Pioneer To The Falls

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

Only the other week I was reminded there is a useful little trick when watching a housing software demonstration, particularly from those bigger suppliers out there hoovering up applications like there is no tomorrow. 

While everyone else is admiring the shiny dashboards, brightly coloured tiles and suspiciously flawless customer journey, have a quick glance at the browser’s URL bar. It can tell you rather more than the suppliers death by PowerPoint does.

What is being presented as one seamless, fully integrated supplier platform may actually be several separately acquired products, still running on different domains, different technology stacks and, occasionally, entirely different login arrangements. The supplier may have applied the same colour palette, added its logo in the top corner and carefully rehearsed the demonstration so nobody notices the joins, that's the smoke & mirrors. 

It is the software equivalent of badge engineering. New grille, fresh paintwork and a familiar badge on the bonnet, but quite a lot underneath has come from somewhere else entirely. Like the 1980s Triumph Acclaim, that was really just a (very reliable) Honda Ballade underneath. Probably one of the best cars British Leyland never built actually! 

There is nothing inherently wrong with acquired products. Buying a decent application can add useful functionality to a wider product suite much faster than attempting to build the whole thing from scratch. The problem starts when the demonstration implies a level of integration, maturity and live customer use that has not yet been achieved. Its not just housing systems either, HR/Payroll, Asset Management & others all can suffer from this phenomenon. 

The demonstrator moves confidently from CRM into housing management, repairs, scheduling, mobile working/field service, payments and reporting. Screens open, data appears and nobody has to type the same tenant reference into four different systems. It all looks sexy & marvellous, and the natural assumption is that several other landlords must already be running this exact combination successfully.

Sometimes they clearly are not.

One customer may use the CRM. Another may use the repairs module. Somebody else may have implemented the mobile application. There may even be a landlord trialing the scheduler. But the complete collection of products being demonstrated may never have operated together in a live housing environment.

That is a rather different proposition. A landlord can believe it is buying a proven integrated platform, only to discover halfway through implementation that it is actually the first organisation attempting to deploy that exact mixture of products, interfaces, data flows and business processes. At that point, the word “customer” quietly becomes “pioneer”. We have all seen them in the Hollywood cowboy films, generally the ones with the arrows in their backs!

Suppliers generally prefer more uplifting terminology. Strategic partner. Early adopter. Design partner. Lighthouse customer. All lovely phrases. They can also mean you are helping them finish the product (or maybe start it!).

Being first is not automatically a disaster. It can bring greater influence over the roadmap, more attention from senior supplier staff and an opportunity to shape how the solution develops. It can also bring considerably more testing, integration risk, consultancy days, workarounds and meetings involving sentences such as, “That might be available in the next sprint/release.”

You may also discover that things you reasonably regarded as defects are being logged as enhancement requests. Apparently, expecting two products sold as an integrated suite to exchange information correctly can sometimes be quite an ambitious customer requirement.

The key question during any demonstration is therefore not simply, “Can the system do this?” Most suppliers can make something appear to work for 12 minutes in a controlled demonstration using carefully prepared data.

The better question is, “Which live customer is using this exact combination, in this exact way, today?”

Not a customer using one of the modules. Not a customer planning to implement it next year. Not a customer who has signed a contract but has yet to go live. Not somebody who attended a webinar and said it looked promising.

A real, live customer using the same products, the same integrations and broadly the same processes, at a comparable scale. Then ask to speak to them.

If nobody can be named, the demonstration has not necessarily shown you a proven integrated solution. It may simply have shown you a rather attractive experiment.

….and you may be about to pioneer it all the way to the falls.

Are you lumbered with legacy solutions & unsure whats out there ? 

Give me a call, I will drop in for a brew & bring the chocolate gingers ☕

       Related Post: Make the most of demos, ask the right questions and understand the answers

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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.

Interpol - Pioneer To The Falls

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


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here , what projects do we get involved in? Access them 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 Housing,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, Citrix,Civica,Civica CTX,Civica Cx,Civica Genero,Civica Saffron,Clearview,Clik,Cx Assets, 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,CxFeedback, DRS,Deeplake,Datatank,Designer Software,Development Systems,Director,Document,Documotive,Docuware,Dynamic AI,DynamicAI,Dynamics 365,D365,Dynamics365,Dynaway ECMK,EDM,EDRMS,ERP,ESRI,Elmhurst,Enghouse Interactive,England,English,EnterpriseBI,Estatecraft,Esuasive,Esynergy,Etive,Exhibition,Exponential-e, F&O, Facebook,Factorwise,Fast Lean Smart, Field Service management,Finance,Financial Systems,Financials,FLS,Footprint,Forms,Freezes,Fusion,Fuzzlab Gas Tag,G-Cloud,GCloud,GDPR,GGP,GIS,GasTag,Genero,GeoSolveIT,Getting best from,GoTonySmith,Grasp,Grip,Group Apex, HCL,HFI (Housing Financials interface),HG,HRA,Hardware,Hitachi Systems,Hitex,HomeMaster,Hometeam,HouSys,House,Housemark,Housemark survey,Housing,Housing Contact,Housing Group,Housing Insight,Housing Management,Housing Management Consultant,Housing Partners,Housing Portfolio Management System,Hub Asset Management,Homeswapper,Housing jigsaw,HousingOne,Housing-One, Housing Support Pro,HousingIT,HousingSupportPro,HyperOptic, IMS,IPC,iProperty Cloud,IT,IT Budget,IT Training,ITIL,Impact Response,In,In4,In4Systems Promaster,InfinityGroup,InfoBoss,Infoshare+,InHouse,InMotion,InMotion2015,InMotion2016,InfoBoss,Infoflow,Information,Information Technology,Information@Work components,Informix,Innovation, Informetis,Inphase,Inside Housing,Insight,Internet Portal,Internetalia,Invu,Ireland,Irish,itLab,InclineIT, Keyfax,Keylogic,Keypera,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera,Keynamics, Landlord,Ledgers,Linkedin,Liquid,Locality,Localz,Looking Local, M3,MadeTech,Manifest Software Solutions,MAVIS,MD,MDM,MI,MIS,MIS-AMS,MISCS,MRI,MS Dynamics,MRI,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Microsoft365,microsoft 365,MWL,Management,Management Server,Manifest,Measuring,Mebus,More IQ,MoreIQ,Microsoft Dynamics 365,Microsoft dynamics GP 2013,Miracle,MobileIron,Mobysoft,Monopoly board images and pictures,Montal,Mr Void,MriEngage,MrVoid,MoreIQ, MRI,MRI/Capita,MRI Housing One, NDL,NINTEX,NINTEX workflow,NPS,NPS ASSIST,NPS Housing,NPS 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,Omni,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,Plentific,Plus,Portfolio Management System,PowerObjects,Pro,Pro-Points,Prodo,Progress,Promaster,Propeller,Propoints,Proval,Providers,Pyramid, QL,QLX, QLF, QL Yuneo,QuantSpark,Qube,QLX,Qlikview,QueryView,Queryview reporting,Quiss, RM865,ROCC,ROCC Orchestrator,RPs,RSL,Rave,ReAct,Reality,RedkiteCRM,ROCC Attend,Red Olive,Registered,Registered Social,Rent Increase,RentSense,RentSenseLite,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,RobotAutomation,Rubix,ROCC, Rocket,Rubixx, Salesforce,Salesforce.Org,SAP,SASSHA,Sava,SDM,SHBVN,SM,SOTI,SP,SQL,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting,SQL Server,Saffron,Safron,Saturn,Scenario,Scotland,Scots,Scottish,Scout,Sequoa,Serengeti,Serros,Server,Service,Services,Servitor,Sharepoint,Sim,SimPro, Simdel,Simdell,Slash and Burn,Social Housing ICT,Social Housing Software Applications,Social Media,Software,Software solutions, Solvares, Spotlight Service,Spotlightservice,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic,SunAccounts,Sunguard,Surveys,Streetwise, Swordfish,Sx3,Symatrix Human,System alignment,Systems,Systemwise, T-Files,TEAMS,TED,TFiles,TP Tracker,TSG,Tagish Casework,Tagra,Task,TAIM,Techlabs,Technologies (India) PVT Limited,Telecetera,Template,Terminal Services,That,Three Star,Tilt,TiltAffinity,Today,Tony Smith,Tony Smith That Housing IT Guy,TonySmith that housing IT,TonySmithHou,TonySmithHousing, ,TonySmithHousingITguy,Total,Total Mobile,Totalmobile,Trace,Tribal,Twitter, U2,UC,UK,UK Housing,Ukhousing,UniClass,Unidata,United Kingdom,Universal,Universalcredit,Universe,Unrest, Valueworks,Van Stock,Vantage,Vantage Sentinel,Version,Virtualisation,Visitour,Visualmetrics,Voice,Voice and data,Voicescape,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Wheatley,Windows Server,Workflow and,Work Hub,Works Connect, XML,Xen App,XenApp,Xmbrace, Yuneo,TS Acutance Consulting, ...

. . . . . . . . . . . . ES | FR | DE | IT | UK

Times Change

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

Late autumn this year I found myself doing something that felt oddly symbolic of where #socialhousing systems tech is right now. One day in London, I was sat in a room full of people talking about CRM platforms, cloud everything, Agentic AI and transformation. The very next day I was with a long-established UK HMS supplier, still wrestling their way through cracking full browser compatibility, legacy architecture, and the sheer effort of dragging decades of product forward into a modern world to make it saleable.

The contrast could not have been sharper.

The CRM event had an almost evangelical feel to it. Satisfied users. Big smiles throughout. Big stories. Also some big price tags for some. Organisations talking openly about spending significantly more than they ever would have done on a traditional housing management system, but justifying it because it delivered what they needed operationally with less grief. You could feel the belief in the room. Not just belief in the product, but belief in the journey they had chosen. OK Rev Blackgrape, "Whose souls are we gonna save" ?

The HMS day felt very different. Not bad, not negative, but grounded. Practical. Good to see they were honest about the challenges. You could sense the effort going in, but also the drag. The dead-weight of history. The compromises that come from having to modernise something that was never designed for browsers, cloud delivery, SAAS or rapid iteration in the first place. You can see why some recent would be ‘has-been slayers’ thought it best to just start from scratch.

Which pretty much sums up 2025 for me.

Across this last year I have helped some clients decide that a CRM platform genuinely was the right answer for them. Others who had already gone down that road and then needed help finding a way back to a more traditional HMS. And plenty where CRM was never really a contender at all, because the complexity, user seats cost, current absent IP or operational risk just did not stack up. There truly is something for everyone, as I proved in 2025 for the small (under 190 homes) up to the large (over 38k homes) providers.

So where is the market actually up to now?

There is a growing narrative that only CRM platforms can innovate. That they are the only ones moving fast, experimenting, releasing new functionality, AI Agents and responding to modern expectations. Meanwhile some HMS suppliers are still accused of undertaking radial rubber tyre 70's style retreads. Recent HMS supplier consolidation has certainly not helped. New user interfaces bolted onto old cores, maybe flat text data exchange. Browser layers masking systems that were never meant to live there. Old legacy functionality dropped and not carried through. Innovation slowed not by lack of intent, but by technical debt.

There is some truth in that I think, but its not the whole story.

CRM platforms absolutely can move fast, especially when they are not carrying decades of housing-specific programming baggage. But speed comes at a price. Cost, complexity, dependency on extensive reseller led configuration, and the need for organisations to effectively build their own housing system on top of a general purpose CRM platform. Easy and flexible access to data, often assumed / promised, often not so seen in reality. For some providers, that is empowering. For others, it becomes exhausting, after all we are in the business of managing stock, not developing software !

On the HMS side, the big question is whether serious innovation is possible while parts of the product estate are still incomplete, partially browser based (on the journey..), or constrained by older architectural decisions. Can suppliers genuinely leap forward while also keeping the lights on, via potentially a shrunken help desk, for thousands of existing customers. Some will manage it. Some will struggle. And some will quietly fall further behind than they care to admit in their Powerpoints..

For housing providers, councils with retained stock, the last ALMOS, AHB’s, and charities, this leaves a pretty uncomfortable middle ground. Do you bet on the flexibility and promise of CRM and accept the cost and effort. Do you stick with traditional HMS and hope the innovation curve steepens. Or do you end up walking one path, only to later retrace your steps when reality bites?

I have seen all three this year (and the fourth choice of the ultra-modern HMS cloud built from the ground up too).

What feels certain is that 2026 is not going to be any calmer. Housing system procurement decisions will be likely to get harder, not easier. The stakes will keep rising. And the gap between what suppliers say is possible and what organisations can realistically absorb will be tested more than ever.

Interesting times ahead. Not always comfortable ones. But definitely interesting for journeying beyond this first 25% of the twenty first century. If what I have covered here sounds familiar to you and your organisation, maybe that’s a ride we might be able to work together on getting you to where you need to be.

Is your SocialHousing  ICT / transformation project drastically overrunning  ? 

Get in touch , I will drop in for a cuppa & bring the Jammy Dodgers ☕

       Related Post: The right Critical Friend will save you stress, time (and money) ?

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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.

New Order – Times Change

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


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here , what projects do we get involved in? Access them 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 Housing,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, Citrix,Civica,Civica CTX,Civica Cx,Civica Genero,Civica Saffron,Clearview,Clik,Cx Assets, 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,CxFeedback, DRS,Deeplake,Datatank,Designer Software,Development Systems,Director,Document,Documotive,Docuware,Dynamic AI,DynamicAI,Dynamics 365,D365,Dynamics365,Dynaway ECMK,EDM,EDRMS,ERP,ESRI,Elmhurst,Enghouse Interactive,England,English,EnterpriseBI,Estatecraft,Esuasive,Esynergy,Etive,Exhibition,Exponential-e, F&O, Facebook,Factorwise,Field Service management,Finance,Financial Systems,Financials,FLS,Footprint,Forms,Freezes,Fusion,Fuzzlab Gas Tag,G-Cloud,GCloud,GDPR,GGP,GIS,GasTag,Genero,GeoSolveIT,Getting best from,GoTonySmith,Grasp,Grip,Group Apex, HCL,HFI (Housing Financials interface),HG,HRA,Hardware,Hitachi Systems,Hitex,HomeMaster,Hometeam,HouSys,House,Housemark,Housemark survey,Housing,Housing Contact,Housing Group,Housing Insight,Housing Management,Housing Management Consultant,Housing Partners,Housing Portfolio Management System,Hub Asset Management,Homeswapper,Housing jigsaw,HousingOne,Housing-One, Housing Support Pro,HousingIT,HousingSupportPro,HyperOptic, IMS,IPC,iProperty Cloud,IT,IT Budget,IT Training,ITIL,Impact Response,In,In4,In4Systems Promaster,InfinityGroup,InfoBoss,Infoshare+,InHouse,InMotion,InMotion2015,InMotion2016,InfoBoss,Infoflow,Information,Information Technology,Information@Work components,Informix,Innovation, Informetis,Inphase,Inside Housing,Insight,Internet Portal,Internetalia,Invu,Ireland,Irish,itLab,InclineIT, Keyfax,Keylogic,Keypera,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera,Keynamics, Landlord,Ledgers,Linkedin,Liquid,Locality,Localz,Looking Local, M3,MadeTech,Manifest Software Solutions,MAVIS,MD,MDM,MI,MIS,MIS-AMS,MISCS,MRI,MS Dynamics,MRI,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Microsoft365,microsoft 365,MWL,Management,Management Server,Manifest,Measuring,Mebus,More IQ,MoreIQ,Microsoft Dynamics 365,Microsoft dynamics GP 2013,Miracle,MobileIron,Mobysoft,Monopoly board images and pictures,Montal,Mr Void,MriEngage,MrVoid,MoreIQ, MRI,MRI/Capita,MRI Housing One, NDL,NINTEX,NINTEX workflow,NPS,NPS ASSIST,NPS Housing,NPS 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,Omni,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,Plentific,Plus,Portfolio Management System,PowerObjects,Pro,Pro-Points,Prodo,Progress,Promaster,Propeller,Propoints,Proval,Providers,Pyramid, QL,QLX, QLF, QL Yuneo,QuantSpark,Qube,QLX,Qlikview,QueryView,Queryview reporting,Quiss, RM865,ROCC,ROCC Orchestrator,RPs,RSL,Rave,ReAct,Reality,RedkiteCRM,ROCC Attend,Red Olive,Registered,Registered Social,Rent Increase,RentSense,RentSenseLite,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,RobotAutomation,Rocket,Rubixx, Salesforce,Salesforce.Org,SAP,SASSHA,Sava,SDM,SHBVN,SM,SOTI,SP,SQL,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting,SQL Server,Saffron,Safron,Saturn,Scenario,Scotland,Scots,Scottish,Scout,Sequoa,Serengeti,Serros,Server,Service,Services,Servitor,Sharepoint,Sim,SimPro, Simdel,Simdell,Slash and Burn,Social Housing ICT,Social Housing Software Applications,Social Media,Software,Software solutions,Spotlight Service,Spotlightservice,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic,SunAccounts,Sunguard,Surveys,Streetwise, Swordfish,Sx3,Symatrix Human,System alignment,Systems,Systemwise, T-Files,TEAMS,TED,TFiles,TP Tracker,TSG,Tagish Casework,Tagra,Task,TAIM,Techlabs,Technologies (India) PVT Limited,Telecetera,Template,Terminal Services,That,Three Star,Tilt,TiltAffinity,Today,Tony Smith,Tony Smith That Housing IT Guy,TonySmith that housing IT,TonySmithHou,TonySmithHousing, ,TonySmithHousingITguy,Total,Total Mobile,Totalmobile,Trace,Tribal,Twitter, U2,UC,UK,UK Housing,Ukhousing,UniClass Enterprise,Unidata,United Kingdom,Universal,Universalcredit,Universe,Unrest, Valueworks,Van Stock,Vantage,Vantage Sentinel,Version,Virtualisation,Visitour,Visualmetrics,Voice,Voice and data,Voicescape,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Wheatley,Windows Server,Workflow and,Work Hub,Works Connect, XML,Xen App,XenApp,Xmbrace, Yuneo,TS Acutance Consulting, ...

. . . . . . . . . . . . ES | FR | DE | IT | UK

 

Paper vs portals

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

I was chatting only the other day about how ubiquitous procurement portals had become. Also how there are so many of the buggers. Having logins for most of them as buyer and sometimes supplier, I can see why they wind up bidders so much.

Also, I was working with a client a few months ago who   Used a countrywide (one of those devolved ones) portal and the password had been lost when a previous employee had retired, 2 years prior. Queue a morning wasted while a messy reset had to be done, only after handing over an acre of company information. 

Bidders should never wait right up to the deadline time (high noon this Friday probably). My advice is get in at least a day early in the event of portal down for maintenance, or major functions not working right. Generating ability to upload your submission documents, or identify what mandatory field you have omitted.

Oh what a simpler time it was when there was to be 5 people on a moderation panel and 5 full printed and sexily bound copies were needed to be sent in the post. I remember binder salesmen (yes, generally men), coming in to me as a supplier, selling their ‘binding dreams’. Some worked a treat, others lasted produced a sexy tender tone, with an approximate shelf life of a box of half a dozen eggs.

Those things used to weigh quite a lot and I remember Diane, the trusty tender producer needing to remember to bend her knees, in order to prevent a back injury that would be accident book material.

Missing a section could invalidate a tender. Often they were mandated to only be posted, no hand delivery permitted. One one tender that went out from my old shop, back in 2008 or so, the postie crashed his van which resulted in tender being damaged on delivery to deepest darkest Salford. It was swiftly rejected, despite offers of hand-delivery to mitigate. Yet no, rules were rules!

Also, from the paper tender memories, many a dote would go out for a HMS, then 4 months later for a FMS, then 4 months later for a Contractors solution. Irritating when you could propose all three. If you didn’t win the HMS up front, you might as well not bother with the other two. Tenders are a lot of work, why waste your time when the odds of success are so slim?

If you are a Contracting Body, try to VoG out for the lot if your soft-market indicates the combo for what you need is out there. Always scope the market ahead first. Otherwise you might need a few attempts to get your result. After many dozens, I don’t think I have had a single zero return as yet.

Digital portals are hassle, but after paper copies and the like, they may just be a necessary evil. We just gotta live with them !

Off the shelf or build your own - how to scope your options ?

Get in touch , I will drop in for a brew & bring the Jaffa Cakes ☕

       Related Post: Software contracts - such a minefield. What to be aware of and what to try to avoid..

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

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.

Barclay James Harvest - Paper Wings

(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,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 Housing,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, Citrix,Civica,Civica CTX,Civica Cx,Civica Genero,Civica Saffron,Clearview,Clik,Cx Assets, 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,CxFeedback, DRS,Deeplake,Designer Software,Development Systems,Director,Document,Documotive,Docuware,Dynamic AI,DynamicAI,Dynamics 365,D365,Dynamics365,Dynaway ECMK,EDM,EDRMS,ERP,ESRI,Elmhurst,Enghouse Interactive,England,English,EnterpriseBI,Estatecraft,Esuasive,Esynergy,Etive,Exhibition,Exponential-e, F&O, Facebook,Factorwise,Field Service management,Finance,Financial Systems,Financials,FLS,Footprint,Forms,Freezes,Fusion,Fuzzlab Gas Tag,G-Cloud,GCloud,GDPR,GGP,GIS,GasTag,Genero,GeoSolveIT,Getting best from,GoTonySmith,Grasp,Grip,Group Apex, HCL,HFI (Housing Financials interface),HG,HRA,Hardware,Hitachi Systems,Hitex,HomeMaster,Hometeam,HouSys,House,Housemark,Housemark survey,Housing,Housing Contact,Housing Group,Housing Insight,Housing Management,Housing Management Consultant,Housing Partners,Housing Portfolio Management System,Hub Asset Management,Homeswapper,Housing jigsaw,HousingOne,Housing-One, Housing Support Pro,HousingIT,HousingSupportPro,HyperOptic, IMS,IPC,iProperty Cloud,IT,IT Budget,IT Training,ITIL,Impact Response,In,In4,In4Systems Promaster,InfinityGroup,InfoBoss,InHouse,InMotion,InMotion2015,InMotion2016,InfoBoss,Infoflow,Information,Information Technology,Information@Work components,Informix,Innovation, Informetis,Inphase,Inside Housing,Insight,Internet Portal,Internetalia,Invu,Ireland,Irish,itLab,InclineIT, Keyfax,Keylogic,Keypera,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera,Keynamics, Landlord,Ledgers,Linkedin,Liquid,Locality,Localz, M3,MadeTech,MAVIS,MD,MDM,MI,MIS,MIS-AMS,MISCS,MRI,MS Dynamics,MRI,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Microsoft365,microsoft 365,MWL,Management,Management Server,Manifest,Measuring,Mebus,More IQ,MoreIQ,Microsoft Dynamics 365,Microsoft dynamics GP 2013,Miracle,MobileIron,Mobysoft,Monopoly board images and pictures,Montal,Mr Void,MriEngage,MrVoid,MoreIQ, MRI,MRI Housing One, NDL,NINTEX,NINTEX workflow,NPS,NPS ASSIST,NPS Housing,NPS 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,Plentific,Plus,Portfolio Management System,PowerObjects,Pro,Pro-Points,Prodo,Progress,Promaster,Propeller,Propoints,Proval,Providers,Pyramid, QL,QLX, QLF, QL Yuneo,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,Rubixx, Salesforce,Salesforce.Org,SAP,SASSHA,SDM,SHBVN,SM,SOTI,SP,SQL,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting,SQL Server,Saffron,Safron,Saturn,Scenario,Scotland,Scots,Scottish,Scout,Sequoa,Serengeti,Serros,Server,Service,Services,Servitor,Sharepoint,Sim,SimPro, Simdel,Simdell,Slash and Burn,Social Housing ICT,Social Housing Software Applications,Social Media,Software,Software solutions,Spotlight Service,Spotlightservice,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic,SunAccounts,Sunguard,Surveys,Streetwise, Swordfish,Sx3,Symatrix Human,System alignment,Systems,Systemwise, T-Files,TEAMS,TED,TFiles,TP Tracker,TSG,Tagish Casework,Tagra,Task,TAIM,Techlabs,Technologies (India) PVT Limited,Telecetera,Template,Terminal Services,That,Three Star,Tilt,TiltAffinity,Today,Tony Smith,Tony Smith That Housing IT Guy,TonySmith that housing IT,TonySmithHou,TonySmithHousing, ,TonySmithHousingITguy,Total,Total Mobile,Totalmobile,Trace,Tribal,Twitter, U2,UC,UK,UK Housing,Ukhousing,UniClass Enterprise,Unidata,United Kingdom,Universal,Universalcredit,Universe,Unrest, Valueworks,Van Stock,Vantage,Vantage Sentinel,Version,Virtualisation,Visitour,Visualmetrics,Voice,Voice and data,Voicescape,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Wheatley,Windows Server,Workflow and,Work Hub,Works Connect, XML,Xen App,XenApp,Xmbrace, Yuneo,TS Acutance Consulting, ...

. . . . . . . . . . . . ES | FR | DE | IT | UK |

Break ‘Em Off Some

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

How long do you commit to stuff? You know, phone contracts, ISA saving terms, even personal relationships? A old friend of mine when on his third wedding day, his best man (a hat trick of wedding attendances under his belt) described Gary as, “Reliable chap, has been faithful to every woman he has ever slept with”. A bit near the bone, but accurate. I have now long lost touch with Gary, but I would be surprised if he is not already on his 5th or 6th set of nuptials.

Sometimes a break and reflection is necessary, almost essential.

Which brings me to housing software contract terms. Changing HMS or moving to a new solution platform on a CRM perhaps, is no quick decision, or implementation. Take those claims of phasing an implementation putting in a MVP module every 3 months with a pinch of the expensive Himalayan sea salt. Most of those claims are expensive and farcical, much like health claims for that particular sexy condiment 

While smaller sites (under 3,000 homes)  can usually move faster, most full HMS moves typically take 18-30 months. That’s partly down to suppliers and partly to the organisation implementing. Probably a theme for a whole new blogpost that one - resourcing right. So a 5 year term only may  gives us 3 years-ish max of live running, hence aiming for a longer term. Indeed. 

Some frameworks will only allow you to contract to a fixed term, maybe 3 or 4 years, then by the nature of those arrangements, the contracting body will have to go back to market. In some cases right back to that same framework. Most frameworks will allow you to contract for a longer period, however after that it is likely your procurement colleagues will expect a new procurement. On frameworks, don’t be confused about the typical three year re-tender term, this is for suppliers not you and generally the framework ID will change. RM1853 becomes RM3821 etc, when some suppliers might be added and some drop off. This 3 year cycle (which often becomes 4 year or more) does not restrict the length of contract that can be entered into. Hence, a 10 or 15 year contract is feasible, although I would say not practical or sensible.

Contracts are best split  as something like a '5 plus 5 plus 5' or my favourite, a 5 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 which if your procurement folks will allow it, will give you from 5 to 19 year relationship, with plenty of option to exercise breakpoints. These can be used to reset relationships if service has deteriorated, your supplier has been 'acquired' or decided not remove their focus on SocialHousing, or technology dictates it. For example, who would have predicted the hybrid way we work now back in early 2020?

Another gotcha is anchoring a long term with payment arrangements. What  happens if you are on the hook for 8  or more years of paying for a product or service and it becomes end of life mid-term? What if some of its underlying technology or components go that way? Any Third Party Items will have been resold with your primary supplier taking a wedge. |Housing solutions landed with unsupported Silverlight spring to mind (Keystone anyone?). CRM platforms are not a lot better, MS D365 components that can be difficult to upgrade when needed, represent a security risk or (get this) are acquired and then closed down deliberately. 

I helped a D365 site that had this latter issue, when its MS Dynamics reseller had this happen and came back to the social care housing provider for another £60k to replace the obsolete component they had on their development. Luckily I could prove the original component had already been declared end of life 3 months before the reseller had started embedding it. Hence they had been negligent and it was not my clients liability. Just a few day's work for me but like many Critical Friend projects, I generally save organisation's more money than I cost them.      

Anyway, I hope that helps provide some food for thought. If you have queries on this, procurement etc, please  be in touch !

Any comments, observations or queries, please share.  

Off the shelf or build your own - how to scope your options ?

Get in touch , I will drop in for a brew & bring the Jaffa Cakes ☕

       Related Post: Software contracts - such a minefield. What to be aware of and what to try to avoid..

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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.

Cyprus Hill - Break ‘Em Off Some

(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,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,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,Cx Assets, 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,CxFeedback, DRS,Deeplake,Designer Software,Development Systems,Director,Document,Documotive,Docuware,Dynamic AI,DynamicAI,Dynamics 365,D365,Dynamics365,Dynaway ECMK,EDM,EDRMS,ERP,ESRI,Elmhurst,Enghouse Interactive,England,English,EnterpriseBI,Estatecraft,Esuasive,Esynergy,Etive,Exhibition,Exponential-e, Facebook,Factorwise,Field Service management,Finance,Financial Systems,Financials,FLS,Footprint,Forms,Freezes,Fusion,Fuzzlab Gas Tag,G-Cloud,GCloud,GDPR,GGP,GIS,GasTag,Genero,GeoSolveIT,Getting best from,GoTonySmith,Grasp,Grip,Group Apex, HCL,HFI (Housing Financials interface),HG,HRA,Hardware,Hitachi Systems,Hitex,HomeMaster,Hometeam,HouSys,House,Housemark,Housemark survey,Housing,Housing Contact,Housing Group,Housing Insight,Housing Management,Housing Management Consultant,Housing Partners,Housing Portfolio Management System,Hub Asset Management,Homeswapper,Housing jigsaw,HousingOne,Housing-One, Housing Support Pro,HousingIT,HousingSupportPro,HyperOptic, IMS,IPC,iProperty Cloud,IT,IT Budget,IT Training,ITIL,Impact Response,In,In4,In4Systems Promaster,InfinityGroup,InfoBoss,InHouse,InMotion,InMotion2015,InMotion2016,InfoBoss,Infoflow,Information,Information Technology,Information@Work components,Informix,Innovation, Informetis,Inphase,Inside Housing,Insight,Internet Portal,Internetalia,Invu,Ireland,Irish,itLab,InclineIT, Keyfax,Keylogic,Keypera,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera,Keynamics, Landlord,Ledgers,Linkedin,Liquid,Locality,Localz, M3,MadeTech,MAVIS,MD,MDM,MI,MIS,MIS-AMS,MISCS,MRI,MS Dynamics,MRI,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Microsoft365,microsoft 365,MWL,Management,Management Server,Manifest,Measuring,Mebus,More IQ,MoreIQ,Microsoft Dynamics 365,Microsoft dynamics GP 2013,Miracle,MobileIron,Mobysoft,Monopoly board images and pictures,Montal,Mr Void,MriEngage,MrVoid,MoreIQ, MRI,MRI Housing One, NDL,NINTEX,NINTEX workflow,NPS,NPS ASSIST,NPS Housing,NPS 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,Plentific,Plus,Portfolio Management System,PowerObjects,Pro,Pro-Points,Prodo,Progress,Promaster,Propeller,Propoints,Proval,Providers,Pyramid, QL,QLX, QLF, QL Yuneo,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,Rubixx, Salesforce,Salesforce.Org,SAP,SASSHA,SDM,SHBVN,SM,SOTI,SP,SQL,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting,SQL Server,Saffron,Safron,Saturn,Scenario,Scotland,Scots,Scottish,Scout,Sequoa,Serengeti,Serros,Server,Service,Services,Servitor,Sharepoint,Sim,SimPro, Simdel,Simdell,Slash and Burn,Social Housing ICT,Social Housing Software Applications,Social Media,Software,Software solutions,Spotlight Service,Spotlightservice,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic,SunAccounts,Sunguard,Surveys,Streetwise, Swordfish,Sx3,Symatrix Human,System alignment,Systems,Systemwise, T-Files,TEAMS,TED,TFiles,TP Tracker,TSG,Tagish Casework,Tagra,Task,TAIM,Techlabs,Technologies (India) PVT Limited,Telecetera,Template,Terminal Services,That,Three Star,Tilt,TiltAffinity,Today,Tony Smith,Tony Smith That Housing IT Guy,TonySmith that housing IT,TonySmithHou,TonySmithHousing, ,TonySmithHousingITguy,Total,Total Mobile,Totalmobile,Trace,Tribal,Twitter, U2,UC,UK,UK Housing,Ukhousing,UniClass Enterprise,Unidata,United Kingdom,Universal,Universalcredit,Universe,Unrest, Valueworks,Van Stock,Vantage,Vantage Sentinel,Version,Virtualisation,Visitour,Visualmetrics,Voice,Voice and data,Voicescape,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Wheatley,Windows Server,Workflow and,Work Hub,Works Connect, XML,Xen App,XenApp,Xmbrace, Yuneo,TS Acutance Consulting, ...
. . . . . . . . . . . . ES | FR | DE | IT | UK |

Contract Killers

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

As most people will be aware, a lot of my work is focused on compliant and successful solution procurement, which always involves an agreed contract. Now, I am far from Rumpole Of The Bailey, however in my three decades in socialhousing ICT, I have had a lot of exposure to contracts and picked up a lot of experiences and gotcha’s.

CCS/DAS and other framework procurements generally come with a ‘default’ contract option, ‘The Model Services Contract’, which comes with yellow optional clauses. Clearly by default this is drafted broadly in favour of the contracting authority and so is not every suppliers cup of Earl Gray. If suppliers are on the framework, they know that the expectation will be to use it. So, its actually very odd for it not to be used.

Two other alternatives can also be used :-
•    The Contracting Body proposes their own contract (likely to be heavily weighted in the favour of the client)
•    The Contracting Body asks the supplier to provide their contract (likely to be heavily weighted in favour of the supplier)

Both of these would be generally provided allowing ‘red line’ points to be challenged, generally via clarifications. In some cases there might be quite a lot of red ink expended here. The types of challenges often will help set a view of the supplier, or maybe the appetite for risk on the client side. Its important to think of this in a proportionate manner. If we are spending £2.6m we might be wanting a lot of contract detail. However, signing up to a monthly subscription of £220 per month for a much smaller purchase, we might be happy to accept five pages of a supplier contract.

Whatever the size of the above, my first takeaway is make sure its properly read (5 pages or 500 !), before signing up. If you are baffled by any legal jargon, get help or engage a friendly legal professional, for English/Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or Republic Of Ireland legal jurisdictions. If I am ever engaged to assist with a failing project or implementation, one of the first documents I ask for is the contract & SOW (The Statement Of Work). Not too uncommonly, that contract is based on a suppliers and has little in the way of teeth for poor or failed delivery, or limited ability to terminate without incurring often excessive costs. My second takeaway is keep an eye on that. Non-delivery needs to be addressed in the contract and provide safeguards.

There is clearly a big and important legal difference between ‘best endeavours’, ‘reasonable endeavours’ etc. In most contracts, the word ‘Reasonable’ does lots of heavy lifting and actually is the logical bridge word, when leveraged to help us share the risk between Client and Contractor.    

Finally, a couple of other takeaways I have recently come across.

Clauses invoked when organisations are renamed, form groups, split from groups, or maybe (as ALMOs have recently) go back into parent councils, can often be restrictive or punitive. These may force a re-contracting exercise, which may mean that a strong contract could be potentially replaced by a weak one for the Contracting Body. Clearly in these cases, this type of clause having to be invoked, may well allow the organisation at that point to look again at the marketplace, or their procurement team might well (try to) force them to. Contracts will generally be expected to run for a set period with extension breaks. EG 5+2+2+2+2, to allow breaks at year 5, 7, 9 etc, but the contract to run for up to 13 years before another (forced) procurement.

Contracts particularly for Cloud/browser applications are often based on number of user seats or set numbers of ‘units’. These being homes/properties, or maybe assets in general. These may change at any point as disposals occur and new developments added and contracts and licensing must flexibly support this. One form of contract I have recently come across, used a clause which casually invoked a ‘reset’ of the procurement / contract term, where unit count was adjusted by any amount. So potentially if during a 5 year contract period, 40 units are added in year 4, the contract now resets to run for 9 years. I seriously doubt if this would satisfy formal 2025 procurement rules, yet if left in a contract can potentially cause you a future world of pain.

I hope this post has provided a bit of food for thought. If I manage it, I would hope to join up with one of my favourite legal experts and do something in-depth later in the Spring.

In the meantime, do share your favourite experience of contract tosh or most ridiculous negotiations, via comment or DM 👍.

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ *** Join the discussion with Claire & Aiden *** _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

Help with your procurement finalisation?

Get in touch , for a chat soon over a cuppa and a cookie or two ☕😋

       Related Post: Does your organisation purposely 'Warm Up The Market' for more effective procurements?

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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.

Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited - Contract Killer .
(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,Cx Assets, 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,CxFeedback, DRS,Deeplake,Designer Software,Development Systems,Director,Document,Documotive,Docuware,Dynamic AI,DynamicAI,Dynamics 365,D365,Dynamics365,Dynaway ECMK,EDM,EDRMS,ERP,ESRI,Elmhurst,Enghouse Interactive,England,English,EnterpriseBI,Estatecraft,Esuasive,Etive,Exhibition,Exponential-e, Facebook,Factorwise,Field Service management,Finance,Financial Systems,Financials,FLS,Footprint,Forms,Freezes,Fusion,Fuzzlab 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 Group,Housing Insight,Housing Management,Housing Management Consultant,Housing Partners,Housing Portfolio Management System,Hub Asset Management,Homeswapper,Housing jigsaw, Housing Support Pro,HousingIT,HousingSupportPro,HyperOptic, HydrogenBI, Hydrogen BI, IMS,IT,IT Budget,IT Training,ITIL,Impact Response,In,In4,In4Systems Promaster,InfoBoss,InHouse,InMotion,InMotion2015,InMotion2016,InfoBoss,Infoflow,Information,Information Technology,Information@Work components,Informix,Innovation, Informetis,Inphase,Inside Housing,Insight,Internet Portal,Internetalia,Invu,Ireland,Irish,itLab, Keyfax,Keylogic,Keypera, Keystone,Kirona,Kypera,Keynamics, Landlord,Ledgers,Linkedin,Liquid,Locality,Localz, M3,MAVIS,MD,MDM,MI,MIS,MIS-AMS,MISCS,MRI,MS Dynamics,MRI,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Microsoft365,microsoft 365,MWL,Management,Management Server,Manifest,Measuring,Mebus,More IQ,MoreIQ,Microsoft Dynamics 365,Microsoft dynamics GP 2013,Miracle,MobileIron,Mobysoft,Monopoly board images and pictures,Montal,Mr Void,MriEngage,MrVoid,MoreIQ NDL,NINTEX,NINTEX workflow,NPS,NPS ASSIST,NPS Housing,NPS 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,QLX, QLF, QL Yuneo,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,Rubixx, Salesforce,Salesforce.Org,SAP,SASSHA,SDM,SHBVN,SM,SOTI,SP,SQL,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting,SQL Server,Saffron,Safron,Saturn,Saffron,Scenario,Scotland,Scots,Scottish,Scout,Sequoa,Serengeti,Serros,Server,Service,Services,Servitor,Sharepoint,Sim,SimPro, Simdel,Simdell,Slash and Burn,Social Housing ICT,Social Housing Software Applications,Social Media,Software,Software solutions,Spotlight Service,Spotlightservice,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic,SunAccounts,Sunguard,Surveys,Streetwise, Swordfish,Sx3,Symatrix Human,System alignment,Systems,Systemwise, T-Files,TEAMS,TED,TFiles,TP Tracker,TSG,Tagish Casework,Tagra,Task,TAIM,Technologies (India) PVT Limited,Telecetera,Template,Terminal Services,That,Three Star,Tilt,TiltAffinity,Today,Tony Smith,Tony Smith That Housing IT Guy,TonySmith that housing IT,TonySmithHou,TonySmithHousing, ,TonySmithHousingITguy,Total,Total Mobile,Totalmobile,Trace,Tribal,Twitter, U2,UC,UK,UK Housing,Ukhousing,UniClass Enterprise,Unidata,United Kingdom,Universal,Universalcredit,Universe,Unrest, Valueworks,Van Stock,Vantage,Vantage Sentinel,Version,Virtualisation,Visitour,Visualmetrics,Voice,Voice and data,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Wheatley,Windows Server,Workflow and,Work Hub,Works Connect, XML,Xen App,XenApp,Xmbrace, Yuneo,TS Acutance Consulting, ...
. . . . . . . . . . . . ES | FR | DE | IT | UK |