Save Me

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

I was chatting to a client recently, who I have worked with on a number of occasions, over the last nine years. We have done a variety of projects together and many of my customers come back again and again, or come via recommendation.

Its great to be adding value to projects of all types, with various degrees of tech involved, although often its process and cultural change, that brings the true transformational magic.

While talking, I asked a question that I don’t normally ask. That was even though I knew they used other consultants sometimes, why they so often came back for me to work with them?

Their answer surprised me in that it was, “Well we have found when we work with you, we save far more money, than what we pay you in consultancy”. I was pleased in one respect, but I knew if I told my accountant that, they would tell me I should perhaps be charging much more! I certainly wont be notching up my day rate, however I totally understand where they were coming from.

Where I come into projects ‘late in the day’, often to help recover something or do some ‘marriage guidance’ with them and their suppliers, often its already gone too far already. Fix the small initial issues, ask the awkward questions and think them through early, always saves much more time and effort further down the line. Procuring is generally exciting stuff to the procurer, poring over the detail is not glamorous, but very essential. Lots of managers are visionaries, somewhat less are the ‘finishers’, who suffer from extra charges and hassle, further down the line.

Probably, the earlier in the process I get involved, the more potentially can be saved. Often getting into the detail up front, sharpens minds, better defines scope and provides a better yardstick to measure delivery, when the implementation boots hit the ground. Bringing experience of another hundred or so projects with associated intel’, also provides my clients with a potential toolbox of ideas, strategies and methodologies, which could be adapted to work well in their particular situation. In some cases, I have helped reduce overall ICT system costs from over £4m to well less than half that.

Arriving later in a project to help dig a site out of a failing (or potentially failing) project, often provides fewer levers for means of recovery, that’s my experience. Again its all about the detail. Project history detail, contract detail, concise meeting minutes all present and accessible. I have recovered plenty of projects via different results. Every challenge is a little different and each offers potential to turn individual situations around. There are plenty of examples where thinking back, hard cash has been clawed back or saved. Long running projects can be more like a poker game, than a commercial venture.

Certainly, in the future this will all make me think more deeply on potential engagement value add. Meanwhile, don’t suffer in silence, if you need help please give me a shout!

Related Post: Is the appropriate Critical Friend what your project is lacking to be successful ?

Catch the blog monthly archive at https://soundcloud.com/housingitguy/

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

I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.

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


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

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

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

Rivers and Streams

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


In 2020, hybrid solutions for the Social Housing sector are en-vogue, like almost never before. For some reason, many social landlords are turning away from the traditional Integrated Housing Management Systems and looking to swap out components, modules or considering binning whole elements.

Large organisations, such as Orbit and Clarion are looking to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 365 as the future spine of their systems, rather than the old fashioned and often lagging HMS. I come across many much smaller ones too, dipping in a toe into Dynamics CRM. Some clearly of the smaller ones have scoped projects less well and I have come across a few that have become unstuck, for various reasons, or suffer an ever inflating budget galloping away from them. At least one HMS provider is already borrowing some leopards spots, by calling their offering an ERP, not a HMS. (might fool some ) 

Personally, I don’t regard COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) solutions or the hybrid route, inherently good or bad. As ever its horses for courses. First know what problem the organisation wants to solve, your expected budget and what’s your appetite for risk. This is no different actually for procuring any software solution(s). That last risk element probably deserves a follow up blog, all on its own to be honest!

Microsoft Dynamics is by no means the only direction to go in to achieve CRM/ERP. SAP and SalesForce are often considered outside the social housing sector. Sanctuary Housing did at one point look like the door that SAP would come through to sell successfully into the sector. Resellers soon discovered that deep pockets were more rare across UK Social Housing, or appetite for expensive ABAP developers, than anyone had assumed at its Baden-Württemberg HQ.

SalesForce is a slightly different ERP/CRM platform animal. Not least because SalesForce has tiered licensing, providing a very economic platform for charities and authorised non-profits. I first blogged about this in 2017, when encountering an application built by Housing Link. In contrast to alternatives, so much comes with the platform, simplifying delivery. A very mature quality, authorised eco-system of third party tools/features are available, delivered under almost an app store format. Almost plug and play, this eliminates a lot of the knotty issues seen where add-ons need to be relied on, within other ERP platforms used as core solutions.

In my earlier blog, I opined that some software supplier could strike gold building an ERP/CRM to properly support Housing. Interestingly too, in the last month I have read a lot of speculation that Google might hoover up Salesforce very soon.

The news that landlord Riverside Group, who manage over 55k homes, is well on its way to completing a bespoke ERP development in Salesforce, might open the door to others, looking for credible alternatives. Riverside did a careful evaluation of platform capabilities and relative costs, before selection. A mix of internal ICT and experienced Salesforce reseller, seems to have worked well for them. A lot of traditional HMS components have been retained as yet, although I would expect more to be taken over by the platform, as time goes on.

Housing does seem to be looking to cloud platforms that offer an additional functional environment. I can’t help thinking that this disadvantages AWS & pure hoster’s, missing these elements. Thomas Kurian of Google buying SalesForce, immediately has an application to help sell more of its cloud-space offering to millions of more users. Lets hope if that comes to fruition, SalesForce.org keeps its charity licensing ethic!

Related Post: Still messing around with webchat? Get into the new decade with Chatbots
 

Catch the blog monthly archive at https://soundcloud.com/housingitguy/

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

I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.

Saint Jude – Rivers and stream.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


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

Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.
File Under: #HomesForBritain,#HousingDAY,#InternetOfTenants,#Shout,#UKHousing, 07854655009, 1st Touch,1stTouch,360,365Agile,3squared,4Js, ACL,ALMO,AMS,AX,Aareon,Abritas,Academy,Accuserv,Accuserve,Active Housing,ActiveH,ActiveHousing,Acutence,Advanced,Agile,Agile365,AirWatch,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,CHICS,CHR,CIH,CMS,COA,CORE,CPL,CRM,CRM2013,CRS,CTI,CTX,Cadcorp,Capita,CapitaOne,Capita One,Capital Management,Cashflow,Castle,Castleton,Castleton Technology,Cedar Open Accounts,Cerrus,Change,Charges,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, Citrix,Civica,Civica CTX,Civica Cx,Civica Genero,Civica Saffron,Clearview,Clik,Cloud Dialogs,CloudDialogs,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Commontime,Community Reward Services,Company,Competitive Dialogue process,Component Accounting,Consilium,Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Consultants,Contact Manager,Context,Contractor Systems,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,Crystal Reports,Customer Relationship Management,Cx, DRS,Deeplake,Designer Software,Development Systems,Director,Document,Documotive,Dynamic AI,DynamicAI,Dynamics 365, ECMK,EDM,EDRMS,ERP,ESRI,Elmhurst,Enghouse Interactive,England,English,EnterpriseBI,Estatecraft,Etive,Exhibition,Exponential-e, Facebook,Factorwise,Field Service management,Finance,Financial Systems,Financials,Footprint,Forms,Freezes,Fusion, Gas Tag,G-Cloud,GCloud,GDPR,GGP,GIS,GasTag,Genero,GeoSolveIT,Getting best from,GoTonySmith,Grasp,Grip,Group Apex, HFI (Housing Financials interface),HG,HRA,Hardware,Hitachi Systems,Hitex,HomeMaster,Hometeam,HouSys,House,Housemark,Housemark survey,Housing,Housing Contact,Housing Group,Housing Insight,Housing Management,Housing Management Consultant,Housing Partners,Housing Portfolio Management System,Hub Asset Management, Housing Support Pro,HousingIT,HousingSupportPro,HyperOptic, 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, Landlord,Ledgers,Linkedin,Liquid,Locality,Localz, M3,MAVIS,MD,MDM,MI,MIS,MIS-AMS,MISCS,MRI,MS Dynamics,MS Dynamics CRM2011,MWL,Management,Management Server,Manifest,Measuring,Mebus,Microsoft Dynamics 365,Microsoft dynamics GP 2013,Miracle,MobileIron,Mobysoft,Monopoly board images and pictures,Montal,Mr Void,MriEngage,MrVoid, 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,QuantSpark,Qube,QLX,Qlikview,QueryView,Queryview reporting,Quiss, RM865,ROCC,RPs,RSL,Rave,ReAct,Reality,RedkiteCRM,Red Olive,Registered,Registered Social,Rent Increase,RentSense,RentSenseLite,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,RobotAutomation,Rocket, Salesforce,Salesforce.Org,SAP,SASSHA,SDM,SHBVN,SM,SOTI,SP,SQL,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting,SQL 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data,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Wheatley,Windows Server,Workflow and,Work Hub,Works Connect, XML,Xen App,XenApp,Xmbrace, SalesforceT ...
. . . . . . . . . . .

Jet Airliner

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



It was shocking to hear about the recent Boeing 737 max crashes recently. Even more worrying that it was software possibly to blame.

There’s been a few places I have worked where to be honest, I would be reluctant to fly, if I knew they had provided and tested (hopefully thoroughly), the software within and controlling it.

The anti-stall feature of the Boeing 737 MAX 8, apparently activated before the Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 plane nosedived into the ground.

The same mechanism was suspect in the Lion Air crash in October 2018. Between the two crashes, 346 people died onboard.

The feature, called Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), is designed to help prevent a stall if a plane flies at too sharp an upward angle and, as a result, the wings lose their lift. But if activated at the wrong time, like shortly after take off, the system can force the nose down, causing the 737 to suddenly lose altitude.

All Boeing 737 Max 8’s across the world have now been grounded for some weeks.

How such software could get through safety checks from the US and national aeronautical authorities, clearly needs reviewing. More seriously, it’s come out that in both crashes, the two planes were similar in that they lacked two key safety features, that possibly could have prevented both accidents. Essential sensors were being sold as ‘optional extras’, at extra cost.

Those two safety features in question were an “angle of attack indicator” and an “angle of attack disagree light”, both of which were not included in the aircraft by Boeing as standard safety features, according to a report in the New York Times. If features or services are essential to a product or project, should they not be priced in from the start and delivered, to preserve the integrity of the whole project?

What has this got to do with social housing system project delivery?

You might well ask.

I am seeing in more and more projects, essentials initially priced in and sold, such as hand-holding support on go-live, over weekend cutovers, that come back twelve or eighteen months later as ‘Change Control’. In any procurement, cost will make up a significant part of scoring criteria. Lower cost tender bids are clearly more favourable. However in the process of agreeing a solid project plan, finalising a PID (Project Initiation Document) and subsequent reiterations of the project plan, much can change.

Be careful that in your projects, some of your ‘safety features’ are being quietly dropped and re-added later as ‘extras’. Limiting the number of included data conversions, is a common slight of hand. I have often asked at the initial sale, “So you are saying that just two data conversions and  ago-live one for a £2m systems project is sufficient, in your professional opinion”?. “Have you examples recently where that has been the case”?

In my mind at that point I am probably aware of at least two projects where that supplier has been involved, where they are on their 4th or 5th (and often maybe more!). I have still to have been given a valid site to contact, from any of these suppliers, where they managed what’s been suggested.

So, in your projects be aware of the safety features you need, have them priced in and don’t lose them in the duration of your 12-20 month project. Otherwise, just like those unfortunates in the Boeing 737 max 8 disasters, your budget and perhaps your project may tend towards crashing and burning.

Clearly too, when Boeing do crack that software clitch. IMHO, they should send all their directors, CEO & managers on the maiden flight!

Related Post: WiFi - As essential now, as the air we breathe?    

Catch the blog monthly archive at https://soundcloud.com/housingitguy/

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

I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.

Steve Miller - Jet Airliner.
(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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Are (Critical) Friends Electric?

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


I was asked a few weeks ago, ‘What exactly is a Critical Friend?’, having just explained that is what I provide, for a range of organisations.

I explained it as someone who is encouraging and supportive, but who also provides honest and often candid feedback, that may be uncomfortable or difficult to hear. In short, a critical friend is someone who agrees to speak truthfully, but constructively, about weaknesses, problems, and emotionally charged issues. The role of the critical friend is therefore a strategic one and can be important in assisting improvement.  It is essentially a role of support and challenge.

My last few Critical Friend assignments have included contributing to a project to reduce 27 software applications at North West Social Housing Group Torus, assessing the quality of a tender submitted for housing solutions outside the UK, and and innovative housing sector product, useful for DLO's and In-House Contractors.

I work with many different types of organisations, Social Housing landlords, suppliers to the sector and ones looking to break into it. Why you might ask, would anyone need the services of a critical friend? Well, a very good client, I have worked with for many years explained it as, “because sometimes, you just don’t know, what you don’t know”. That is an accurate definition, but it must be recognised that culturally, particularly in the UK and Ireland, few people will tell you the painful truth.

When our friends or family come around to see us, we say, “Sit down, make yourself at home!”. Which as we all know is the exact opposite of what we would like them to do. I.E. Stay there, don’t mess with my books, music, my fridge (certainly don’t go rooting around there!!) etc. We won’t tell them the truth as we are sensitive that we may hurt their feelings.

So, when we are in a business or work setting, we tend to behave the same. If you ask other staff, customers, suppliers or associates, how something is, we rarely receive honest answers. I am sure you have experienced that.

Suppliers often work in isolation, thinking their products or solutions are brilliant, (or pants), often with no proper critical input, to confirm or deny that opinion. It is easy to work in ignorance, continuing to fail, or be successful without actually understanding why. When I work with suppliers, they receive a ‘warts and all’ view from me, taken from an encyclopedic knowledge and practical experience of the sector. I think many suppliers who could improve their products or presence in the housing sector, shoot themselves in the foot, by not engaging a suitably helpful critical friend. I often work with suppliers new to the socialhousing sector.

Landlords and RP’s also have benefitted from critical friend work we have done together, to review how they work, software they have and how they use it, help to procure and particularly help to implement selected solutions, to time and cost expectations. I am fortunate in that I spent 14 years on the dark side, as a supplier. Uniquely, I know what goes on over that side and supplier limitations. Also, I implemented getting on for two dozen systems, over 6 or more years, so I have knowledge of product, data extract, reconciliation, implementation, effective integration, training and project management. When looking at how clients and suppliers are tackling those areas, I bring a lot to the table.

Often clients have not implemented a new system before, or experienced transformation, bringing many systems into a few less. This can be daunting and its best to ask for help early, or factor in use of a critical friend early. It might only be a day or more a month in some cases, but it enables an outside view to be incorporated into what can sometimes be very stressful projects.

In critical friend work, I have sometimes been referred to as the ‘Bad Cop’, compared to the clients ‘Good Cop’ stance. I always think of my role as being to shine a torch on to issues, providing options and solutions to move them on quickly with suppliers and clients. That can sometimes be forceful, occasionally unpleasant, but its agreed that it’s got to be put out there. While my involvement is relatively short term and a little disruptive, to make things happen, the client will continue to have a strong, positive relationship, hopefully for many years going forward. Recent work with Torus Housing Group and others, has been very productive and transformative.

I smiled recently, to have been described as the ‘Swiss Army Knife Critical Friend’, due to my wide depth of knowledge and experience. That’s very nice of someone to say so, I certainly have all the tools to bring to the job, as and when they are needed. It was also remarked that, ‘it was good to have a true friend, always going that extra mile and batting on our side during our project’. That I think is the other key to a great critical friend, they need to bring a can-do attitude, together with experience and tools for the job.


Related Post: Have you complex and functional systems, not properly implemented? 

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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.

Tubeway Army – Are Friends Electric?.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


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