On The Waterfront

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

I remember a time when social housing people would pay good money, to visit Halton Housing Trust, to catch a glimpse of the digital future. You were best advised to pack a few sarnies, a snack, liquid refreshment and an energy bar, as catering was not generally laid on for the entry ticket price.

I never did the trip personally, but met many who had.

Reactions differed, its fair to say. Did you or one of your colleagues visit?

Some of my contacts and clients, thought they had seen the future and worked to set off and implement it, others were horrified with such a fundamentalist approach to digital first or no customer service at all. Its fair to say, those sessions generated lots of discussions and were fabulous in that respect. SocialHousing had been in its traditional mould for the most part and needed a shaking up.

Barriers to digital first thinking I encountered, included (almost comically), “Well our tenants are mostly old and won’t go for it”, to asset and repair managers telling me, “Well we can’t trust them to be logging their own repairs, they will be ordering whole kitchens & bathrooms”. No word of a lie.

Well, the world didn’t go to pot when some decent self-service was offered and all ages, took advantage, to various degrees. At HHT famously, hard to crack tenants were equipped with tablets, creatively funded, which was great. All fabulous ideas that reordered workloads to enable Universal Credit rollout to be managed.

Lets not forget that Halton and the borough I live in, Warrington adjacent, were the initial guinea pigs for the ill thought out opening UC rollout. Drastic situations called for radical solutions. Many poor folk relying on Universal credit at that time, waiting up to nine months, to receive any payments at all. Truly unacceptable. So from me maximum credit for taking a bold, alternative approach.

However, perhaps for most organisations, the realisation is that omni-channel, a pick & mix on offer for residents, actually is an ideal solution, if its available. After all, some of us love the caramel pennies, although others like a mix in different situations. Sometimes its got to be a green foil wrapped triangle when the occasion calls.

I engage with many residents on Twitter and they have strong opinions on the mix offered of how they can contact their housing provider. Also how that is followed up, issues resolved and closed out. Its fair to say that its often after remote service failure, sometimes after self-serving, ‘Customer Service’ then kicks in. Repairs being a common theme, as ITV have highlighted.

If it can be supported and resourced, that ‘Customer Service’ element is of value to be there, at all times if needed. It was interesting last year before Christmas, that HHT opened a new customer and visitor reception area, at the Waterfront, Runcorn. More info here - https://www.haltonhousing.co.uk/about-us/news/new-waterfront-point-reception-opens-its-doors-customers-and-visitors

Of course much has changed in the management team at Halton, with some very good additions from the previous Torus Housing Group structure. Some great people I have had the pleasure to work with previously on serious transformation projects and taken a very hybrid and inclusive view of the customer service being offered.

I personally think that its good that Halton has moved closer to an omnichannel approach to customer service. It’s perhaps vindicated some of those doubters, who made those pilgrimages to Runcorn. Maybe a mix of channels to provide different strokes for different folks, was the best strategy after all…

What goes around comes around. Those 80's leg-warmers or 70's penny-round collars may well come back sometime soon!

Do let me know your feelings via DM or comments 😉

Related Post: Are we aiming high enough for our self-service?

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.

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


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

Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.

File Under: #HomesForBritain,#HousingDAY,#InternetOfTenants,#Shout,#UKHousing, 07854655009, 1st Touch,1stTouch,360,365Agile,3squared,4Js, ACL,ALMO,AMS,AX,Aareon,Abritas,Academy,Accuserv,Accuserve,Active Housing,ActiveH,ActiveHousing,Acutence,Advanced,Affinity,Agile,Agile365,AirWatch,Alfresco,Alignment,Allpay,Amazon Web Services,Anite,Apex,App,ArchHouse,Archouse,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Associates,Aurora,Average IT Costs,AWI SX Integration Toolkit,AWS, BI,BO,BPR,BancTec,BigChange,Blockwise,BluTek,Bluebox,Blueprint,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning,Business Process Review,Business social networking, CACI,Capita One Housing,CBL,CCS IT Keystone CCSIT,CEDRM,CHICS,CHR,CIH,CMS,COA,CORE,CPL,CRM,CRM2013,CRS,CTI,CTX,Cadcorp,Capita,CapitaOne,Capita One,Capital Management,Cashflow,Castle,Castleton,Castleton Technology,Cedar Open Accounts,Cerrus,Change,Charges,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, Citrix,Civica,Civica CTX,Civica Cx,Civica Genero,Civica Saffron,Clearview,Clik,Cloud Dialogs,CloudDialogs,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Commontime,Community Reward Services,Company,Competitive Dialogue process,Component Accounting,Consilium,Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Consultants,Contact Manager,Context,Contractor Systems,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,Crystal Reports,Customer Relationship Management,Cx, DRS,Deeplake,Designer Software,Development Systems,Director,Document,Documotive,Docuware,Dynamic AI,DynamicAI,Dynamics 365,D365,Dynamics365, ECMK,EDM,EDRMS,ERP,ESRI,Elmhurst,Enghouse Interactive,England,English,EnterpriseBI,Estatecraft,Etive,Exhibition,Exponential-e, Facebook,Factorwise,Field Service management,Finance,Financial Systems,Financials,Footprint,Forms,Freezes,Fusion, Gas Tag,G-Cloud,GCloud,GDPR,GGP,GIS,GasTag,Genero,GeoSolveIT,Getting best from,GoTonySmith,Grasp,Grip,Group Apex, HFI (Housing Financials interface),HG,HRA,Hardware,Hitachi Systems,Hitex,HomeMaster,Hometeam,HouSys,House,Housemark,Housemark 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. . . . . . . . . . . .

Mantra

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

Here’s a thing.

In the social housing sector we have a recent mantra around that whole digital thing. If I had £50 for every time I have sat through a demo telling me that I can do something digitally for pennies, that in the real world for shed loads of cash, I could perhaps retire right now. That’s for real too.

It comes with a caveat, that I always trot out, as you have to. That is, its only pence if you have that significant footfall, to make it work. Get the traction, its pence, fail and its cheaper to do it in the real world.

Now the last six months of Covid19 have been transformative. More I personally think, than the last 6 years. I really do. We have discovered we can pretty adequately (& actually excel in many cases), work from home, be more productive and get much more done, around all our home commitments too. We are welcoming not having to put up with all those physical things, like the early morning or evening commute, rushing through a ‘meal-deal’ lunch, or standing on a train for over an hour every day.

Not withstanding friends I know with a few mental health considerations (I understand), such a number of people I know, have embraced working digitally, I guess from here on would like more of it. So we are bought into all of this stuff now. As are residents, more than before. They want good service with less personal contact more now, than ever.

With everything all good, how would one undertake a re-run of the biggest celebration of the socialhousing sector, that usually occurs summer late June in Manchester (one of the greatest cities to hold such a reoccurring event, you would totally expect me to say…)? Digitally of course, which is how its going ahead.

Now, I’m not one of those people who may have taken a stand at Manchester Central, although I was back in 2010/11, when I was a supplier (on the mythical dark side). I remember grabbing a ‘last knockings’ stand for £1,500, plus £1,250 for electrics and lighting etc. I also remember that senior management conversation about “what will the return be on that”? For some exhibitions, that often created some debate. It resulted in a few exhibitions being turned down.

Anyway fast forward to September 2020, and the Housing 2020, the virtual festival, 7-11th Sep. https://cihhousing.com/virtual-festival

Considering the economies of undertaking this event in a digital way (as is the post-Covid19 fashion), as an optimist, I would expect this could be the biggest ever. We could make the best of the tech, double or more the attendance potentially.

Instead, I am dismayed speaking to many, would be attendees and exhibitors, who have said to me, “well we can’t really justify it”. Contacts have told me that they are being offered virtual pitches at £5k and above. How does that even make sense, unless some rampant profiteering is at work? Presumably Ocean Media had insurance, that paid out to cover the hire of Manchester Central. Maybe not. Those costs surely don’t need to be passed on to virtual attendees, 3 months later?

That has surely put a lot of suppliers off. While Ocean media think this may be ‘One year only’, I suspect realistically we may be some way off shaking Covid19 off. In the same way that ‘Pret’ are finding city/town centres are not the honeypots they once were, conferences may need to find a new normal. People already are exploring much more economic alternatives. I am a big fan of Ocean Media, I wouldn’t celebrate them becoming the new Kodak, but they like other conference organisers need to find their realistic new normal.

If conferences want to stay relevant and profitable, perhaps some rethink is necessary. We can have fantastic virtual conferences, with many more attendees than before, all contributing, also with a great mix of suppliers, that see their reasoning for being there too. With no costs for physical space, hotels, security, staff to organise, prawn sandwiches and buffet food etc, I am wrong in thinking that prices should be much lower for exhibiters and attendees too, in the virtual world, not higher?

I would be interested in hearing comments on these thoughts.

Related Post: Why are some implementers incentivised to fail? 

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.

Mantra - Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, Trent Reznor.
(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,Agile,Agile365,AirWatch,Alfresco,Alignment,Allpay,Amazon Web Services,Anite,Apex,App,ArchHouse,Archouse,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Associates,Aurora,Average IT Costs,AWI SX Integration Toolkit,AWS, BI,BO,BPR,BancTec,BigChange,Blockwise,BluTek,Bluebox,Blueprint,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning,Business Process Review,Business social networking, CACI,Capita One Housing,CBL,CCS IT Keystone CCSIT,CEDRM,CHICS,CHR,CIH,CMS,COA,CORE,CPL,CRM,CRM2013,CRS,CTI,CTX,Cadcorp,Capita,CapitaOne,Capita One,Capital Management,Cashflow,Castle,Castleton,Castleton Technology,Cedar Open Accounts,Cerrus,Change,Charges,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, Citrix,Civica,Civica CTX,Civica Cx,Civica Genero,Civica Saffron,Clearview,Clik,Cloud Dialogs,CloudDialogs,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Commontime,Community Reward Services,Company,Competitive Dialogue process,Component Accounting,Consilium,Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Consultants,Contact Manager,Context,Contractor Systems,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,Crystal Reports,Customer Relationship Management,Cx, DRS,Deeplake,Designer Software,Development Systems,Director,Document,Documotive,Docuware,Dynamic AI,DynamicAI,Dynamics 365, ECMK,EDM,EDRMS,ERP,ESRI,Elmhurst,Enghouse Interactive,England,English,EnterpriseBI,Estatecraft,Etive,Exhibition,Exponential-e, Facebook,Factorwise,Field Service management,Finance,Financial Systems,Financials,Footprint,Forms,Freezes,Fusion, Gas Tag,G-Cloud,GCloud,GDPR,GGP,GIS,GasTag,Genero,GeoSolveIT,Getting best from,GoTonySmith,Grasp,Grip,Group Apex, HFI (Housing Financials interface),HG,HRA,Hardware,Hitachi Systems,Hitex,HomeMaster,Hometeam,HouSys,House,Housemark,Housemark survey,Housing,Housing Contact,Housing 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Job Manager Mobile,NROSH,Natural,Neighbourhoods and Communities,Nintexworkflow,Northgate,Northgate Codeman,Northgate Public Services,Notice, OA,OGC Buying Solutions,OJEU Limits,ORS,Ohms,OmFax,Omniledger,One,OneAdvanced,OneServe,Open source,OpenContractor,OpenHousing,Opti-time,Options,Optitime,Oracle,Orchard,Outsource and outsourcing,OutSystems, PIMMS,PIMSS Data,PM,PRINCE2,Paloma,Pamwin,PanConnect,People Value,Peoplevalue,PfH,Pick,PlanForm,Planned maintenance,Plenfific,Plus,Portfolio Management System,PowerObjects,Pro,Pro-Points,Prodo,Progress,Promaster,Propoints,Proval,Providers,Pyramid, QL,QuantSpark,Qube,QLX,Qlikview,QueryView,Queryview reporting,Quiss, RM865,ROCC,RPs,RSL,Rave,ReAct,Reality,RedkiteCRM,Red Olive,Registered,Registered Social,Rent Increase,RentSense,RentSenseLite,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,RobotAutomation,Rocket, Salesforce,Salesforce.Org,SAP,SASSHA,SDM,SHBVN,SM,SOTI,SP,SQL,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting,SQL 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Sentinel,Version,Virtualisation,Visualmetrics,Voice,Voice and data,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Wheatley,Windows Server,Workflow and,Work Hub,Works Connect, XML,Xen App,XenApp,Xmbrace, ...
. . . . . . . . . . . .

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 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Uptown Top Ranking

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/

It was great this week to see Paul Taylor of Bromford put together the top 50 housing digital power players. You won't have missed it, but here is a link anyway - http://t.co/gC2WG7iWDW
It contained 4 out of 5 people I know from Twitter, good eggs one and all, real ambassadors for housing. It generated plenty of tweets & re-tweets and also a very interesting curmudgeonly response from @churchiechat (24dash's own Brian Church) , who simultaneously made me smile and wince at the same time. You can read his 'revealing the emperors new clothes' contribution at http://www.24dash.com/news/housing/2014-06-04-Opinion-The-darkness-of-digital#.U5Ol2CiahMh

It obviously rattled a few cages as a quick search on Twitter reveals.

It is great to shine a light on things however and I think there is a serious point to it. I have seen how the current political regime has tried on many levels to wear down social housing, demonise it, question its worth. In our 50 digital power players, we have a number of exceptional individuals, using social and conventional media to fight the corner. In a landscape of perhaps 800 RSL's in the UK, 50 disciples for me falls woefully short.

I work with over a dozen organisations involved in providing or servicing social housing. Just about them all, have a comm's team. Often they do a great job generating content for quarterly newsletters or get involved in TP groups. Some are in our 50 and live and breathe the cause. I know some staff in comm's teams who are active on Twitter, but far more that are not engaged, do not see it as their job, do not understand it. Just like @churchiechat. He is not a bad man, just one of his generation I guess.

Now, I have substantial experience in communication, drafting news releases for software/services, a revived community library enterprise and a successful camera club. All of those utilise Facebook, Twitter, local and regional newspaper reports, brochures, posters on the back of toilet doors. I see the value in digital media as well as traditional means. Its "different strokes for different folks", as Gary Coleman used to say. I am used to making the mundane a bit more exciting, just like your comms team. They are skilled communicators. Honest!

If our 50 can invigorate just 5 comm's team people each. We have 250 more digital heroes, spreading the good news that @CouncilHomeChat manages to get across by busting myths about Social Housing by providing a platform for people's stories/experiences. I have deliberately changed 'Council' to 'Social'. I grew up in a 'Council House', but even that house now is a 'High Peak Community Housing' property (..and better for it too than what it was, I am sure). many places where I work, twitter provides KPIs as well as repairs and arrears. Number of staff on Twitter, No of tweets, RT's, followers etc.

With 300 more ground troops, we can really change hearts and minds. So a question to the 50, how can you motivate and invigorate your comm's professionals? I don't mean just getting them to just sign up on Twitter either. A user signed up with a hundred or less tweets for a year, labelled as 'Housing Comms Professional' doesn't cut it for me.  These people need help, guidance to see social media as worthy an avenue as the quarterly newsletter, to shape opinions and redress the balance.

We need to work fast. A big press and political machine is trying to remove Social Housing from the UK landscape. We need a machine as big as theirs and 50 trusted ambassadors, is a good way to start. Discuss.  

Read on to : Love and improve your repairs customer journey 

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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 !

Althia & Donna - Uptown Top Ranking.


(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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Home Computer

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/


Working in housing or general IT nobody can have missed that channel shifting going on, to try to drive customer requests towards the web.

I was only with a customer this week where they are looking to make this a reality to reduce customer service centre traffic and also improve satisfaction. The latter a tall order as there is a battle to drive the general public onto the internet to access services and particularly those categorised as “Digitally Excluded”. Top of the list include many residents in social housing and the elderly.

In the UK, government agencies have seen huge success in driving much traffic on-line and reducing back office jobs. Some that I use a lot are buying my car tax disk and filing income tax/vat on a regular basis. These work very well and have weaned us off using a post office (dwindling in number) or local tax offices by providing the convenience of doing it yourself.

Universal Credit, just a few days off now is structured around internet access being key. Putting aside the flaws of bedroom tax and other aspects of changes, this will be a big ask, particularly for many claimants who have had no real access to computers or web enabled smartphones. This news article from Wales earlier this month http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-21733644 highlights some of the difficulties.

Indeed, the community library at Grappenhall (see http://grappenhall.org.uk/)  that I am involved with, has a catchment area of affluent retirees, who are cash poor and need a way to access benefits. In a climate where we are losing libraries because its perceived we all use the internet to garner our information, the community library is proving a useful hub in helping these people access the benefits to which they are entitled.  

A number of RSL’s have woken up to the agenda of digital exclusion and are doing what they can to provide access for residents, also silver surfer training. This can save £250 or more annually on shopping costs as well as plugging them in to the new online benefits culture. In theory, particularly older claimants can be signing up to all the benefits they don’t know about currently, as with UC they will all be in one place.

Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust are one local to me that I am aware of that are providing internet access at many of their retirement schemes. They have also provided some degree of training and shared access equipment where practicable which is fantastic for their customers. While nobody would claim this was a silver (surfer) bullet, it’s a great step forward and over a couple of years has increased internet penetration for them from around and estimated 6% to nearer 40%. Not to forget too, the wifi provided can also be used by housing staff to access main systems via the internet or Citrix Receiver. I have myself become a fan of ‘Receiver’ using it on an iPad touch. It’s easily usable on even a small device like that for small amounts of work, rather than spending much more cash on dedicated mobile solutions.

Another avenue is the refurb of old smartphone kit for the digitally excluded and supply ultra-cheap or nearly free. See http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2013/03/28/moduslink-and-newton-circus-join-forces-increase-digital-inclusion A great idea and a super name in ‘Silverline’ geddit? Now this is one angle that might work for our demographic. It would be hoped that sons & daughters might gift tablets to their parents to get them on-line, but older devices and targeted apps might be the way forward.

If you have some initiatives on-going as usual, please get in touch. Thanks everyone for getting in contact, feedback always welcome!

Read on to : The Channel shift Agenda - Are you embracing it?

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 !

Kraftwerk - Home Computer.


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

PS 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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