bring It Back - What will the New Normal look like?


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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.

The Beatles – Get BackThe Beatles – Get Back.
(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: #HomesForBritain,#HousingDAY,#InternetOfTenants,#Shout,#UKHousing, 07854655009, 1st Touch,1stTouch,360,365Agile,3squared,4Js, ACL,ALMO,AMS,AX,Aareon,Abritas,Academy,Accuserv,Accuserve,Active Housing,ActiveH,ActiveHousing,Acutence,Advanced,Affinity,Agile,Agile365,AirWatch,Alfresco,Alignment,Allpay,Amazon Web Services,Anite,Apex,App,ArchHouse,Archouse,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Associates,Aurora,Average IT Costs,AWI SX Integration Toolkit,AWS, BI,BO,BPR,BancTec,BigChange,Blockwise,BluTek,Bluebox,Blueprint,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning,Business Process Review,Business social networking, CACI,Capita One Housing,CBL,CCS IT Keystone CCSIT,CEDRM,CHICS,CHR,CIH,CMS,COA,CORE,CPL,CRM,CRM2013,CRS,CTI,CTX,Cadcorp,Capita,CapitaOne,Capita One,Capital Management,Cashflow,Castle,Castleton,Castleton Technology,Cedar Open Accounts,Cerrus,Change,Charges,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, Citrix,Civica,Civica CTX,Civica Cx,Civica Genero,Civica Saffron,Clearview,Clik,Cloud Dialogs,CloudDialogs,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Commontime,Community Reward Services,Company,Competitive Dialogue process,Component Accounting,Consilium,Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Consultants,Contact Manager,Context,Contractor Systems,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,Crystal Reports,Customer Relationship Management,Cx, DRS,Deeplake,Designer Software,Development Systems,Director,Document,Documotive,Docuware,Dynamic AI,DynamicAI,Dynamics 365,D365,Dynamics365, ECMK,EDM,EDRMS,ERP,ESRI,Elmhurst,Enghouse Interactive,England,English,EnterpriseBI,Estatecraft,Etive,Exhibition,Exponential-e, Facebook,Factorwise,Field Service management,Finance,Financial Systems,Financials,Footprint,Forms,Freezes,Fusion, Gas Tag,G-Cloud,GCloud,GDPR,GGP,GIS,GasTag,Genero,GeoSolveIT,Getting best from,GoTonySmith,Grasp,Grip,Group Apex, HFI (Housing Financials interface),HG,HRA,Hardware,Hitachi Systems,Hitex,HomeMaster,Hometeam,HouSys,House,Housemark,Housemark survey,Housing,Housing Contact,Housing Group,Housing Insight,Housing Management,Housing Management Consultant,Housing Partners,Housing Portfolio Management System,Hub Asset Management,Homeswapper,Housing jigsaw, Housing Support Pro,HousingIT,HousingSupportPro,HyperOptic, IMS,IT,IT Budget,IT Training,ITIL,Impact Response,In,In4,In4Systems Promaster,InfoBoss,InHouse,InMotion,InMotion2015,InMotion2016,InfoBoss,Infoflow,Information,Information Technology,Information@Work components,Informix,Innovation, Informetis,Inphase,Inside Housing,Insight,Internet Portal,Internetalia,Invu,Ireland,Irish,itLab, Keyfax,Keylogic,Keypera,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera, Landlord,Ledgers,Linkedin,Liquid,Locality,Localz, M3,MAVIS,MD,MDM,MI,MIS,MIS-AMS,MISCS,MRI,MS Dynamics,MRI,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Microsoft365,microsoft 365,MWL,Management,Management Server,Manifest,Measuring,Mebus,More IQ,Microsoft Dynamics 365,Microsoft dynamics GP 2013,Miracle,MobileIron,Mobysoft,Monopoly board images and pictures,Montal,Mr Void,MriEngage,MrVoid,MoreIQ NDL,NINTEX,NINTEX workflow,NPS,NPS ASSIST,NPS Housing,NPS Job Manager Mobile,NROSH,Natural,Neighbourhoods and Communities,Nintexworkflow,Northgate,Northgate Codeman,Northgate Public Services,Notice, OA,OGC Buying Solutions,OJEU Limits,ORS,Ohms,OmFax,Omniledger,One,OneAdvanced,OneServe,Open source,OpenContractor,OpenHousing,Opti-time,Options,Optitime,Oracle,Orchard,Outsource and outsourcing,OutSystems, PIMMS,PIMSS Data,PM,PRINCE2,Paloma,Pamwin,PanConnect,People Value,Peoplevalue,PfH,Pick,PlanForm,Planned maintenance,Plenfific,Plus,Portfolio Management System,PowerObjects,Pro,Pro-Points,Prodo,Progress,Promaster,Propoints,Proval,Providers,Pyramid, QL,QuantSpark,Qube,QLX,Qlikview,QueryView,Queryview reporting,Quiss, RM865,ROCC,RPs,RSL,Rave,ReAct,Reality,RedkiteCRM,Red Olive,Registered,Registered Social,Rent Increase,RentSense,RentSenseLite,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,RobotAutomation,Rocket, Salesforce,Salesforce.Org,SAP,SASSHA,SDM,SHBVN,SM,SOTI,SP,SQL,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting,SQL Server,Saffron,Safron,Saturn,Scenario,Scotland,Scots,Scottish,Scout,Sequoa,Serengeti,Serros,Server,Service,Services,Servitor,Sharepoint,Sim,SimPro, Simdel,Simdell,Slash and Burn,Social Housing ICT,Social Housing Software Applications,Social Media,Software,Software solutions,Spotlight Service,Spotlightservice,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic,SunAccounts,Sunguard,Surveys,Streetwise, Swordfish,Sx3,Symatrix Human,System alignment,Systems,Systemwise, T-Files,TEAMS,TED,TFiles,TP Tracker,TSG,Tagish Casework,Tagra,Task,TAIM,Technologies (India) PVT Limited,Telecetera,Template,Terminal Services,That,Three Star,Tilt,TiltAffinity,Today,Tony Smith,Tony Smith That Housing IT Guy,TonySmith that housing IT,TonySmithHou,TonySmithHousing, ,TonySmithHousingITguy,Total,Total Mobile,Totalmobile,Trace,Tribal,Twitter, U2,UC,UK,UK Housing,Ukhousing,UniClass Enterprise,Unidata,United Kingdom,Universal,Universalcredit,Universe,Unrest, Valueworks,Van Stock,Vantage,Vantage 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Monday 18 April 2022

It Could Be You

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

When the UK National Lottery was launched in 1994, do you remember the advertising slogan promised: “It could be you.”

Since then you like me, might have spend a few bob on it and maybe even had a few (very small) wins from it too. I have always been wary at anywhere I have worked and there was a lottery syndicate. It was insurance paying in that £2 a week, just in case there was a big win and if I wasn’t in, I might have ended up alone as the Critical Friend holding the project. Has anyone else done similar?

Last week it was interesting to see after three decades of Camelot running it, from 2024, it will be a new company in charge. The lucrative licence shootout ended in defeat and was awarded to to Czech-owned Allwyn, which also fended off competition from a number of others. Camelot were not well pleased and had made noises (maybe just of sabre rattling), in the 10 day cooling off period.

A scorecard process during which the rivals were marked on categories such as technology and planned returns to good causes, rated Allwyn higher overall. In what I would call the ‘Method Statement’ section, Allwyn’s pitch outshone Camelot’s in key areas of technology (linking with Vodafone), returns to good causes and efforts to curb gambling addiction. For the process to be compliant, it needs to have been looking forward to what the anointed winner might provide in the future project, rather than dwelling on any past performance.

On past performance, Camelot has had a decline in players, turnover and slapped wrists from the National Audit Office in 2017. Maybe after 4 of these battles to run it, there was appetite for a new face. We all can succumb to thinking the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. There’s nothing wrong with that, although a well structured procurement process, always needs to test that.

So what can we mortals learn, just procuring something under £10m over five years, not a national lottery provider, but some key application software?

Often in the first meeting I have with organisations I am helping to procure feel the process is an overhead, a hassle, that will maybe just throw up an unexpected wildcard supplier. With decent pre-market analysis and good structuring of an ITT, its perfectly possible to be able to reasonably predict two of the top three suppliers, with relative certainty. The secret is shaping the process to known, or determined needs with the help of groundwork. Fortunately, I bring a decade long proven methodology to enforce this strongly.

The best process scoring reflects those needs and priorities, so at the end of the day, hopefully feelings or prejudices are worked out of the process and maximum reliance on pure logic can be best applied in stark black and white. While keeping everyone on track who perhaps only does this stuff once every decade or so, it also provides a valuable audit trail when needing to award and provide feedback to all.

So the way an award (when done properly) and inevitable rejections are communicated, should leave no room for possible challenge. IE to be able to state, “you scored x out of y in this section. What you did well was this, what you could have improved on, was that”, is ideal for everyone. If Allwyn and others were indeed notified in this way, I can see little chance of the latest challenge going anywhere and we will very soon see a new manager of our national lottery.

Back to the original thread of this, if Camelot can’t overturn the decision , there is at least hope for the 1,000 people who work for it, mostly in Watford. They, are likely to be TUPE’d across to the new incumbent. So a silver lining for them

In short, decent social housing system procurement is no lottery, if you get the right help and methodology in place.

If we can help your organisation with any aspect of transformation issues/procurement, please just get in touch, for a chat over a brew. I will bring the chocolate Hobnobs 😉

       Related Post:How exactly can we tackle pre-market engagement?


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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.

Blur - It Could Be YouBlur - It Could Be You.
(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: #HomesForBritain,#HousingDAY,#InternetOfTenants,#Shout,#UKHousing, 07854655009, 1st Touch,1stTouch,360,365Agile,3squared,4Js, ACL,ALMO,AMS,AX,Aareon,Abritas,Academy,Accuserv,Accuserve,Active Housing,ActiveH,ActiveHousing,Acutence,Advanced,Affinity,Agile,Agile365,AirWatch,Alfresco,Alignment,Allpay,Amazon Web Services,Anite,Apex,App,ArchHouse,Archouse,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Associates,Aurora,Average IT Costs,AWI SX Integration Toolkit,AWS, BI,BO,BPR,BancTec,BigChange,Blockwise,BluTek,Bluebox,Blueprint,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning,Business Process Review,Business social networking, CACI,Capita One Housing,CBL,CCS IT Keystone CCSIT,CEDRM,CHICS,CHR,CIH,CMS,COA,CORE,CPL,CRM,CRM2013,CRS,CTI,CTX,Cadcorp,Capita,CapitaOne,Capita One,Capital Management,Cashflow,Castle,Castleton,Castleton Technology,Cedar Open Accounts,Cerrus,Change,Charges,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, Citrix,Civica,Civica CTX,Civica Cx,Civica Genero,Civica Saffron,Clearview,Clik,Cloud Dialogs,CloudDialogs,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Commontime,Community Reward Services,Company,Competitive Dialogue process,Component Accounting,Consilium,Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Consultants,Contact Manager,Context,Contractor Systems,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,Crystal Reports,Customer Relationship Management,Cx, DRS,Deeplake,Designer Software,Development Systems,Director,Document,Documotive,Docuware,Dynamic AI,DynamicAI,Dynamics 365,D365,Dynamics365, ECMK,EDM,EDRMS,ERP,ESRI,Elmhurst,Enghouse Interactive,England,English,EnterpriseBI,Estatecraft,Etive,Exhibition,Exponential-e, Facebook,Factorwise,Field Service management,Finance,Financial Systems,Financials,Footprint,Forms,Freezes,Fusion, Gas Tag,G-Cloud,GCloud,GDPR,GGP,GIS,GasTag,Genero,GeoSolveIT,Getting best from,GoTonySmith,Grasp,Grip,Group Apex, HFI (Housing Financials interface),HG,HRA,Hardware,Hitachi Systems,Hitex,HomeMaster,Hometeam,HouSys,House,Housemark,Housemark survey,Housing,Housing Contact,Housing Group,Housing Insight,Housing Management,Housing Management Consultant,Housing Partners,Housing Portfolio Management System,Hub Asset Management,Homeswapper,Housing jigsaw, Housing Support Pro,HousingIT,HousingSupportPro,HyperOptic, IMS,IT,IT Budget,IT Training,ITIL,Impact Response,In,In4,In4Systems Promaster,InfoBoss,InHouse,InMotion,InMotion2015,InMotion2016,InfoBoss,Infoflow,Information,Information Technology,Information@Work components,Informix,Innovation, Informetis,Inphase,Inside Housing,Insight,Internet Portal,Internetalia,Invu,Ireland,Irish,itLab, Keyfax,Keylogic,Keypera,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera, Landlord,Ledgers,Linkedin,Liquid,Locality,Localz, M3,MAVIS,MD,MDM,MI,MIS,MIS-AMS,MISCS,MRI,MS Dynamics,MRI,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Microsoft365,microsoft 365,MWL,Management,Management Server,Manifest,Measuring,Mebus,More IQ,Microsoft Dynamics 365,Microsoft dynamics GP 2013,Miracle,MobileIron,Mobysoft,Monopoly board images and pictures,Montal,Mr Void,MriEngage,MrVoid,MoreIQ NDL,NINTEX,NINTEX workflow,NPS,NPS ASSIST,NPS Housing,NPS Job Manager Mobile,NROSH,Natural,Neighbourhoods and Communities,Nintexworkflow,Northgate,Northgate Codeman,Northgate Public Services,Notice, OA,OGC Buying Solutions,OJEU Limits,ORS,Ohms,OmFax,Omniledger,One,OneAdvanced,OneServe,Open source,OpenContractor,OpenHousing,Opti-time,Options,Optitime,Oracle,Orchard,Outsource and outsourcing,OutSystems, PIMMS,PIMSS Data,PM,PRINCE2,Paloma,Pamwin,PanConnect,People Value,Peoplevalue,PfH,Pick,PlanForm,Planned maintenance,Plenfific,Plus,Portfolio Management System,PowerObjects,Pro,Pro-Points,Prodo,Progress,Promaster,Propoints,Proval,Providers,Pyramid, QL,QuantSpark,Qube,QLX,Qlikview,QueryView,Queryview reporting,Quiss, RM865,ROCC,RPs,RSL,Rave,ReAct,Reality,RedkiteCRM,Red Olive,Registered,Registered Social,Rent Increase,RentSense,RentSenseLite,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,RobotAutomation,Rocket, Salesforce,Salesforce.Org,SAP,SASSHA,SDM,SHBVN,SM,SOTI,SP,SQL,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting,SQL Server,Saffron,Safron,Saturn,Scenario,Scotland,Scots,Scottish,Scout,Sequoa,Serengeti,Serros,Server,Service,Services,Servitor,Sharepoint,Sim,SimPro, Simdel,Simdell,Slash and Burn,Social Housing ICT,Social Housing Software Applications,Social Media,Software,Software solutions,Spotlight Service,Spotlightservice,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic,SunAccounts,Sunguard,Surveys,Streetwise, Swordfish,Sx3,Symatrix Human,System alignment,Systems,Systemwise, T-Files,TEAMS,TED,TFiles,TP Tracker,TSG,Tagish Casework,Tagra,Task,TAIM,Technologies (India) PVT Limited,Telecetera,Template,Terminal Services,That,Three Star,Tilt,TiltAffinity,Today,Tony Smith,Tony Smith That Housing IT Guy,TonySmith that housing IT,TonySmithHou,TonySmithHousing, ,TonySmithHousingITguy,Total,Total Mobile,Totalmobile,Trace,Tribal,Twitter, U2,UC,UK,UK Housing,Ukhousing,UniClass Enterprise,Unidata,United Kingdom,Universal,Universalcredit,Universe,Unrest, Valueworks,Van Stock,Vantage,Vantage Sentinel,Version,Virtualisation,Visualmetrics,Voice,Voice and data,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Wheatley,Windows Server,Workflow and,Work Hub,Works Connect, XML,Xen App,XenApp,Xmbrace, ...
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