As One

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

Few things stand still and its not unusual for councils and housing organisations to merge together ‘as one’ for so many reasons. Efficiency, savings, looking to deliver services in a shared way with higher levels of satisfaction, or better self-service.

Recently, I have been involved in Asset/housing system solutions including where two councils merged in the West Country, a couple of RSL’s in North East Scotland and Torus Housing Group, on my doorstep when GGHT and Helena came together. As can be expected, this is a crucial time to review existing system solutions in both organisations coming together and also have a weather eye on future fit for purpose.   

I am occasionally asked, “Is there a template for doing this, we can use”?

The honest answer to that is ‘No’, every case needs to be taken on its merits, particularly in the light of how we aim to work flexibly these days, post-Covid19. Existing housing or other systems that rely on olde-world Client-Server, clunky Citrix or Terminal Services, will be possibly top of the list for replacement. These may indeed be solutions that have been in use for many years and be on a rolling annual contract by now. Consider any contract penalties, that might mean the remaining contract costs may be payable if either organisation terminate.

In one recent project I was involved in up in Scotland, both organisations were on the same solution. There it was a no-brainer to merge into a third instance with the current HMS, which was relatively low cost. That enables the merged organisation to continue on that platform or review future possibilities, with only one system to work with. Beware changing your name or location however. Some existing contracts could trigger hefty novation fees, for suppliers effectively doing nothing at all. Keep an eye on these types of clauses, in new and existing supplier contract T's & C's.

In another project, during a long project at Torus Housing Group, which involved a deep dive into all existing applications in use and drawing up a detailed specification of the future functional requirements, 27 applications were originally in use. A rapid pre-market analysis determined the art of the possible, including future budget costs indicating combined savings of at least over £1.5m over five years. I was involved in a successful HMS/Finance procurement and implementation, slimming down to just seven applications. In that procurement, only one of the current HMS providers engaged in the procurement and the preferred option was a third supplier. I was involved as a Critical Friend throughout.

Its fair to say that sometimes I have seen two councils or RSLs merge and choose a new third solution when procuring  to merge into, as that is a clean slate for both. I have never seen a merger deliberately go out to do this, but it can happen a lot. This approach does enable a new start as regards transformation and also a chance to move to a new SaaS/browser delivered basis for the future. Be aware that a few housing system suppliers now have SaaS/browser options, that can be migrated to.

There are also some hybrid paths to consider too. For councils this might logically utilising a Digital Platform to provide an integrated and unified view on existing systems, effectively hiding them. This year I was involved in procuring a Digital platform for a couple of councils, with at least one most likely accessing their HMS for retained housing stock in this way.

So, I hope if you are part of an organisation looking to merge, there has been some food for thought here. Feel free to get in contact if you are starting out on this journey, pre-scoping whats available, ready to procure, or may need just a little help in managing your supplier to get your new solution happily live.

Don’t forget if you are going in the other direction de-merging, rather than merging, we can help with that too!

Related Post: 'How to ask the best questions to extract the truth in our procurements?'

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.

Merge Of Equals – As One.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


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

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

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

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 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data,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Wheatley,Windows Server,Workflow and,Work Hub,Works Connect, XML,Xen App,XenApp,Xmbrace, SalesforceT ...
. . . . . . . . . . .

Figure It Out

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


Its not that frequent that I get involved in data reconciliation’s, but strangely I have helped a few organisations with them in recent weeks. How do you go about checking that what you take from a legacy system, is what lands in your new system? Its even more complex when several legacy systems are coming into a single new system.

So, what should we be looking at?

Well hopefully, data will be extracted into either a staging database or intermediate CSV’s (Comma separated Value flat text files). As anyone will know who has been through this process, its usually something that is carried out by the client, rather than the supplier of the new system. Because of this, its generally not that difficult to generate some statistics at that stage.

When I was a key implementer, I used to have a big list of areas which would be on my main hit list, many of which should be able to be reconciled right to the penny. Examples include rent balances, debit charge, cost of open works orders etc. While grand totals are a great guide, its likely that differences need to be split by Owning Body, Area, Scheme, Trade Type, Needs Category, debit frequency, Current vs Former etc, to meaningfully be sure of the integrity of data.

For my peace of mind too, I always urge my clients to find good legacy reports, to reconcile extracted (staging) data, then data when it lands in the new target system. If these can be passed to Excel, some templates can be developed, to quickly check these. In some cases, I have helped clients create something that can be quickly compared within 15 minutes. This is crucial at migration time and also to have all this ready and pre-cooked.

In an ideal world, regular data cuts could be done, with checks in place, way ahead of the final go-live. All differences need to be chased down quickly, so final go-live will be reliable. Data migrated might include EDRMS documents, appointments from a dynamic scheduler, or other sources.

Its usually common cross-referencing between systems will be in use, to allow data migration. These should be considered and understood to provide a reliable reconciliation. In particular, spot checks of every combination, for individual type of code. E.G. every type of charge code, asset type code etc. Config of these cross-references , during set up needs to be carefully controlled, as does changes in the data extraction that might be done to accommodate these.

Common ‘gotcha areas’ include around tenancy movements. Provisional starts and ends for tenancies, can pretty much always be expected to affect voids and debit values and numbers. These can always be isolated and a decision made if these are held back the last few days of the legacy system, and perhaps manually set in the new system we are moving to.

For audit purposes, a full list of all system areas, legacy data source counts/totals and equivalents in the new system, should be created, before making a decision to go-live. If an agreed reconciliation cannot be agreed, I personally would never suggest its right to go live.

Figuring it out, you can expect, will always shake out some legacy data that needs to be data cleansed. That’s always a bit like an archaeological dig, and a subject for a whole future blog. Before you try to go live with a new system, ensure you have taken time to ‘figure it out’.

Related Post: Big data, much like adolescent sex, in many ways 

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.

Royal Blood - Figure It Out.
(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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software,open 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,Portfolio Management System, PM,Progress,Promaster,Proval,Pyramid,PRINCE2,prince,Pamwin,PlanForm, Propoints, Pro-Points,predictive analytics for housing, 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, "Social Housing IT",Social Housing ICT, 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 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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,verse one,verseone,vWork,Version One,Visualmetrics,Valueworks,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Windows Server,Workflow and tasking,Wheatley,Works Connect,worksConnect, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App ..

Rip it up and start again

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

Every so often a landlord, council, charity or other organisation gets in touch asking for what they describe as, “a bit of quick consultancy”. The pitch usually goes something like this: “Tony you are the housing IT Guy, can you help us swap out this system we’ve decided we don’t like? We’ve just seen something new, the demo was slick, the salesperson was charming, and it all looked ten times better than what we’ve got.”. Now it could be a contractor/DLO, CRM, Housing, Asset Management or Finance FMS or any other solution.

It sounds simple on the surface, but let’s be honest, this is classic grass-is-greener syndrome. A shiny system being shown in a carefully crafted demo is not the same as a solution that fixes our real world problems. Most of the time nobody has actually stopped to ask the most important question: what is the actual issue we are trying to solve? Instead the assumption becomes that the software is broken, the supplier is useless, or the old (clunky?) system is holding the business back.

But in my experience, the culprit is rarely just the tech. It is often something deeper. Culture getting in the way. Processes designed in a hurry years ago that no longer fit. Organisational habits that nobody notices until a properly planned change project shines a light on them. Poor configuration decisions made on day one and never revisited. Shabby implementations that were rushed or under supported. Or the classic regular favourite, a complete lack of resourcing for training, data quality and business ownership. Software cannot magically compensate for all of that, no matter how sexy the demo reel.

Which is exactly why I turn down these swap requests unless we start in the right place. 

Before anyone goes system shopping, someone needs to lift the floorboards and find out what is actually rotten. Sometimes it turns out the system is fine and it is everything wrapped around it that is creaking. Sometimes there is a case for a change, but it should come from evidence, not impulse and not a too optimistic sales pitch. 

Replacing a system without diagnosing the underlying issues is like repainting a damp wall for a resident. Looks great for a week, then the stains creep straight back through. You spend a fortune, disrupt your teams, and recreate the exact same pain on a new platform, transferring all our gripes into a Cloud SAAS full responsive browser application. Everyone just ends up asking why the promised magic fix never arrived.

Think on, no, I am not your man for a quick ditch and shift job. But if you want someone to come in, ask valid yet awkward questions, identify what is genuinely going wrong and help you fix the foundations before you reach for a GCloud or other framework, then aye, give me a shout. That is where the real value sits.

Is your SocialHousing  ICT / transformation project drastically overrunning  ? 

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

       Related Post: Will 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.

Orange Juice – Rip it up and start again

(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,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

X-Static

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

I, like so many others I know in fire safety, involved in social housing and TMOs, were horrified to see those early news reports of the horrific Grenfell Tower fire, that June day over three years ago. It was the worst UK residential fire since WWII. The Dame Judith Hackitt report effectively put the sector on notice, to focus on compliance, think out of the box and be open and transparent with residents.

Not an easy job, of which I am very much aware. I wouldn’t want that gig even if it came with a gold clock and a gold plated pension. However, the solutions are out there.

Compliance is challenging and surprisingly I tend to see too much of Excel based records, although we have expensive Housing Management Systems on paper, with abilities to help tie all the strands together. You know the territory, FRAs (Fire Risk Assessments), Legionella, Asbestos, Gas Servicing, Lifts, Radon, Electrical and PAT testing. Ask yourself, how good are your records, the audit trail if heaven forbid a Grenfell scale disaster occurred in your schemes and stock?

Another really important dimension of all this is transparency and openness with residents (Tenants, Leaseholders, Factored and Shared Owners etc). Trust and openness with residents is I believe, an essential part of the effective solutions and the Hackitt report references sharing of info. If you are a landlord reading this, would you be comfortable sharing your compliance data with your residents? Would you be sharing a spreadsheet effectively, or a window on a system, or would you basically play the ‘We haven’t quite got the technology’ card

The latter excuse surprisingly does gain some traction from me however, as all that glitters out there, is not compliance gold. Compliance being a hot topic, I see no end of ‘products nearing release’, ‘nearly ready’ or well actually when I prod and probe, little more than a concept. Like me, you too need to push and want to see real customers, users etc, not beta testers. This is residents lives we are talking about here, lets not beat about the bush shall we?

Readers here may recall I have blogged about GasTag in the past, an excellent idea, finally joining the dots between right certified engineer with right equipment being serviced at the right asset. Back nearly 3 years ago when I wrote that blog, for me I could see the concept morphing far beyond just that, into all types of compliance. I should have put a £pony or a £ton on at Paddy Power, that a name change would be needed at GasTag, to encompass the greater capabilities of the platform.

A rename to ‘X-Tag’ properly encompasses what these guys are actually doing on their solution. X describes compliance perfectly, its about managing X, the universal unknown and making it known, internally and outward to residents. That is exactly what their platform is achieving for larger RSLs, like Housing plus Group and Southern Housing Group, implemented more in weeks than months (or years in some cases), as can be common from some of the traditional existing sector suppliers.

The X-Tag offering goes way beyond the notional management of compliance within a Housing Management System, which so very often is fragmented, lacks clear audit and detail, allowing continuous improvement and confidence in data, that could be and has facilities to share with residents. A key recommendation of Hackitt was the ‘engaged tenant’. If using this solution, an on-line portal sharing data ‘KnowMyHome’  is a by-product, not a separate solution in itself.

Embrace the X-tag, go check them out, at Housing2020 The Virtual Festival, September 7-11th ( https://cihhousing.com/virtual-festival  ) or visit them at https://www.gastag.co.uk/ 

One of the real benefits of X-Tag to me is that its all data based and anyone who I have worked with will know my feeling is always that, reliable data is king. Opinions are great to express, that’s your right in a free country, but solid reliable data always trumps opinions, however loud you shout.

Integration is key and the new platform has good API links that can be utilised by your HMS, Asset Management Solution, such as Keystone, Promaster etc. Reporting is good, with dashboards directing managers to exceptions and areas for attention, as these are the common pain points aren’t they? 

The solution is big on the control of ‘who’ carries out the compliance. Lets face it, excessive sub-contracting out was one of the main un-doings of what happened at Grenfell. Escalation paths can be deep and responsibilities blurred. X-Tag identifies who carried each compliance operation, evidencing issues arising. If your appointed contractor subs it out, that is clearly evidenced. It shines a light on what is checked, who checked it and was it done at the required/expected location.

I suggest you give it a look, see the volume of compliance already supported by the platform and its operational users. As mentioned earlier, there’s many ideas being pitched on roadmaps etc around this whole socialhousing compliance area. Be sure if you are going to take compliance seriously, you are looking at a proven and scalable product, you can implement quickly and reliably.      

Related Post: Who should be fixing your data errors and maintaining data quality?

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

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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.

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


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

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

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

Land Of Plenty

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



How fantastic is the ‘Gig Economy’? How did we ever cope without it? A bit like asking ‘However did we cope without Smartphones’? Well we did didn’t we, for many tens of thousands of years.

However, we like Uber, AirBnB and JustEat etc. These all provide a new level of convenience and choice for the buyer/service user, often for (almost) free or at comparable/better prices/quality to the traditional alternatives.

The concept of Turkers (or MTurkers) originated in 2005. The "Worker" (contractor) and "Requester" (employer), was born. These were Human Intelligence Tasks, but most workers on modern platforms are providing physical services.

As we know, they often come at a downside too. The platform provides its tech to connect sellers and buyers, using an app or a well designed website, taking its cut. In an ideal world, sellers have space/capacity to sell services or provide their time and are welling agents in that transaction. Reality in some of the gig economy, is prices being driven down, variable quality and other pressures to buy equipment, fund their own vehicle fuel and of course receive minimal or no employment rights.

The independent or Amazon parcel deliverer often earns 50p or less per parcel, while being sequenced by a smartphone and paying all their own vehicle costs, including fuel etc. Great if that fits in with your wider life, as retired or student. Less good if the employment stats record you as ‘Employed’ (as you work at least one hour per month), and you have to juggle two or more jobs to actually stay above the breadline.

Since 2013, for Social Housing, the UK Uber of repairs is Plentific. Landlords can set up arrangements to use a sophisticated platform to log and manage repairs. The Turkers are the claimed 13k contractors who need to be qualified, have the right certifications etc. The best/cheapest of three quotes is processed and the platform progresses with the victor.

Plentific has experienced a lot of growth, particularly with some particular London G15 landlords, such as Peabody & Notting Hill/Genesis, almost regarding the platform as a ‘partnering contractor’. Clearly any organisation growing like that can experience some growing pains, (as a trip to Glassdoor generally reveals). 

Last November 2019 Plentific picked up £32m in venture capital funding, from five investors. This could be looked at in a positive or negative way. There’s potential here for more growth within and outside of London, which you would expect to be quite a challenge. I cannot see Plentific coming to semi-rural mid-Wales, or Fife anytime soon. Also, if I were providing VC, I would hope to see a chunky return on my investment by year two. Might a sale be good for the small number of landlords, with closely coupled asset and repairs functions? Having all eggs in one basket can often be problematic. 

Outside in the non-app world, we would choose another contractor to build some resilience. Its interesting that no alternative similar platforms to Plentific for Social Housing have evolved. London is a very specific animal, but similar services, perhaps made available in more rural locations across the UK, would be very convenient to use to supplement repairs, where limited conventional resource is available. Resilience for Social Housing is very important, as the demise of Connaught showed in October 2010, mainly sunk by unrealistic margins.

In the current climate, with many EU tradespeople voting with their feet, deciding to return home and from what so many asset and repairs people tell me about different skill gap shortages, more platform / app choices would be extremely useful. Competition is always good, particularly where quality can be pushed up, costs potentially reduced and resident satisfaction improved. Additionally, key is that repair trade workers are not forced to a race to the bottom too. We need a sprinkle of social value in all of this too.

             Maybe this is the time Social Housing needs a few more Plentific’s to hand….

Related Post: Don't miss a trick. You need to do more than just 'build it' for self-servers to come..
 

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

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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.

Robin Trower – The Land Of Plenty.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


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