Many Too Many

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

Conference and exhibition time for housing, particularly CIH and NHF, is always insightful, immensely valuable and a great way to connect with colleagues in the sector from all corners of the UK.

Again this year I was fortunate enough to be able to visit the Manchester Central #Housing2025 June and Liverpool September Housing Community Summit exhibitions. Indeed, although I am hyper-local to both venues in the North West of England, I am fortunate to work with #SocialHousing providers & AHBs, in all corners of the British Isles. Everyone I work with I can see is trying hard, with ever squeezed budgets and other constraints.

Previous to 2024 we had a single conference and exhibition (held for many years at Manchester Central), which with the historic collaboration between CIH & Ocean Media seemed to satisfy attendees and suppliers to a reasonable extent. Everyone understands that not all relationships are forever and things are ever changing.

However, it does feel that we have one too many of these mid-year national events. This is on the basis of conversations I have had with colleagues working within the sector and housing suppliers spending significant amounts to exhibit. The former if budget is available need to pick one or the other. The latter are naturally looking for some return of prospects or contacts, generally driven by some related footfall. 

As an outside observer, hearing & taking on feedback from suppliers and attendees, I would suggest that in 2026 again a unified CIH & NHF event would probably work best for all, but that probably be a single event. Otherwise I think events will be diluted and become ineffective. Otherwise we risk having a trade show, followed by a sector conference with trade not getting much of a look in. Both are not a cheap few days out for exhibitors.

Solid events that feel grounded can quickly become irrelevant, as many attendees of the old NHF IT conference at Olympia would testify. No sooner a new and better forum emerged and if the sector is not open to introspection and feedback, that might happen again.

As said right at the top of this blog, I am sure these conferences and exhibitions are valuable and essential, but need to be effective, producing good outcomes for all. Yes and that’s the point. These conferences enable ideas to be shared and outcomes to be continuously improved for residents and communities. 

Multiple councils are expected to merge, how best to manage bringing systems together?

Get in touch , I will drop in for a brew & bring the Chocky Hobnobs ☕

       Related Post: Compliance as presented as a conference on Northern Ireland

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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.

Genesis – Many Too Many

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


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

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

File Under: #HomesForBritain,#HousingDAY,#InternetOfTenants,#Shout,#UKHousing, 07854655009, 1st Touch,1stTouch,360,365Agile,3squared,4Js, ACL,ALMO,AMS,AX,Aareon,Abritas,Academy,Accuserv,Accuserve,Active Housing,ActiveH,ActiveF,ActiveFinance,ActiveHousing,Acutence,Advanced,Affinity,Aidenn,Agile,Agile365,AHB,AirWatch,Alscient,Alfresco,Alignment,Allpay,Amazon Web Services,Anite,Apex,App,ArchHouse,Archouse,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Associates,Aurora,Average IT Costs,AWI SX Integration Toolkit,AWS, BI,BO,BPR,BancTec,BigChange,Blockwise,BluTek,Bluebox,Blueprint,BrikHousing,Browser Applications,BC, Business Central, Business Objects,Business Planning,Business Process Review,Business social networking, CACI,Capita One Housing,CBL,CCS IT Keystone CCSIT,CEDRM,CHICS,CHR,CIH,CMS,COA,CORE,CPL,CRM,CRM2013,CRS,CTI,CTX,Cadcorp,Capita,CapitaOne,Capita One,Capital Management,Cashflow,Castle,Castleton,Castleton Technology,Cedar Open Accounts,Cerrus,Change,Charges,Chartered Institute Of 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. . . . . . . . . . . . ES | FR | DE | IT | UK |

National Housing Federation IT Office Escape

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


As regular readers know, I am a big fan of letting staff escape the confines of their office environments, particularly in the social housing autumn 'Conference Season'.

There is a lot to be said for seeing some new solutions, networking with others in the sector and hearing about innovation. Goodness knows, we are in times when we need to increasingly drive our organisations with it, delivered imaginatively and faster than ever before.

The re-booted  National Housing Federation IT in Housing Conference and Exhibition, over two days, comes to Manchester Central, early December. Relocating it to the UK's second city, follows in the footsteps of the CIH and many other supplier conferences. Excellent transport links, sensible hotel prices, super places to eat & drink, and friendly locals (naturally) are drawing more people to conferences in Manchester than ever before. Compared with Olympia where I attended nearly a decades' worth of events, I think it's a good move.

So, apart from the delights of the North, what should draw you to this flagship event?

I enjoyed the new format of the last one and based on wider feedback, 94% of attendees from the last event, said based on the new format they would attend again. 90% of attendees were at Head, Director or Manager level. 95% surveyed were happy with the February conference content.  Personally I think holding the conference prior to Christmas, also means there is a chance for attendees to get new innovations comfortably into next year's budgets too.

Suppliers and a big exhibition area is provided, although conference sessions seem on the whole to be dedicated to RSL's talking about what they have achieved, which I think is great. Well, we all know everything is perfect in demo-land, I do prefer to hear experiences first hand from users. We learn much more then, allowing us to better understand what works and how to get the best from it.

Key discussions across the two days that caught my eye include, 'Data Protection & Security', 'Making real-time online services intuitive and easy to use', 'How technology must change the housing association business model' and In IT procurement, 'the questions you should be asking, but aren't' .

As usual, I will be going and will be blogging about my experiences and what I took from individual sessions. If you are there Dec 6th & 7th, please say 'hi'. To book or to obtain more info as an attendee or to book a stand, follow this link - http://it.housing.org.uk/

Book by 7 October as there is £100 discount on offer.

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

Related Post: For Customer Self-Service, take a leaf out of Scotlands book.? 

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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.


Fingerprintz - Beat Escape.
(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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Welcome To The North

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

I spent a few interesting days this week up at the CIH Scotland conference at the SECC Glasgow. It always amazes me how similar the housing landscape is from both north and south, although there is limited cross-fertilisation. It surprised me too, how many Twitter followers buttonholed me and stopped for a chat about satisfaction with their housing suppliers and also where to look for quality real ales in town. So a cosmopolitan bunch then. Stephen Cook deserves special mention, the furthest anyone has travelled to canvas my vote for his CIH vice chair, & a chap with whom I have about 5 organisations and about 15 people in common.

As mentioned, similar constraints seem to be affecting Scotland as in the south, although in some areas, there’s some interesting things going on the north, that are only starting to be talked about seriously in England & Wales.

I sat in a very interesting session with Janine Barrett and Marion Gibbs, all about what's described in Scotland, as 'Housing Options'. Elements of this, could be loosely described as ‘Homelessness’, although the magic that hubs all over the north have added, under direction to do so from the regulator , is to consider the whole social/health care/well-being aspect too. Much is talked about in this area in England recently, but we seem slow to join the dots, moving to aggregate the two areas.

The new Scottish approach is refreshing as it puts the person presenting at the centre of the process, in terms of all their needs. I.E. Homelessness, mental health etc. Key to this is a ‘toolbox’ type method, not a process based one. It’s one that seeks also to change the hearts & minds of the housing staff involved and clearly needs to take root from the top of the housing organisations involved. The approach is very much a journey, not a simple destination.

Being a professional 'Mancunian', I am very interested how the proposals for DevoManc will play out, particularly if within the conurbation, health can be better & more aligned with (social & other) housing provision. I would like to see initiatives similar to the ones being constructed in Scotland via the hubs, to place the 'patient' / 'homeless person' presenting for any of those reasons, to be assessed for both. That way, we are more likely to see individuals getting the right care and being helped into a sustainable tenancy/home too.

I am pleased and a little excited to be frank, to be doing some work in the spring around the Housing Option Hubs north of the border, looking at how the toolbox method can be supported by IT & systems. I am very much looking forward to it and I think it’s a trick that we can pull off in the south, learning something very crucial from our more enlightened tartan clad neighbours in housing, in Scotland

Related Post: Are you on top of your asbestos management?

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

The Music - Welcome To The North.
(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.
File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. , 07854655009 , ," """" ",,#UKHousing,#HousingDAY, #HomesForBritain, #Shout,1st Touch,3squared,Accuserv,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, #HousingTech2015, 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, 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 , #HousingTech2016, #HousingTech2017, 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 ,Fusion, Getting best from,gotonysmith, Grasp,Grip,GeoSolveIT,GIS,GGP, HouSys,Housing software,HG,Housemark survey,Housing Blueprint,Housemark, HRA,Scottish Housing options,Housing Options Scotland,Scotland Housing Options,ScotlandHousingOptions,ScottishHousingOptions,Housing Options, Housing Group,hotpixuk, HousingIT,hotpix,Hardware,Hitex,Housing Contact Company, 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,Internetalia, Invu,Ireland,Irish,Inphase , 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,PlanForm, Propoints, Pro-Points QL,QLX,Quiss,Qlikview, Registered Providers,Registered Social Landlord,Rent Increase Freezes,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,ROCC , Rocket,RPs,RSL,Reality,ReAct,reidmark,RM865, Saffron,SAP,Scots, Scottish,Scenario, Scotland,SDM,sector,TonySmithHou,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, 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, 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, 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,Version One,Visualmetrics,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Windows Server,Workflow and tasking,Wheatley, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App .

Tour De France

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

This week, just over a day apart I had the pleasure of being at an inspirational session at the Civica Expo this week, hosted by Olympic track cyclist athlete Chris Hoy MBE, followed by an evening at the Manchester Velodrome at the Winter Ales Beer Festival. So a very interesting week overall.

Chris certainly was inspirational and had some gold nuggets for everyone I think in terms of describing the transition of cycling as a British success in terms of not major 10% improvements, but ones of fractions of a percentage that all add up. This is how I often feel with many of the organisations I work with. Chipping away at little changes, all combine to transform efficiency and service.

Chris Hoy MBE

You got to admit, small improvements are never sexy, at least as much as a big reveal, but essential. Don't let small incremental changes put you off. Its often a tale more of the tortoise than the hare, although I don't think we ever really realise it.

One thing I did see, were some significant improvements in at Civica Expo at Manchester Central, with how much the new housing system Cx has come on. While South Lakes & Railway HA are cracking on with implementations, it's looking closer to a lower risk option, with some great features. Well done to Civica for keeping focussed.

While housing is really just a small part of the Civica portfolio, there was quite a lot of streams devoted to housing. It was interesting to chat with a number of the current system users to talk about future plans. A big thank you to all the attendees who came to say hello and also to suggest subjects for this blog.

Cx the access anywhere housing system is certainly one to watch. It will be interesting to see the outcome of this years full HMS procurements, to see which suppliers are successful.    

Related Post: Presentations at conferences, great but easy to mess up

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

Kraftwerk - Tour De France.
(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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Whipping Piccadilly

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

This November the usual NHF (National Housing Federation) IT Conference and Exhibition did Manchester as well as the usual London Olympia this year. It is an event that does need to evolve and this was indeed a brave move. I was invited to attend both venues on a press pass and attended both venues.

I have attended the NHF Olympia for many years, as supplier and also happy visitor, delegate and this year ‘Press’. No need for anyone to worry on that last classification, I won’t be tapping anyone’s mobile phone to do the big reveal on what the next acquisition of Castleton PLC will be. I will as usual just be relying on my contacts in low/high places to keep me posted.

Olympia can be a damned frustrating venue to get to, expensive to stay in the Hilton / Novotel etc, particularly for visitors from north of London, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Its often occurred to me that the Birmingham NEC would make a great alternative venue. On the West Coast mainline, adjacent to the airport and M42 etc. So I was very interested in how the Manchester event went.

The Olympia event has over previous years been moving in the direction of travel, of concentrating on housing IT success stories, rather than suppliers talking up their wares. This years’ events kept this theme, which is far more attractive for everyone, providing solid ideas to take away. I attended a few interesting sessions that should have inspired many to reconsider how they work and emerging techniques and solutions.

Donna Middleton of Hyde Group had some good ideas around social media and our customers. Lots of research, but just a few practical moves to make this a reality. One important point made by Donna was the equation we all make regarding how we choose our channels. It was that usability & availability helps us make up our minds. I would add reliability too. It’s no good providing a twitter channel if its only monitored 9-5, or a self service portal that just spits out an email waiting for someone to come in the next morning to deal with it.

CRM needs to connect easily with self service portals and other feeds, so a twitter complaint can be tracked like any other. As I mentioned in another session earlier in the day, many RSL’s buy CRM in order to get a 360⁰ view of customers. The reality of most clients I work with, is they achieve 170⁰ at best, if they miss out on other interactions, such as these highlighted social media ones. Donna also noted the trend these days, to use Twitter or Facebook to complain. I have complained to Morrison’s this way and got an answer in about 12 minutes. That might have something to do with having nearly 4,000 followers, or was it?

Big numbers of followers bring me on to Big Data. Yes that again!

It’s jolly interesting stuff I have got to say, but still has a whiff of utopia about it to me. Blimey, most places I see the inside of, are still wrestling, (or have quietly given up on wrestling) with small data. If we banned Excel in most housing organisations, they would fall apart. I am all for everyone doing what they did in Northern Ireland, declaring an amnesty, getting them handed in and put beyond use. We might have half a chance to use our existing systems better, and then we would be closer to big data IMHO.

The split over two city venues did appear to dilute the attendees somewhat, although this is the first time the NHF have done this and it’s hard to predict outcomes. I enjoyed the networking opportunities and many people buttonholed me to talk about this blog and other housing related subjects. Today in Manchester, I saw a few people who I would normally see at Olympia, but I felt a little sorry for exhibitors, who I know would have preferred better footfall.

At Manchester I did have chance to chat to Barry Marlow, housing visionary and critical friend, who had some interesting takes on some of the stands. It was great for me to see the world through his eyes. He is a practical chap and even I struggled to explain terms like Hybridization (anyone?) and why every stand advertised a ‘Solution’. Software has clearly been a ‘dirty word’ for some time and we have not noticed. Thinking about it plumbers have also morphed into ‘Plumbing Solutions’ too. Thankfully, Barry was not at Olympia, otherwise I might have had to explain the £9.99 housing system too, and what those two ladies in the Deeplake T-Shirts are selling. I don't know if he caught DtL Creative & Sovereign Business Integration Group's Spotlight service either!

I have offered to do a double-act with Barry at a future event, it will be fun and transformative I am sure, watch this space 8-)

Related Post: Are our systems really so agile?

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

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

Gomez - Whippin Piccadilly.
(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.
File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. , 07854655009 , ," """" ",,#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, 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 , 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,southview,Sunguard,Service Charges,Spotlight Service, Spotlightservice, Template,Task,Terminal Services, tonys , tonysm , tonysmi , tonysmith, tonysmitht, gotonysmith, 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, Wales,Welsh,Windows Server,Workflow and tasking,Wheatley, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App .

Believe That I Understand (my Repairs KPIs)

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/

Repairs is such a large area of expenditure and for most housing organisations, takes up over half of all calls and communications received. In these times of austerity, good analysis of repairs data can make the difference between surplus and deficiet for many. Demonstrating value for money and social value in your communities is also of importance.

So how should this be tackled? Do we understand our service? What do our residents, tenants and other 'customers' want from the repairs service? Do we understand our resources available to deliver our service? Are we adequately distinguishing responsive and planned expenditure. How do we design our KPI's to measure it all properly?

While housing organisations are all essentially providing similar themes in a repairs service, geography, type of resident or other factors will uniquely shape yours. Understanding schedule of rates and how these can be your friend in shaping how your repairs are reported, diagnosed and costed is crucial to managing your service. I have worked with organisations who are comfortable with operating with 3,000+ and paradoxically others who survive on just 60 'find fault and rectify' type items. Of course, there all shades in between. The latter follow a more 'John Seddon/Vanguard' approach, while the former might suit more an internal DLO type structure.

Neither extreme is right or wrong, nor the shades in between. However an understanding can help you make the most of your situation and assist in the design of the KPI's you need in shaping your own service. Over the past couple of decades, repairs have generally been graded by priority into Emergency, Urgent and Routine. Recent thinking questions this approach and many are now moving to more of an Emergency, plus the rest philosophy in terms of service. This can have benefits, but also put stress onto your resources.

Once measuring and generating KPIs, it is also important to benchmark against your peers and neighbours in the area, or your field of operation, to generate insight and to take advantage of good practice. For example, if your specialty is Care & Support, benchmark with other C&S providers.

Your KPI's need to be believable too, particularly measurements of satisfaction. How should you tackle this? There are many methods of collecting satisfaction. These range from traditional carding of customers after repairs completed, to automatic polling, manual polling using a call centre and increasingly partnering contractors measuring it, in order to satisfy bonus thresholds. Partnering often involves certain levels of trust, but can you really trust your contractors always hitting that 95% satisfaction KPI, which triggers bonus payments?

Presentation of your KPI's also need to be taloired to your target audience. This could be your own repairs staff or contractors, in order to drive improvements. In this case, exception reports might be the best medium. For your board, main stakeholders or external funders, more of a dashboard, is likely to hit the spot. There are plenty of fancy-pants products out there to present your KPIs in a neat set of dials and progress bars etc. However, smaller organisations can cope just as well using Excel.

A little bit of guidence is often all you need to set you on the right path. Thats why we have teamed up with those good eggs at the Rod Laird organisation, to present two courses to help with repairs KPI's and reporting this spring. To book in London or Manchester, follow this link http://www.rodlaird.co.uk/default.asp?page=1583  

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 !

Read on to : Drones in housing, dropping in near you soon?

Magazine - Believe That I Understand.


(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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Becoming Cx

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/

I must have written in these posts the phrase sometimes good things go bad and occasionally bad things come good somewhere along the line. It is a truism and I saw one positive one being played out at this last week’s Civica Conference held at Manchester Central. It was great to meet some old pals and some recent good eggs! If you are reading this, you will know who you are.

The conference does cover the vast range of Civica’s portfolio, but clearly the housing related features were of most interest to me. There were some inspirational speakers too. Andrew McMillan, Consultant and Former Head of Customer Service at John Lewis, was particularly good. He highlighted how consistency can create an exemplary customer care culture. Something that many RSL’s and housing organisations are struggling to achieve across all their channels, telephone into the customer service centre, interactions on the web and with repair operatives, (who because they wear a florescent jacket or fleece with your organisations name on it, should be able to deal with any request....).

The new Cx housing system was getting a good airing and quite rightly so I think. If I had £50 from all my more clued up housing system contacts who have asked me about it, I would have about £450 by now. Everyone switched on is curious. It’s the first new designed from the ground up housing system in 10 years and some features like the Contact Management truly are designed with future needs in mind, rather than ‘preferences for email etc bolted on later’.  Very brave in MHO and just one of the clever aspects that will make this a true player in a marketplace, against some aging solutions. If too many of your housing systems still look like DOS or Windows95, don’t bank on keeping it if you get involved in a merger. Civica are potentially on to a winner here if handled well.

On securing a drink at the Hilton bar on Deansgate, from Martyn Rees he was typically conservative about the significance of Cx, which was understandable. I would expect him to under-promise and do his best to over deliver. That's how you surprise.

I am sure he knows how good this all should be and Michael O'Reilly gave it a great overview at the Civica Housing User Group session on Thursday afternoon. I was pleased to see some of the sexier features shown, such as the forms & questionnaire designer and the Lettings application progression widget looked so good. Also proud to say to Mark Holdsworth, “that was my idea buddy”.

If handled well, implemented quickly, stops pulled out at some significant sites that are already signed up to upgrade, when its available for them, Civica have a real chance with a game changer on their hands. As any procurement person knows, for five years plus, tenders have been asking for pure browser delivery plus SQL Server.

Citrix, Terminal Services or Oracle in a browser etc, are the standard responses. With Windows8, touch screens and gestures will soon reach the office after mobile workers start to have them. If your device has a browser, your staff can join the Cx party.

Civica are tooling up too for the implementation phase of Cx. A tricky act to get that right that one, as I know myself, I have implemented enough tricky projects. Hopefully Jeff has got the A-Team signed up for that delivery outfit, hope he has got some black transit vans with red stripes on order...

If you are a UH, 4Js, CTX, Saffron or Genero user, do contact me and let me know what you think about Cx, is it something you are considering or are you squeezing more value out of what you have? Find me using the links on the right or via Linkedin.

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 !

The Sneaker pimps - Becoming X .


(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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Private Universe

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 very interesting on the 1st May to see how pruned down the Universal Credit (UC) trial has become. Day one of what was going to be a representative test of the new IT and back office systems for six months has been reduced to a very restrictive test in Ashton-Under-Lyne, borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester. To their credit as plucky northerners, they have already thought about internet access for claimants, at libraries and the town hall.

Ashton-U-Lyne you have your 15mins of fame.

Having grown up in social housing in the Glossop area I was familiar with Ashton, long journeys on the (far from express) 236 (formally the no 6) and 237 bus  which passed through it. My first job took me close to Ashton old road too at GEC Higher Openshaw (lovingly called the Go Easy Club). That part of east Manchester had been by-passed from much of the regeneration going on elsewhere. My fathers brother, my uncle Arthur lived there in Pennel street. When my Auntie Gladys died in 1999 their two up, two down terraced house fetched just £8K. So it is an area with some deprivation.

Times have changed though, for the better. My auntie and uncle missed the Commonwealth games at the stadium and its conversion to The Etihad, also the Metrolink extension up to Oldham is trickling wealth eastwards. It’s a place where a new system could be tested as all human life is there. The funny thing is that it’s not actually happening that way.

No more than 300 people will be processed over 6 months on this system. Only straightforward stuff, nothing complicated, single people, no children or dependence, no care responsibilities, no homelessness, everyone must have a bank account and a valid NI number. Almost certainly this will be a resounding success. If it isn’t, the IT development so far has got to be absolute pants. Well no-one is stretching the testing here and just as well, there has been four different directors overseeing the IT development in the last 6 months. I think this reveals what a hot potato this one is. You would think they would be thinking outside the jacket then?

Well seemingly not. This trial will test only the simplest group and only a minuscule number of them. Is this usual IT system testing practice? Not at any company I have ever worked at. The ‘use cases’ I have always worked with have always been the most complex we can devise. You learn quite soon that if you don’t start there, your system designs are guaranteed to fail. 

This £550M IT project has had its challenges, see http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/03/11/universal_credit_project_director_hilary_reynolds_replaced/
There are some interesting links at the bottom of that page too.

The Guardian on day one of the trial had this to say:
If the quality of the spelling on the first page of the universal credit online application offers any insight into the overall readiness for the launch, then it is tempting to speculate that preparations were somewhat rushed.
The first step of the claim form for the government's flagship welfare reform initiative, billed as the biggest change to the benefits system for 60 years, invites people to input a security code, "separating" each word with a space.

Probably more a reflection as to the country that the software was written, maybe Vietnam, India or Russia.

The whole point of a successful pilot is to try the new system in a number of regions (the initial intention) and use that as an opportunity to learn. With the hindsight of experience, I would guess that many of the real-life complex cases that occur have not yet been designed into the system or not yet delivered. Hence the charade of a micro test in Ashton-Under-Lyne. As mentioned, IDS will surely be able to declare this trial a “complete success” in October when it’s planned to be in the can. It’s doubtful though that anything that falls out of the ‘strictly normal’ can be validated in this box ticking exercise.

In my experience when you gloss over detail or problems it bites someone on the bottom before long. It might be an age thing, but I do like this stuff all coming out (or sometimes looking for it) up front, rather than finding it later and having all the stress of that. Failure to do it costs someone money, fills the pockets of consultants and suppliers. This time it will be the taxpayer picking up the bill, not politicians or the DWP, for badly specified, tested or implemented Universal Credit IT.

So it will give me no pleasure to see this fail, as I (and you my friend) are paying for 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 !

Read on to : Life In the hacked Lane

Crowded House - Private Universe.


(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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