Slave To the Data Rhythm

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


Well I heard at the NHF conference, just recently from Nick Atkin, 'Data is an asset' and we should be 'rethinking the office'. Cheers to both of those, I will raise a glass of IPA to Nick for giving it straight between the eyes, to a room full of housing folk. Quality of data, well poor quality of data is something I see a lot of.

Why are we so reluctant to respect the data, why is regarded as being so worthless?

Older workers may recall the times when data was entered by a team of clerks. Probably this would be the same time when there was a typing pool on the 3rd floor and you could pretty much while away 3/4 of the day, looking busy running around with a piece of paper in your hand.

In case you may have been elsewhere for the last 25 years, those halcyon days look to be well behind us. We seem to do all our data management ourselves now, including all that troublesome use of Word, Outlook and Excel.

In many organisations, I see many users who despise data and really feel a slave to it. "I used to just write out my notes on a form in pen and file it, why do I have to type it all in here now"? We can all relate to why they have to, particularly if you work in the customer services team. Without everybody's interactions & contacts going into the system, no way can it deliver a 360 degree view of the world. Its 110 degree's otherwise at best.

When the form was just filed, it and the questions and answers on it, had little value. In most cases it just audited the fact that the interaction took place. If we were lucky. Data gains value when we can use it to take decisions, or use it for specific purposes like building essential reports and returns. We might use it to improve or shape customer service to individual needs.

Valuable data needs to be always accessible and can be costly to replace if corrupted, lost or access is denied to it. The cost per customer, of collecting accurate data might easily be £50 or much higher. While hardware and infrastructure can pretty easily replaced and replicated, particularly if hosted in the cloud, data needs to be protected reflecting its value. The more data is used, the cost per access is effectively reduced.

Poor or lack of data recording will generally create problems for someone else in the organisation. when they or another third party fix it, someone else feels the pain, other than the original suspects. Until the people causing the data issues are pointed at their problems first hand, and it's their job to correct, they will not get out of their bad habits. If each issue they cause creates them some pain, they will slowly change their bad habits. It is far easier to get things right and not come to grief than constantly be doing the reverse.

To see how data is being used, is also a good driver for users to record it properly, as they can understand how processes and service levels rely on it. Feeling other team data pain, is as useful as feeling it themselves. It can create some good habits around keeping good data and getting the best value from it, like a commodity.

If it's not a useful commodity,  why force our staff to slavishly record it?

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

Related Post: Are some of our HMS Supplier implementers One Chord wonders? 

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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.

Grace Jones - Slave To The Rhythm.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


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

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

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @HousingITguy
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This week I was at the recently re-booted NHF IT Conference & exhibition at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea FC London.

This used to be a perennial event about the third week of November at Olympia. The previous timing allowed attendees to squeeze new applications and services into the budgets that were being prepared for the following year.  Using a sporting venue does remind me of many of the old Northern Housing Consortium HiTex events, and memories of Villa park, York Racecourse and Wigan Athletics ground, to name a few. It does make a change from Olympia, which at times could be an irritating venue at times. 

It was great to meet up with so many friends, colleagues and clients from
There was some interesting seminars, the better ones being on the second day, I think by popular consensus. Nick Atkin of Halton, Bromfords Paul Taylor and others, did give some 'good housing' . I would like to see more of this at these events, better to see experience of doing, rather than suppliers telling us 'How good its going to be'.
Everyone will have noticed Castleton's cheeky Star Wars themed display, justified winner of best designed stand. I wonder if anyone cleared that one with Lucas Film? Sharp eyed attendees on the first day will have noticed this years' 'stand fail' (which has caught out Netcall in the past). There is one about every other year. You know that misspell of 'management'. A contact of mine quipped 'Well they must have QA'd that stand like their software' (Meow!).  Also, a few noticed an acknowledgment to this blog & my influence buried in someone's sales collateral. It's nice to be appreciated 8-)

Attendee numbers were down somewhat, which is only to be expected in our sector where managers and staff are under increasing pressure. Also, proximity to other events around this time has obviously meant that some suppliers have chosen to only do some, not all events, as did some attendees. All organisations running events like these, need to work harder to keep footfall up and keep the content compelling enough to draw the crowds in.

right across the UKhousing sector. A networking drinks reception and evening dinner was also laid on, which made it easy to network over a few drinks.

NHF IT returns in December, Manchester. A city which seems to be drawing a number of housing related conferences in recent years, including the main June CIH, Orchard and Civica events. I will be there in December and I will be looking forward to sharing some more war stories and gossip over at the Britons Protection, nearer to Christmas 2016.

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

Related Post: How well do you protect your data? 

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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.


Hot Club De Paris - Extra Time, Sudden Death (my fave mix of this).
(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, #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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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, 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 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Mondo Bondage

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/

S&M I am told can be an interesting pass-time, if it's something that all consenting adult parties enjoy. I am reliably told that a 'safe word' is essential, for when the pain really, really needs to stop. A handy way to remember the two meanings of the S & the M, is to think of the abuse coming from Me or Someone else.

#UKhousing has been having a dose of its own abuse recently. A few lashes in the chancellors emergency budget, 1% reduction in rents and some tongue lashing in the Times, to degrade & soften up the 'ill-performing sector' for the humiliation of more RTB2.0 (Right To Buy). We are getting used to watching the bottom line, how to build our budget reviews and line our loyal staff up for voluntary or maybe mandatory redundancy. Dark heavy clouds have descended over some of the most optimistic and forward thinking managers & directors. 

After a softening up to threaten nationalisation or reclassification , the housing sector was asked to swallow its pride last week, by its national body, The NHF. I think they shouted something like, "Hey turkeys, can we all vote for Christmas?" or similar.

To me it's got a familiar ring to it, from a government with recent form in this area. It was only a few weekends ago, that someone persuaded the BBC, "Hey turkey, can you stump up £650m for free TV licences?"

Now if the latter one had gone through parliament, like maybe it should have, a clause or two, or the House of Lords may have moderated it. Possibly a means test could have restricted it to all retired people with an annual pension of £10,000 or less. That might have saved the BBC maybe £100m, probably funding four more, internationally acclaimed costume dramas, or 52 weekends of Michael McIntyre annually. Maybe it was lucky they did it to themselves.

We now have a Tory administration who offered extended RTB as a manifesto giveaway promise, expecting not to have to do it in coalition.  Having won the election outright, now it's a promise to be delivered. With a resurgent Labour left and actually a slim majority, it might only take 11 Tory rebels, to stop or seriously soften a bill for more RTB giveaways. We could expect the House of Lords to give it a good seeing too as well. Many MPs can see the danger of losing more of our social housing. London pretty much unaffordable to rent in, increasing costs of housing homeless, migrants funnelling in from Syria and other asylum seekers.

If parliament passing a bill for extended RTB sounds like sadism imposed on the social housing sector, the NHF are effectively saying, be masochists and vote now like turkeys for this. Make it easy as it would be a difficult ride through parliament. Once the sector had voted for it, surely it would be spun like, "The sector knew it was failing and that selling off lots of its much needed low rent homes, to boost the PRS still further, was the best commercial thing to do".  Pushing up rents is good commercially for the UK and shifts the voting demographic to the political right.

Anyone with experience in the sector knows that previous RTB has never come near to even 10% replacement and that over 40% of homes sold, end up in the PRS anyway. I lived in one for a year, paying four times more than a social rent, in a flat in worse repair than the (still) social rent ones adjacent. How any board can suggest we flagellate and subject our organisations to the pain of more RTB, knowing the wider consequences to society, cost of the future HB bill, failure of replacement etc baffles me.

We need to take our chances with a proper bill (primary legislation in October), through parliament, surely that's the only sensible course of action?

Let something as fundamental as this be discussed in detail, deconstructed and given proper scrutiny. We need to get the message out too. What we do for society, to our staff, their family, friends, MPs, House of lords members, local & national newspapers, other traditional & social media.

The London Evening Standard has already picked up on the effects of more RTB. Read Anthony Hilton's Article here.

It's time we stopped beating ourselves up and refused the offer, from a body that I would hope, should always act in the best interests of social housing, to take on more masochistic pain, administered by our own hand.  Already a number of voices have spoken up and a number of RSL's led by Red Kite Housing are using the 'safe word', which on this occasion is 'No'.

Related Post: Should Common Housing Register partners have greater autonomy?

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

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 Tubes - Mondo Bondage.
(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 , ," """" ",,#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, 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 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, HouSys,Housing software,HG,Housemark survey,Housing Blueprint,Housemark, HRA, 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,SimPro,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,worksConnect, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App .

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?

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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

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