Your Call - So Good

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @hotpixUK
or LinkedIn here uk.linkedin.com/pub/tony-smith-bsc-hons-acih/a/979/351/


A big deserved thank you for OmFax and St Leger Homes in Doncaster, for inviting me to host the 'YourCall' event last week. I always enjoy meeting and chatting to the incredible staff and managers, delivering excellent customer services in the social housing sector.


This 'Your Call' event was a cracker, really interesting with some varied opinions, starting straight after the breakfast pastries and coffee. The event was attended by a great group, including from St Leger (natch!), A1 Housing in Worksop, Astraline (who provide out of hours services), Berneslai Homes  in Barnsley, WDH in Wakefield, Newark & Sherwood and Ongo in Scunthorpe.

First up after the stats from the 'Your Call' survey was revealed, ( you can still register your thoughts via the link on http://tonysmiththathousingitguy.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/say-something-about-state-of-social.html ), was a discussion on the diversification of channels. Everyone these days want to channel shift, offer cheaper 24/7 service online. But what does it mean for the traditional customer service team?

Well Twitter and social media raised its head, increasingly a method that customers are using to contact & express opinions about the social landlords in the group. For some just a 9to5 Twitter prescience was enough. Most were all experiencing some levels of added commercialisation and some were experiencing group expansion. These brought their own challenges and the creation of waste in the customer service centre. Often it was in-complete integration  that created problems. That old chestnut, data not held in a single place, presenting information to customer service staff.

One other issue cited was incomplete channel shift or a partial implementation that actually doubled up tasks. Examples are when a website form can be completed at any time 24/7, but arrives as an email, for customer services to key into another system, the following morning. I recalled my experience of the Halifax online bank 'IF' from 1999, doing just that. Spookily enough, one of the attendees still had an 'IF' (Intelligent Finance) account. I bet the Halifax have managed to integrate it all properly by now!

On the subject of personalisation of service, all agreed that one of the tricks was to recruit for attitude not knowledge. One RSL tried its best to recruit staff from its resident bodies. An absolutely brilliant idea. The better integrated systems seemed to make it easier to personalise. often a CRM module was badly synchronised with back-end housing systems. This can lead to duplicate contacts, data spread across many places or completely missing in action sometimes.

To empower staff to be able to deliver expert service, some attendees utilised work shadowing, to see the effect on other staff. Seeing the process as a long customer journey was seen as useful and had informed front & back-end staff as to the importance of each step as being part of delivering excellence. Failures generate waste calls and small changes, such as automated texts and keeping customers/tenants informed, can significantly reduce waste.       

So, all in all a very interesting morning indeed. I hope Peter Graddon & Omfax will be continuing the 'Your Call' idea into the future. A great way to exchange great ideas, issues and best practice.

Related Post: Does Mobile or Channel Shift often mean doing everything twice?

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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.


Joy Zipper - You're So Good.
(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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All For Self Service

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

If you have a housing organisation customer self service portal, please take the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/housingselfservice . Thank you!



A couple of weeks ago I had some exchanges about tenant self service portals, with Ade Capon (@AdeCapon), brains behind #HousingDay, other things and is a real good egg.

Digital First is the way to move for our housing systems, although I believe we need a mixture of channels, in order to reach all our customers, in ways that suit them. While access to devices, wifi and broadband is another matter, what we were thinking about, is what applications are out there currently, what's working for housing & what's not.

Having worked on both sides of the fence, as HMS supplier and now three & a half years successfully matching housing organisations with solutions that work, I have my own ideas of what the ideal might be. That would include easy login via existing social media accounts (such as Facebook, Twitter or Google+), as well as more traditional email sign-in. Having a site that could be exposed as a convenient app, render on a range of browsers and display footprints well, are all on my checklist.

As mentioned in a great session I did with the (mighty) Barry Marlow (@BarryMarlow) this week, at the Housing Technology Conference at the Oxford Belfry, I think we should have customer self service like the commercial world. That way we will be taken seriously and we can take our software providers seriously. So like a bank sends us a secure link that then exposes an EDM document, such as a statement or an invoice, UK Housing should aim as high.

All the usual things that our customers might expect should be on tap. IE Statements, make a payment (with their account patched in so they don't have to re-key much, unlike a bland link to Allpay or Paypal etc), check repairs & planned works in their property & around them, order some fully, with a 'real' appointment, and be restricted to the repairs we are responsible for.

Case based activity should be fully supported, ASB, Complaints, Complements, Permissions, Notice/terminations, as should housing options (in the Scottish sense, including services we can signpost & link to beyond pure accommodation) as well as mutual exchange support, transfer lists and link to local Common Housing Registers. Oh & drop the board members in cardigans on your info page, while introducing reward points, that can be seen in the portal and spent locally.

In my world, those self service interactions must all update the back end systems in real time. Sending an email in is so 1990's. All we are doing in that shabby situation is creating more admin in our back offices, delay, the chance of losing those messages in the organisation and increasing the probability we will need to call the customer back. I was talking to one IT manager just this week who is ditching one of those types of portals and spending more money with his HMS provider to buy a properly integrated one. I won't name products, but if you get in touch directly I might.

Please let us have your views on the link below. Everyone I work with is aware of my staunch independent viewpoint. Its more about solving the problems than who in most cases.

Like me, this survey is fully independent of suppliers etc, so you are safe to share your views good or bad. It might well help us push software suppliers towards where we need to be, in order to serve our residents better! Thanking you in advance.

If you have a housing organisation customer self service portal (such as iHousing, SeeMyData, DataFish, in-house developed or any other), please take the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/housingselfservice . Thank you!

Related Post: How can we tackle getting more tenants online then?

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You can link with me on LinkedIn here - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy It would be great to connect !

Fun Loving Criminals - All For Self.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009

PS As usual, if there are subjects you might like me to tackle on this blog, or you could benefit from any of our services please get in touch and let me know!

You can access a quick list of 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 or issue.
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Last Call 0845

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @hotpixUK

or LinkedIn here uk.linkedin.com/pub/tony-smith-bsc-hons-acih/a/979/351

Just about every business, council, banking or insurance company these day seems to have an 0845 or other number that clocks up profit at your expense, while on hold.  If your organisation runs a customer service centre with a non geographic number, you need to be aware of some of the changes ahead, just over a month away.

Most housing organisations that I work with have already (or are) moving to an '03' style number. Residents are under enough pressure without having to waste money while on hold to their landlord. Many supplier helpdesks seem to have them these days too. Many of those might need to take note too.

During the winter storms, the Environment Agency justifiably came under fire for charging flood victims up to 41p per minute (via an 0845 number) to get through to the designated helpline service, and have since changed to a standard-rate 0345 number. They have also changed their general enquiries number from 0870 to 0370.

Shortly, it will be illegal to provide an 0845 number for a customer service line. From Friday the 13th June 2014, it will be a legal requirement that businesses provide a standard rate number for their customer service lines. That's one that starts 01, 02 or 03. This law has been passed to ensure that no customer is forced to pay an additional charge, frequently incurred with 0845 and similar numbers. This law was passed as part of “The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013″ on 13th December 2013 (Part 4, section 41). More info here - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/... regulations-2013.pdf

Your customers & tenants may be within their rights to take such companies to court and successfully reclaim the excessive charges made to them. Trading Standards are also at liberty to get involved in bringing non-complying companies to justice. So check on your current arrangements, to put any telecoms changes into effect and communicate with your customers as soon as possible. Don't get caught out!

You can link with me on LinkedIn here - uk.linkedin.com/pub/tony-smith-bsc-hons-acih/a/979/351/ It would be great to connect. Join as a follower here and don't miss any housing IT news and banter. have all that goodness delivered to you, as soon as its posted! 

Read on to getting your IT in motion:

http://tonysmiththathousingitguy.blogspot.com/2014/03/houses-in-motion.html

 
David Lee Roth - Last Call.


(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854655009

PS As usual, if there are subjects you might like me to tackle on this blog, please get in touch and let me know!

File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. 07854-655009 , 07854655009 , 07854 655009 ," ""07854 655009"" ",07854-655009,#UKHousing,1st Touch,3squared, Acutence,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,App,Associates,ACL,Abritas,AMS,AX,aspireview, BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,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, 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,Consilium,Consolidation,Consultancy,Consultant,Contact Manager,Context,CIH,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cadcorp,Cerrus Saturn,convergeOne,CACI,CPL Director, Deeplake,Development Systems,Document Management,Documotive,datasystems , Microsoft dynamics GP 2013 ECMK,EDRMS,England, English,EnterpriseBI,ERP Systems,ERP,Elmhurst,Estatecraft,EDM,ESRI,Exponential-e, Finance,Financial Systems,Financials, Factorwise,Facebook ,Fusion, Getting best from,gotonysmith, Grasp,Grip,GeoSolveIT,GIS,GGP, HouSys,Housing software,HG,Housemark survey,Housing Blueprint,Housing Group,hotpixuk, HousingIT,hotpix,Hardware,Hitex,Housing Contact Company, Housings Best Kept Secret, HousingsBestKeptSecret, Housing'sBestKeptSecret, Housings'BestKeptSecret, ImpactResponse, Impact Response,implementations,In House,In4,InMotion, InMotion2014, InMotion2015, InMotion2016 , Exhibition, conference, Infoflow,Information Technology,Informix,inHouse,in-house workforce, Innovation,Inside Housing,Internet Portal,Invu,Ireland,Irish,IT Budget,IT Training,iWorld, Innovation Group Apex,ITIL, In4Systems Promaster,IT,Insight, Keylogic,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera,Keyfax, Ledgers,Linkedin,Locality,Liquid Voice, MD ,Mr Void , MrVoid, Measuring Change,Mebus,Miracle,MISCS, mobile functionality,Monopoly board images and pictures, Montal,MS Dynamics,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Miracle Software,Management Reporting,MI,M3,MIS,MIS-AMS,Mobysoft, Northgate Codeman,Neighbourhoods and Communities, Northgate,Notice,NROSH,NINTEX , NINTEX workflow,Nintexworkflow, OA,OGC Buying Solutions,Ohms,OJEU Limits,OmFax,Omniledger,Open source software,open tender,OpenHousing,Opti-Time,Oracle,Orchard,Outsource and outsourcing,OpenContractor,ORS,OneServe, PIMMS Data Systems, Paloma,performance management systems,PfH,Pick,PIMMS,pimms4communities,Planned maintenance,People Value,Plus,Peoplevalue,PM,Progress,Promaster,Proval,Pyramid,PRINCE2,prince,Pamwin, QL,QLX,Quiss,Qlikview, Registered Providers,Registered Social Landlord,Rent Increase Freezes,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,ROCC , list of housing systems , Rocket,RPs,RSL,Reality,ReAct,reidmark,RM865, Saffron,SAP,Scots, Scottish,Scotland,SDM,sector,Server Virtualisation,servicing, Servitor,Sharepoint,Simdel,Simdell,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, Systemwise,SM,Sequoa,Serros,SP,Scout,score,Swordfish,Serengeti,SOTI,south view,Sunguard,Service Charges,Southview, Template,Task,Terminal Services, tonys , tonysm , tonysmi , tonysmith, tonysmithth, tonysmiththa, tonysmiththat, tonysmiththath, tonysmiththatho, tonysmiththathou, tonysmiththathous, tonysmiththathousi, tonysmiththathousin, tonysmiththathousing, tonysmiththathousingg, tonysmiththathousinguy, sharepoint, share point Three Star,Today,Total repairs,Tribal,Twitter,U2, tonysmith , tonysmiththat , thathousing , thathousingIT , thathousingITguy ,TED,Tagish Casework,TP Tracker,Telecetera,Tagra,Trace, 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,Version One,Visualmetrics,Voluntas,Gaydon, Mobileworking, SAP, ERPSAP, SAPERP, forhousing, Wales,Welsh,Windows Server,Workflow and tasking,Wheatley, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App

I Want To Take You Higher

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @housingITguy
or LinkedIn here uk.linkedin.com/pub/tony-smith-bsc-hons-acih/a/979/351/

Over the last couple of weeks I have been doing some work on the full 'customer repairs journey'. You know the stuff. Right from customer service team CRM call, to logged request, Opti-Time appointment, dispatch to operative and completion patched back. Anyone who has tried it will know that often CSC staff, repairs and trade operatives are hard to get together in a single room. Oil and water comes to mind, although over the last few months, with the folks I have been working with, there have been a lot of light-bulb moments. When people stop being defensive and work together, it's surprising what can be achieved.

This would not be possible without all managers controlling all parts of the journey, being present. If it's your mission statement, to take customer service higher, then its not good enough just to paint the slogan on your office walls and the back of toilet doors. It does need to be communicated and a part of every member of staffs mindset. Now that is a difficult job.

Many organisations fetishise John Lewis. We have all probably bought stuff at the JL partnership, or at least two of the eight types of banana they stock in Waitrose. What we actually get in John Lewis is consistency of customer service, that's why we like it and keep going back although that place is certainly not the cheapest. That consistency, trained knowledge from the JL employee is what is the real trick. Even students doing 3 months in Waitrose part time undertake 3 weeks of training, to recognise those eight types of banana. That's what shopping in Asda a transaction and in John Lewis an experience.

Invest in training and achieving consistency across the whole customer journey and you turn your transaction (renting from the 'council', as many of your residents will incorrectly still think of you as), into an experience. For my money, 25% of that is technology, intelligent scripting in CRM, dynamic appointments, good mobile systems to get the right trade person to the job on time, and capture right first visit satisfaction. The remaining 75% is people, process and management. Supporting, training and empowering staff to achieve those lofty aims on the back of your toilet door.

Have you invested the full quota in IT/Systems and your people to take your customer service higher? Which one will you need to improve to reduce your complaints and follow-on jobs? If you do that, we use our budgets better and create better neighbourhoods for us all.

Join 8,000 readers & catch the blog monthly archive at https://archive.org/details/@housingitguy

You can link with me on LinkedIn here - uk.linkedin.com/pub/tony-smith-bsc-hons-acih/a/979/351/ It would be great to connect !

Sly & Family Stone - I Want To Take You Higher .


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

PS As usual, if there are subjects you might like me to tackle on this blog, please get in touch and let me know!

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