Paper vs portals

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

I was chatting only the other day about how ubiquitous procurement portals had become. Also how there are so many of the buggers. Having logins for most of them as buyer and sometimes supplier, I can see why they wind up bidders so much.

Also, I was working with a client a few months ago who   Used a countrywide (one of those devolved ones) portal and the password had been lost when a previous employee had retired, 2 years prior. Queue a morning wasted while a messy reset had to be done, only after handing over an acre of company information. 

Bidders should never wait right up to the deadline time (high noon this Friday probably). My advice is get in at least a day early in the event of portal down for maintenance, or major functions not working right. Generating ability to upload your submission documents, or identify what mandatory field you have omitted.

Oh what a simpler time it was when there was to be 5 people on a moderation panel and 5 full printed and sexily bound copies were needed to be sent in the post. I remember binder salesmen (yes, generally men), coming in to me as a supplier, selling their ‘binding dreams’. Some worked a treat, others lasted produced a sexy tender tone, with an approximate shelf life of a box of half a dozen eggs.

Those things used to weigh quite a lot and I remember Diane, the trusty tender producer needing to remember to bend her knees, in order to prevent a back injury that would be accident book material.

Missing a section could invalidate a tender. Often they were mandated to only be posted, no hand delivery permitted. One one tender that went out from my old shop, back in 2008 or so, the postie crashed his van which resulted in tender being damaged on delivery to deepest darkest Salford. It was swiftly rejected, despite offers of hand-delivery to mitigate. Yet no, rules were rules!

Also, from the paper tender memories, many a dote would go out for a HMS, then 4 months later for a FMS, then 4 months later for a Contractors solution. Irritating when you could propose all three. If you didn’t win the HMS up front, you might as well not bother with the other two. Tenders are a lot of work, why waste your time when the odds of success are so slim?

If you are a Contracting Body, try to VoG out for the lot if your soft-market indicates the combo for what you need is out there. Always scope the market ahead first. Otherwise you might need a few attempts to get your result. After many dozens, I don’t think I have had a single zero return as yet.

Digital portals are hassle, but after paper copies and the like, they may just be a necessary evil. We just gotta live with them !

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ *** Join the discussion with Claire & Aiden *** _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

 

Off the shelf or build your own - how to scope your options ?

Get in touch , I will drop in for a brew & bring the Jaffa Cakes ☕

       Related Post: Software contracts - such a minefield. What to be aware of and what to try to avoid..

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

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.

Barclay James Harvest - Paper Wings

(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,ActiveF,ActiveFinance,ActiveHousing,Acutence,Advanced,Affinity,Agile,Agile365,AHB,AirWatch,Alscient,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,BrikHousing,Browser Applications,BC, Business Central, 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 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Yuneo,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,Rubixx, 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,Techlabs,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,Visitour,Visualmetrics,Voice,Voice and data,Voicescape,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Wheatley,Windows Server,Workflow and,Work Hub,Works Connect, XML,Xen App,XenApp,Xmbrace, Yuneo,TS Acutance Consulting, ...

. . . . . . . . . . . . ES | FR | DE | IT | UK |

Break ‘Em Off Some

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

How long do you commit to stuff? You know, phone contracts, ISA saving terms, even personal relationships? A old friend of mine when on his third wedding day, his best man (a hat trick of wedding attendances under his belt) described Gary as, “Reliable chap, has been faithful to every woman he has ever slept with”. A bit near the bone, but accurate. I have now long lost touch with Gary, but I would be surprised if he is not already on his 5th or 6th set of nuptials.

Sometimes a break and reflection is necessary, almost essential.

Which brings me to housing software contract terms. Changing HMS or moving to a new solution platform on a CRM perhaps, is no quick decision, or implementation. Take those claims of phasing an implementation putting in a MVP module every 3 months with a pinch of the expensive Himalayan sea salt. Most of those claims are expensive and farcical, much like health claims for that particular sexy condiment 

While smaller sites (under 3,000 homes)  can usually move faster, most full HMS moves typically take 18-30 months. That’s partly down to suppliers and partly to the organisation implementing. Probably a theme for a whole new blogpost that one - resourcing right. So a 5 year term only may  gives us 3 years-ish max of live running, hence aiming for a longer term. Indeed. 

Some frameworks will only allow you to contract to a fixed term, maybe 3 or 4 years, then by the nature of those arrangements, the contracting body will have to go back to market. In some cases right back to that same framework. Most frameworks will allow you to contract for a longer period, however after that it is likely your procurement colleagues will expect a new procurement. On frameworks, don’t be confused about the typical three year re-tender term, this is for suppliers not you and generally the framework ID will change. RM1853 becomes RM3821 etc, when some suppliers might be added and some drop off. This 3 year cycle (which often becomes 4 year or more) does not restrict the length of contract that can be entered into. Hence, a 10 or 15 year contract is feasible, although I would say not practical or sensible.

Contracts are best split  as something like a '5 plus 5 plus 5' or my favourite, a 5 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 which if your procurement folks will allow it, will give you from 5 to 19 year relationship, with plenty of option to exercise breakpoints. These can be used to reset relationships if service has deteriorated, your supplier has been 'acquired' or decided not remove their focus on SocialHousing, or technology dictates it. For example, who would have predicted the hybrid way we work now back in early 2020?

Another gotcha is anchoring a long term with payment arrangements. What  happens if you are on the hook for 8  or more years of paying for a product or service and it becomes end of life mid-term? What if some of its underlying technology or components go that way? Any Third Party Items will have been resold with your primary supplier taking a wedge. |Housing solutions landed with unsupported Silverlight spring to mind (Keystone anyone?). CRM platforms are not a lot better, MS D365 components that can be difficult to upgrade when needed, represent a security risk or (get this) are acquired and then closed down deliberately. 

I helped a D365 site that had this latter issue, when its MS Dynamics reseller had this happen and came back to the social care housing provider for another £60k to replace the obsolete component they had on their development. Luckily I could prove the original component had already been declared end of life 3 months before the reseller had started embedding it. Hence they had been negligent and it was not my clients liability. Just a few day's work for me but like many Critical Friend projects, I generally save organisation's more money than I cost them.      

Anyway, I hope that helps provide some food for thought. If you have queries on this, procurement etc, please  be in touch !

Any comments, observations or queries, please share.  

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ *** Join the discussion with Claire & Aiden *** _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

Off the shelf or build your own - how to scope your options ?

Get in touch , I will drop in for a brew & bring the Jaffa Cakes ☕

       Related Post: Software contracts - such a minefield. What to be aware of and what to try to avoid..

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

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.

Cyprus Hill - Break ‘Em Off Some

(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,ActiveF,ActiveFinance,ActiveHousing,Acutence,Advanced,Affinity,Agile,Agile365,AHB,AirWatch,Alscient,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,BrikHousing,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,Cx Assets, 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,CxFeedback, DRS,Deeplake,Designer Software,Development Systems,Director,Document,Documotive,Docuware,Dynamic AI,DynamicAI,Dynamics 365,D365,Dynamics365,Dynaway ECMK,EDM,EDRMS,ERP,ESRI,Elmhurst,Enghouse Interactive,England,English,EnterpriseBI,Estatecraft,Esuasive,Esynergy,Etive,Exhibition,Exponential-e, Facebook,Factorwise,Field Service management,Finance,Financial Systems,Financials,FLS,Footprint,Forms,Freezes,Fusion,Fuzzlab Gas Tag,G-Cloud,GCloud,GDPR,GGP,GIS,GasTag,Genero,GeoSolveIT,Getting best from,GoTonySmith,Grasp,Grip,Group Apex, HCL,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,HousingOne,Housing-One, Housing Support Pro,HousingIT,HousingSupportPro,HyperOptic, IMS,IPC,iProperty Cloud,IT,IT Budget,IT Training,ITIL,Impact Response,In,In4,In4Systems Promaster,InfinityGroup,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,InclineIT, Keyfax,Keylogic,Keypera,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera,Keynamics, Landlord,Ledgers,Linkedin,Liquid,Locality,Localz, M3,MadeTech,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,MoreIQ,Microsoft Dynamics 365,Microsoft dynamics GP 2013,Miracle,MobileIron,Mobysoft,Monopoly board images and pictures,Montal,Mr Void,MriEngage,MrVoid,MoreIQ, MRI,MRI Housing One, 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,Plentific,Plus,Portfolio Management System,PowerObjects,Pro,Pro-Points,Prodo,Progress,Promaster,Propeller,Propoints,Proval,Providers,Pyramid, QL,QLX, QLF, QL Yuneo,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,Rubixx, 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,Techlabs,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,Visitour,Visualmetrics,Voice,Voice and data,Voicescape,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Wheatley,Windows Server,Workflow and,Work Hub,Works Connect, XML,Xen App,XenApp,Xmbrace, Yuneo,TS Acutance Consulting, ...
. . . . . . . . . . . . ES | FR | DE | IT | UK |

Self Help

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

I’m still often surprised at how limited self-service options are for residents today.

Either its incomplete, has a UI for residents looking more like our back-end 2000’s HMS system, not there at all, or in many cases not so convenient for residents as evidenced by poor take up of 15% or less of tenants that are regular users. 

Poor integration is often presented as a challenge or excuse, as is often seen from some of the laggard legacy suppliers, possibly still feeling their way on their digital journey. Also sometimes the web platform developer people come unstuck too. As usual here, I’m too polite to name the guilty, after all some suppliers can at times surprise us for the better ! 

Thinking back, I remember talking at a summer self-service conference, hosted by the ActiveHousing chaps in 2018. Those guys now are part of the wider Plentific - https://www.plentific.com/ property operations solutions offering, one of the most feature rich platforms in the sector. Back then I outlined seven whole years ago, what ‘good’ probably looks like and will persuade tenants to choose that Digital First strand, from the available omnichannels we can offer. The cost of self-serving is still pence (but only) if volume can be achieved, failure to channel shift, still generally results in a telephone chat costing £10 upwards.  

Fast forward to today and we have a more aggressive regulatory environment, post Grenfell and just prior to Awaabs law coming to support socialhousing residents this October, 5 months away. On the latter, it is definitely a concern and reason for CEOs to lose sleep and there is no shortage of providers looking to ‘come up with something’ as part of their self-service. It’s often a mad long form of 30 questions, with the ability to upload your damp & mould at the end (if as resident you get to the bottom, without actually losing the will to live!). Anyone can knock up a website form, its cheap and cheerful, but what might create real change, and improve the resident experience?

On a chat a week or so ago with Simon Wilkes, who was at that conference, now with his Plentific hat on, I asked him what they thought ‘good looked like’? Luckily, this is no laggard supplier and has a wide portfolio of proven integrations with most HMS and repairs solutions out there. On quite a few of my own projects, I have had these guys in the room solving API problems generally quickly. In one case working with four other of the ‘rutting stag’ suppliers, bottoming out integration challenges in hours, not months.

On integration I am sick of hearing the answer/excuse, “well there’s nothing we have failed to integrate to as yet”, when clearly it cannot be evidenced as yet. In these cases your go-live may well seriously over run the introduction of  Awaabs law - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/awaabs-law-to-force-landlords-to-fix-dangerous-homes  being introduced (and perhaps the Grenfell Enquiry finishing too. I kid you not).   

So, what’s new in Plentific’s resident experience solution – originally known as ActiveHousing? 

Well in the proven solution that can be implemented in as little as 3 months, there’s a new key tool I am liking a lot, in readiness for Awaab’s law, in helping to identify and address damp and mould hazards within tight fixed time frames. All the emphasis is on early reporting, diagnosis with AI support to nip small incidents in the bud, before there are major spore health hazards for residents and landlord asset damage can escalate. This, like other platform aspects are being continually developed, so unlike bespoke homegrown self-service web developments, its back to the SocialHousing provider to maintain, keep secure and maintain regulator alignment. 

The bonus of having the advantages of proven integrations to the wider Plentific repairs and housing solutions stack & tech development roadmap, open up ever richer opportunities to access and act on real-time information, particularly around compliance. There is neat diagnosis support for integration with     video calling technologies, ability to capture images and videos of resident damp and mould. This underpins regulator compliance confidence, as there is before and after evidence collation, proving rectification actions undertaken. 

More important than pleasing the regulator of course, is the confidence that councils and RSL’s are keeping residents safer, particularly some of the most vulnerable in our communities.

Catch up later in June (24-26th) with me at Manchester Central at Housing 2025 . 

Plentific, will be there too on stand E24 in the main hall. Ask Simon or any of his colleagues, if you can take a butchers.

Any comments, observations or queries, please share.  

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ *** Join the discussion with Claire & Aiden *** _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

Off the shelf or build your own - how to scope your options ?

Get in touch , I will drop in for a brew & bring your fave chocky biscuits ☕

       Related Post: How Plentific helped tackle the Covid repairs backlog for landlords

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

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.

.
(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.

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Adopt OR Adapt

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

A common discussion that has cropped up in my recent projects has been that old chestnut, ‘should organisations look to adopt COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) solutions or look to adapt them to existing processes’ ?

Its certainly an interesting question to ask.

Some things to consider include working out ‘how unique are we around here’ and how close a COTS solution may even fit our situation. In my experience for core socialhousing solutions, uniqueness is relatively rare, with probably 85-90% of what we all do being pretty similar, not withstanding devolved country differences. The special-ness might be the types of residents we have, build types or geography (IE Radon emitting rocks, floodplains or lots of listed buildings in our stock to manage).

Also, confirm if the selected COTS solution is mature and capable of being adopted. If its still being written, not many current customers can be seen as already having successfully implemented it, then maybe its not suitable to adopt. That’s where many organisations have failed. Ask the right questions and assess the risks sufficiently. Maybe find the right COTS solution, or engage help from someone who can assist you there.

Recognise that a packaged solution is generally that, with its own APIs, import routines, UI IP that contractually you will be expected to use and will be supported by your supplier. While different suppliers may have user groups and forums for submitting suggestions and future functionality, unless this benefits multiple users of the product, its unlikely that they will be added. While this might sound somewhat punitive, it’s for everyone’s good. I have more than a handful of experiences where suppliers have allowed customisation, which before long results in an un-upgradeable product. So, don’t complain, it’s saving you from your self chum.

Of course, cases can be made for more homegrown and DIY solutions. Reasons for this can be many fold. Maybe organisations have deep pockets, have had bad experiences already with suppliers and pledge to never do COTS ever again (step forward L&Q), or have a large spare ICT resource. In the case of the latter, some organisations can get mixed up if they are a social housing provider, or a software house themselves. If you have this phenomena in your organisation, I suggest you look into this, also its governance. I have helped quite a number of organisations with some of these challenges recently. Often an external Critical Friend is a solid way to understand options forward.

Choosing to adopt with the right product, means less of reinventing the wheel every time.IE security, GDPR, integrations, a single source of the truth generally comes as standard. While we might have 1,000+ detail requirements, the core bread and butter best practices are sure to be well supported already, so we don’t need to sweat those. So we can quickly adopt those, while checking how other established organisations function with it. Concentrate on outputs, not the baggage of how we used to arrive at them!

Excessive adaption can dilute effectiveness and reinforce that old adage, “Well we have always done it this way”, so we need to twist the new solution to working like that. By avoiding often unnecessary customisations, organisations can reduce risk, save budget, speed up & make implementations more reliable and reduce coming years of expensive maintenance (a hit to the organisation by the way, not the supplier).

So what could some of the cons be here?

Well, pre-built solutions might not perfectly align with all organisational needs. Work to identify these early on in the procurement in order to spot future compromises and workarounds required. Possibly specialist solutions can be tightly integrated using modern API’s, or supported by minimal bespoke development internally. Choosing the wrong COTS solution might well also result in failure. I have been called on to look into projects scheduled for 18-21month implementation, already in year 4,5 or longer. These are rectifiable, yet often need bold actions if 'Stockholm Syndrome' has maybe crept in.

There is also plenty of scope for staff resistance to change. New processes or workflows might be difficult to embed, even if actual package or sector best practice is what’s being proposed. Good comms can be really useful here, as can networking openly with peers who are also using the COTS solutions successfully.

While the current traditional packaged solutions marketplace appears to be more controlled (& shrunk) by VC, ever shrinking, even more so this Spring 2025 with just less than a handful of large suppliers buying everything up, there are still independents (such as Omniledger and Rubixx), plus a range of Microsoft D365 Dynamics solutions, Salesforce and other solutions. Many of the latter can supply various degrees of productised and supported IP, which provides a hybrid COTS option. For these the buyer needs to understand what will be productised, how far that will take us and what the gap will cost, plus who will develop it. One for a whole blog post on its own I think that one.

In any case as the Romans used to say “caveat emptor”, perhaps get advice if you need it before purchasing, to ensure you are “Buyer beware”.     

Any comments, observations or queries, please share.  

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ *** Join the discussion with Claire & Aiden *** _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

Off the shelf or build your own - how to scope your options ?

Get in touch , I will drop in for a brew & bring your fave chocky biscuits ☕

       Related Post: How best to understand the products you know & the vast options you maybe don't know about?

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

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.

Wire – Adapt.
(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 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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,HousingOne,Housing-One, 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,Keynamics, 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,MoreIQ,Microsoft Dynamics 365,Microsoft dynamics GP 2013,Miracle,MobileIron,Mobysoft,Monopoly board images and pictures,Montal,Mr Void,MriEngage,MrVoid,MoreIQ, MRI Housing One, 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,QLX, QLF, QL Yuneo,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,Rubixx, 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 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