Making The Most Of Digital Self-Service

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


This week I have felt that I have truly done the length and breadth of the UK, working onsite with four different Social Housing clients, in England and Scotland. They were all pretty diverse and apart from one, which offered very specialist housing to residents with diverse mental health needs, has I guess, a similar demographic of their customers.

At each this week I was involved in a conversation about self-service, channel shift (Oooo, that phrase does make me cringe!), Omnichannel (that makes me feel much more customer focused) and what services to offer in web/app self-service. Strangely too, all conversations involved reference to how vulnerable/open to self-service residents might be.

Increasingly in some circles, self-service in 2019 sounds like it should be ‘done and dusted’ and a no brainer, for all organisations to introduce. This I find is far from the truth and many organisations clearly need help, direction and to see how others have gone about it successfully. So I am pleased that there will be another ‘Digital Self-Service Conference’ this year, Oct 9th in Oxford.

Click here to register with TONY05 discount

Last year’s was really useful, not just that some excellent case studies were showcased, but also that there was much valuable interaction between attendees. In a sector where others have had successes, made gains from learning as they go, and many strategies can be used to achieve great outcomes, it was super to see it all in one place for a change. I will be there this year and if you use the code TONY05 at the checkout, you can grab an additional discount.

Still, getting back to my discussions this week, some of it centred on ‘vulnerability’. Followers on Twitter might have spotted me engaging with a few threads where a number of SocialHousing residents had quite rightly criticised often overly paternal processes from some landlords.

The sector can get hung up on thinking that services and interaction should concentrate on the low percentage of residents who truly may meet that description. Danger is, assumptions that every resident may be regarded/treated that way, which is not reality.

Digital services for example, absolutely must always be designed around the bulk of residents, not the minority. A reality is that the digital way is not for all. I am digitally inclined, but occasionally I voluntarily choose not to self-serve. These are common and volume transactions, the low hanging fruit so to speak. Providing these digitally by app or response website, frees up staff & resource to provide better services and/or support to the 10% or less of residents who genuinely need it. That way we manage convenience for the many and can properly resource the more intensive areas, face to face, providing much better service for all types of residents.

This years’ Digital Self-Service In Housing Conference is at the The Jurys Inn Oxford, Wed 9th October 2019. Early bird registration from just £150, be sure to grab some extra discount with the code ‘TONY05’. I am pleased to give it a plug as its organised to be non-profit making, with any surplus going to housing charities.

Do let me know if you are going, no-doubt I will be live tweeting throughout the event. I look forward to seeing you there! 

Related Post: There's more to agile & mobile working, than just jumping on the wifi at Marios cafe   

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.

Dodgy – Making The Most Of It.
(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, InfoBoss, 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 ...
. . . . . . . . . . .

Meltdown

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



Last week you can’t have failed to be aware of the TSB systems and self-service meltdown from the 22nd April onwards, lasting well over a week. You may even have been caught up in it being a TSB customer or relying on TSB in some way. Luckily I don’t bank with them, but I had some fun with my teenage son, who leant a lesson on how when technology lets you down, it can do it big time.

As with most IT situations, it could have probably been avoided well before with better planning, improved testing, selective rollout possibly and thinking ahead. These are all things I encourage in my projects, as it makes for successful ones. A move to a proprietary Banco Sabadell internally developed system, (dating from back in 2000, originally called Proteo and later renamed Proteo4UK), was the target for this project.

There is a lot to be learned here.

The project was originally planned for 18 months, with 1,000 staff apparently to be involved in it. It was announced that 2,500 person hours were to be put into it. Often systems like this are very patched and my own experience of all the COBOL underlying the Littlewoods systems, in the late 80’s bears this out. Much of it was code from the early 1970’s. Many bank solutions are very similar and can be badly documented.

If adequate testing had been done, customers would not be accidently seeing others accounts, details and transactions. Very simple reconciliations, could have detected data conversion errors and balance differences. With suppliers I work with on data conversion, I am always shocked & surprised that standard reports and scripts to help reconcile data, balances, debits, status counts of repair orders etc are pretty absent and need to be tackled by struggling clients instead.

Shujun Li, a professor of cybersecurity at the University of Kent’s School of Computing was quoted as saying, "The scale of the problem we saw is incredible. It’s impossible if they had done systematic testing of the system. For me, it’s clearly a case of management, rather than purely a technical problem.”. That is true of many system and data migrations that go wrong in #SocialHousing.

The knock on effect is that a lot of customers are now moving from TSB, due to these issues. One was my own 14 year old son, who tried to deposit cash into his TSB account, at a cash machine and had both his card and cash retained. It did make me smile slightly, that his confidence in technology had take a hefty hit.

In Social Housing, if we have system issues, most of our residents are not going to up-sticks and vote with their feet however. We would not expect them to either.

However, if we have put a lot of effort into nurturing them on to self-serve and it suddenly goes wrong, we are encouraging those customers to contact us again by the more traditional methods. Just a small hiccup with posting delays of payments made on-line, can shake confidence if residents are not seeing these payments on their account and they appear (incorrectly) in arrears. Anecdotally, many then pay via the telephone, to a customer service centre team, because they perceive that as more ‘reliable’.

Introducing customers to interacting online is a hard slog. Don’t let an ICT or project meltdown, such as the TSB one described here, set your plans into reverse.  

Related Post: Test, test & test again, why UAT is your greatest friend 

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.

Gary Numan - Melt.
(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 ..

Standing Still

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



Not having had time to fit my South East Asian holiday in this year, I always enjoy dispatches from the super Paul Taylor from Bromford, as he always includes some cracking holiday snaps, with plenty of natives cooking interesting stuff. Back in January, PT’s blog (strapline - Innovation Labs. Service Design. Social Innovation), asked ‘Is Your Organisation Making The Impossible Possible?’. Strangely, in most of the projects I work with, that has not lost me a lot of sleep.

It’s a sad fact that in a big chunk of the socialhousing sector, we seem to be struggling to be making the possible, possible.

Has your organisation made the possible, well… possible?

Think carefully before you answer that one. It might well be a question more for your staff, than senior management. I spend my time with a wide range of staff, from front line surveyors, to court/scheme managers, trades colleagues, managers, directors, CEOs and occasionally residents and board members. Your staff often have come from other sectors, other RSL/RP’s or straight out of college, Uni or other education. Often they come with expectations of all kinds, around how they can do a good job, expecting the right tools for the job, with the appropriate training and communication, to keep them on track.

Incoming staff are used to the possible.

A bit like ourselves at home, we constantly improve to implement the possible. I don’t think we notice over time, it’s quite gradual. Our lightbulbs started as tungsten, then they went low energy, now they are turning LED, controlled by Hive. The TV is getting smaller & flatter, Plasma has become HD, which became 4K, then 4K Ultra HD HDR OLED. Before long you have parted with a few grand. A bit of effort and you have got yourself there.

How quickly we improve our home experience. But how fast do we move when in the work environment? How often have we not improved a work environment, because the cost was ‘a few grand’? Many I suspect and like at home, it does not take such a lot of pain, just a lot of determination (and maybe a partner to help get you there). Just like a buddy when helping you give up smoking, or cycle with you to crack 200 miles a month (for instance…).

Here’s a quick checklist of the top half-dozen areas where I have helped RSL/RPs get to the possible. Just the possible honest. No blue sky nonsense here, I promise. No drones, 3D printing, headless devices, blockchain etc

1. CRM – An essential one. Bringing all your resident/customer interactions in one place, to help satisfy their needs faster. Available in many forms and at various cost and risk levels.
2. Document management. Commonly known as EDM or EDRMS or similar. Your paper files, such as invoices, letters, tenancy files etc, could all be digitized and available at an instant, by staff.
3. Customer (Resident) self-service. At its best, Amazon style service for housing, at its lowest common denominator,  ChannelShift which will in no sensible 21st century world, er… Channel shift.
4. Mobile working. Get your staff out of the office working like the Martini Ad, anywhere, anytime they can.
5. Virtualise and use the cloud to get the flexible infrastructure you need to support the organisation. If you desire it, maybe you can virtualise from the icon on your desktop, including telephony too.
6. Integrate properly. Most organisations have this problem to some degree. I have lost count of the clients I have helped, who told me from the start that there is no way to properly plumb in solution x to y. Scheduling & mobile often feature in these scenarios. Spookily enough, I have always managed to find a great example of connecting solution x to y, which dis-proves the experience my client is experiencing. A lot of what will actually never connect, should in fairness, never have been purchased from day one. More than likely, with my help, we would have probably have discovered this, from an early stage, and considered the sensibility of purchasing these crazy solutions/applications/ideas/concepts, in the first place. 

If you are a board member, stakeholder, director or senior manager reading this, please think carefully about the six areas above. If you have all of them and they are effective, pat yourselves (and your colleagues) on the back. Well done you!

However, if your organisation has not managed to implement some or all of the above to a successful degree, here in 2017, to be brutally honest, you are not just doing ‘the standing still’, you are way behind. There may be a number of reasons for this, however it’s all fixable, believe me. Management do need a drive to do so. Often, I have been a part of unlocking projects, coming to it with none of the previous organisation or political baggage and a practical, proactive attitude, to just solving our problems.

I hope this helps you hold a mirror up to your organisation. If you think I can help, feel free to get in touch. Better systems mean more budget for delivery and opportunity to improve a right first time culture, for all of our neighbourhoods.

Related Post: Could your personal digital assistant, be the spy in your living room? 

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.

The Table - Do The Standing Still.
(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, HRA,housingtITguy,Housing Support Pro,HousingSupportPro,Housing Options,Hometeam, Housing Group,hotpixuk, HousingIT,hotpix,Hardware,Hitex,Housing Contact Company,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, PM,Progress,Promaster,Proval,Pyramid,PRINCE2,prince,Pamwin,PlanForm, Propoints, Pro-Points 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, 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,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Windows Server,Workflow and tasking,Wheatley,Works Connect,worksConnect, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App ..

There’s Just No Other Way

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Ever got into one of those, “well we have always done that”, conversations?

Well I got into one just a few weeks ago, when talking about what to do as part of changing systems over, in an office taking cash. Yes! I hear you cry, wouldn’t that have been known in the past as a ‘cash office’? Or maybe a ‘Neighbourhood office’. Two things you just don’t see too much of these days, rarer than spotting say a Triumph Dolomite or a Red Squirrel.

For housing historians, cash offices, often had a ‘cash receipting’ system and a very technical and cumbersome printer to help evidence the payment. The latter could generally print on special thermal paper, which bleached easily in bright light or on special rent payment cards. In truth they generally belonged in a pre-Windows world and like the cash office, have become an endangered species too.

A decade or more ago, I remember wrestling drivers for one to work, and a very concerned RSL customer hoping for us to get a ‘sans-serif’ font on it, so their disabled residents had fewer problems reading it. As can be imaging, this was a fruitless task and they probably ended up with ‘Courier New’. 

The point of this story was that now very few residents pay with cash and getting an antique such as this working, is a lot of effort for very little benefit. It actually leaves us in the past. I’m sure when someone first suggested that paper may take over from stone tablets, they were laughed out of the cash office too.

In the spirit of channel shift, I suggested all kinds of alternatives to the humble receipt. Workflow could easily provide lots of ways of tackling this. How about we take the payment and then ask the resident, how they would like their proof of payment?

We could offer to SMS text it to them. Failing that, offer to email it to them. Both of these of course could enable us to capture either of these essential pieces of information, for all other types of legitimate contact purposes. In 2017, the penetration of the Smartphone is pretty persuasive, even among the older generation. After all, their sons & daughters are now buying them, for their safety and to keep tabs on them.

Failing email, we could of course put an area of trees the size of Belgium at risk in the Amazon and print a plain A4 paper receipt from a laser printer, similar to that generated by hotels up and down the country.

So, I bet you can guess what they decided to do in the end, can’t you?

Oh yes, they kept the cash receipting printer, luckily managing to get that going, so residents would not experience any changes. At time’s I think we can talk a good channel-shift, but lose the thread of how we get there. If we are afraid of introducing change, it’s just all warm words that will do little to increase efficiency or push up customer service. 

Managers and staff so often miss the point that its incremental, rarely sudden. There was not a point in time when I discovered all the banks were becoming coffee shops & ‘All Bar Ones’. It kind of happened very gradually. It happened because the alternatives that were being offered worked well and were more convenient. If we can crack that in SocialHousing, you know, I think we may just have a chance of getting there.

Related Post: Are you on top of the ICO data retention policies? 

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.

Blur – There’s Just no other way.
(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, HRA,housingtITguy,Housing Support Pro,HousingSupportPro,Housing Options,Hometeam, Housing Group,hotpixuk, HousingIT,hotpix,Hardware,Hitex,Housing Contact Company,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, PM,Progress,Promaster,Proval,Pyramid,PRINCE2,prince,Pamwin,PlanForm, Propoints, Pro-Points 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, 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,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Windows Server,Workflow and tasking,Wheatley,Works Connect,worksConnect, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App ..

Paid In Full

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


Anyone who knows me, I am sure understands that I am a firm believer in a ‘hand up’, rather than a ‘hand out’. My involvement with my local voluntary community library, documenting my (relatively) small provincial town’s night shelter probably make that obvious. If someone can put on my gravestone, ‘This chap made the world a little better than when he came into it’, I would be quite pleased. Obviously some muppet could cremate me, sh*t happens.

Last month I got involved with a funding project to assist a credit union and local signposting organisations to create something to help the growing number of people out of financial security. It was in the central west area of our capital city, London. A place I hated in my 20’s & 30’s and somewhere I have come around to in a big way in my 40’s & 50’s for all sorts of reasons.

London is certainly a city of extremes, we have the very rich and the very poor rubbing shoulders.

The project was to explore funding to improve Credit Union systems, with a twitter chum of mine, the brilliant Lizzie Spring @ESpringW11, who single handledly brings me down to earth, on a regular basis, as to what we are really looking to achieve for residents in socialhousing. I need more Lizzie Springs in my twitter Stream, believe you me.

Anyway, a lot of what I looked into was around self-service and what we might technically call #channelshift. Blimey, it is 2017, don’t we all do our stuff on the web? I think we do actually. Credit Unions need an easy way for people to open saver as well as loan accounts.

The takeaway for me was that where banks lead, we in the other strands of society, need to catch up. If credit unions are not attracting customers who can sign up instantly, some Building Society will. If lenders cannot access affordable funding easily, they will end up at the Wonga’s, loan sharks and Brighthouses, which are ultra-easy to engage with, but not the best with expected outcomes, of thousands of percent interest. Where the homeless or needy have access to a Smartphone, the usual conduit to the web, there surely should be a better way.

In UK #socialhousing we cannot judge ourselves by what suppliers provide for us as ‘products’. These are pretty comprehensively poor, except for a few notable exceptions. I was surprised to find credit union software somewhat ahead in places of socialhousing offerings. How has our sector fallen that far behind? Its pitiful.

There’s no excuse for supposedly key software suppliers offering half built or bog standard closed offerings. Because at the end of the day, our residents and customers, won’t use them. So instead of channel shift for pence per transaction, we risk wasting money on expensive white elephants.  At the end of the day we could have just employed two more staff in the service centre.

Related Post: What can Social Housing learn from Donald Trump? 

Catch the blog monthly archive at https://archive.org/details/@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.

Eric B Rakim – Paid In Full.
(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, HRA,housingtITguy,Housing Support Pro,HousingSupportPro,Housing Options,Hometeam, Housing Group,hotpixuk, HousingIT,hotpix,Hardware,Hitex,Housing Contact Company,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, PM,Progress,Promaster,Proval,Pyramid,PRINCE2,prince,Pamwin,PlanForm, Propoints, Pro-Points 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, 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,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Windows Server,Workflow and tasking,Wheatley,Works Connect,worksConnect, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App ..

Plan 9 Channel 7

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



Omni-Channel, we hear much of this don't we these days?

Which organisations really understand this concept though? What lessons are there for social housing getting it right? Lets look at ourselves as guinea pigs.

As an individual, what channels are good for contacting me?

Well, I do a lot of social media, active on Twitter and LinkedIn. On a personal level you will find me on Facebook and Strava too. I have a mobile and I think I give callers a few clues how I prefer to be contacted. My voicemail message points to two email addresses and then as an afterthought, a suggestion that "you might want to leave a message as I will always wonder who called". Of course, you will have been listening to my proud Mancunian tones for about 20 seconds by then.

Still, some people insist on wanting to chat. Now I do get that old adage that 'people buy from people'. I get that. If these people were taking me to Costa for a strong quadruple expresso, I would be all ears. However, wasting 40 minutes on a conference call, which would be resolved in five email questions, is not best use of anyone's time.

This month my professional indemnity insurance came up for renewal. Compared with last year I noticed an increase of about 32%, which was interesting as it was nowhere near what was available much lower in the marketplace. I won't be so callous to name the company, but I did say by email, please don't automatically renew and provide me full details of what I paid last year and what it covered. None of this actually was provided, but I had about 30 auto-dialler calls from them over the last three weeks. A bit pathetic really, as if a human had actually left a message to say they might be able to cut a cheaper deal, I might not have gone with an insurer that was 16% cheaper than last year.

The point is that  technology here did not help the organisation. The auto-dialler could not cope with an answerphone and two many attempts were made before engaging any humans. In fact no humans were engaged, so the tech actually lost the business. 

I am a massive fan of technology while it works and its appropriate.  In our systems we need to be selective how we use technology and communication channels. Where and when are important. We need also be able to identify where the selected channel fails, or what times/days work best for that communication. You know what? A call from a human can sometimes make all the difference, now let's not forget that.

If your CRM function, and it might not be so formal as recognised as such, is recording customer/tenant contact accurately enough, it should be easy to profile what is the best time to contact them and what is the most likely time in the day to hear from them and by what channel.

If my suppliers predicted me more accurately, they might have engaged with me by now and retained the business. If your customers are giving you the clues, for goodness sake pick up on them and improve their experience. A clue is we have two ears and one mouth, do twice the amount of listening than talking and we will be communicating and getting on much better.

Catch the blog monthly archive at https://archive.org/details/@housingitguy

Related Post: In your system change projects, its your users & managers, not IT who need to play to win... 

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

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 Damned - Plan 9 Channel 7.
(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, HRA,housingtITguy,Housing Support Pro,HousingSupportPro,Housing Options,Hometeam, Housing Group,hotpixuk, HousingIT,hotpix,Hardware,Hitex,Housing Contact Company,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 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Road Rage

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



Do you ever notice those pot holes in the road? I have more and more since I have recently managed to get out on the old cycle a bit more recently. Being the polite chap I am, I was not tempted to spray a big cock and balls on them like self styled penis doodler and pothole avenger Wanksy   to get some action from my local council.

Through a few helpful tweets from two local councillors, I was pointed to a handy council site to report them. All so far, so good, I was directed to 'Report It, Pay for it, Find it'.

This was until you actually try to use the site using the current internet surfing weapon of choice, iPad tablet or Smartphone. I won't name the North West English council in question, but it does highlight how self service can easily fail at the first hurdle. If I did name it, that might selfishly delay rectification of my pot holes somewhat too.

When rendered on an iPad, the webpage allows two questions to be answered, about Category (Road Surface Carriageway) and problem (Pothole) and access to a useful location map. From there, it is impossible to scroll down to another 13 questions, to actually complete logging the problem.

Be a highway star - Log your faults online

Luckily I have a laptop I use for work and when the same webpage is accessed using that, all questions are revealed. The good news is that I logged about a dozen pot hole locations, many of which could be really hazardous to cyclists, but also could result in expensive car damage too. The bad news is that it was not a good customer self service experience.

With the explosion in tablet usage, unless issued with a laptop or conventional PC from work, the options are to (1) not bother logging it, or (2) create a waste call into the council or organisation.

Now, in fairness to that council, it does at least offer a map to locate your pothole, unlike the neighbouring one that only supports image uploads. A sneaky peak at the HTML source of the original council webpage, shows it to be generated from .net version 7.1, which means it could date back as far as 2003. It was probably quite respectable back then for customer self service. Thirteen years on however, it falls somewhat short.

While new customer self service projects hopefully will focus on a tablet and Smartphone owning customer base, increasingly older portals will suffer from the same issues as here. If you have customer, tenant or citizen facing portals, is it time you gave them a test on a raft of modern devices? Different sizes of Android devices, Apple iOS and also Lumia / Surface. While its impractical to support everything, everywhere, a basic level of usability must be provided at least.

Organisations could do a lot worse than do a re-test annually too, maybe targeting their younger family members. These are the generation of tomorrow and if that portal fails the 8 second test, its unlikely many will be hanging around to self-serve.


     Catch the blog monthly archive at https://archive.org/details/@housingitguy

Related Post: How well trained are your Excel users? Well enough?? 

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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.


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


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