(non) Inflammable Material

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It was a wonder material, Asbestos, fireproof, great for buildings, a bit like how well Mercury worked for hats or lead for piping. Alice in Wonderland had a mad hatter and it was only years later that mercury’s link with health was realised. Asbestos is no laughing matter however, it’s obviously a serious problem if disturbed and inhaled.

Most landlords unless they have extremely recent stock, will have some asbestos, often it can only be assumed unless tested. I have been doing some work around managing asbestos, with a few housing clients. These are at various stages in how they manage asbestos and ensure duty of care to staff, tenants and contractors.

Asbestos must always be linked directly to your main housing management system assets/properties. Keeping in an external spreadsheet, turns it into an island that cannot be easily linked in reports and other processes. Such as when you raise a repair. Rather than a job ticket/email going to a contractor stating “Proceed with caution”, communicate what you know. I.E. Expose details of where it is found in the property and what type. Adding a link to a spreadsheet, even if its on the web is less than robust, as a lot of contractors won’t have time or inclination to check. If they accidently drill into an asbestos tile and fill the room with white dust, it will most likely be the HA not the Contractor liable if all reasonable steps to notify have not been taken.

Most HMS now include a Contractor Portal option, so jobs can be issued directly, with asbestos warnings included. Have your asbestos surveyors use it too, so works such as plastering etc awaiting surveys can be progressed faster.

Reception and consumption of the asbestos testing reports can be improved too. If your organisation has an EDM system, ask your asbestos testing to supply reports with the asset reference embedded in its title (i.e. 6751_20141016_21 High St,Cockermouth_Asbestos Report.PDF). Here, delimited by an underscore, an EDM solution could file these automatically for you. Also, ask for a CSV version of the report samples, so this could be quickly imported into your assets module or 3rd party assets solution.

If you think your organisation could use some help with your asbestos process, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.


Related Post: How dangerous is doing things as you always have?

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

Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009

PS As usual, if there are subjects you might like me to tackle on this blog, or you could benefit from any of our services please get in touch and let me know!

You can access a quick list of blog posts here
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Cooking data into information

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Asbestos, love it or hate it, we have to manage it carefully, don't we?

The other day I was watching a demo of someone logging a repairs order in a CRM module and a message popped up. It was a warning that asbestos was present at the asset. Now in this case i think the point for the audience was to demonstrate that asbestos info was properly integrated to the contacts address & rent account.

However, spookily I have seen plenty of live running CRM modules where a message pops up, telling users that blue asbestos is present. You know what they do, they click OK to clear it off the screen. They certainly don't say, "Hey Mrs Miggings, I have got to warn you, you're riddled with blue asbestos, although don't worry about it!". Well most I work with don't anyway.

So what on earth would a message like that be for? Why have it and what would be of greater use?
Well obviously, CRM staff don't need to see that message, it just needs to find its way to all our external and internal workforces are fully aware of it, before starting works. Messages should be tailored to the context. If we have a non-English as first or preferred language speaker on the line, let's see that clearly and know we need to take extra care.

In addition, those messages can be translated in a more accessible way for operatives and contractors. For example, we might collect lots of vulnerability and disability data, how do we turn that into information, for say a plumber or a neighbourhood officer?  Well, a vulnerability such as 'Wheelchair user' could be easily translated to an icon indicating limited mobility. 'Deafness' of various degrees can be translated to 'Knock hard & Wait'. 'Violent' can be translated to a 'No lone visits'.

It's the difference between data and information and we often fall into the trap of thinking they are the same. They are similar, but poles apart in what can make us effective. Imagine data is green paddy field rice, stretching for miles and information is the nice white, fluffy stuff we enjoy so much with savoury sauces, in a small portion, served up on our plates.

The way we turn data into information is to add context. Information aids the transmission of knowledge and moves us closer to an end goal. If that's waiting ten minutes longer, for that customer to get to the door to let our plumber in, that's a result. I see too many reports too, in our software solutions, falling short of giving us information. It's a few columns of data at best in most cases. So let's up our game, get cooking, people!

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

Related Post: Are some of our system problems because we sometimes just view 'Go-Live' as the endgame? 

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Salad - No 1 Cooking.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


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

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

In lots of the system and process Critical Friend work I regularly get involved with, I see plenty of wide open goals, which could easily enable internal fraud.

Early on, here in this blog, I must declare my honesty, you can of course trust a boyhood good Catholic and altar boy. I can assure you that I have never had to confess to breaking the eight commandment.

However, a father of one of my primary school friends (a senior in the St Vincent De Paul Society too), was hauled off for a six month stretch at HM's Pleasure, for swapping his gas meter connections around a few weeks each quarter. He was only caught when British Gas found one quarter he (accidently) supplied more gas to them than he had from them (apparently). As with all criminal dodges, it was sussed in the end when mistakes were made and they asked for three years of similar crimes to be also taken into account too.

Who knew that swapping your gas meter pipes around, would run an analogue meter backwards? Maybe that’s why suppliers are almost falling over themselves, to tempt us over to Smart Meters?

I don’t think I have a particularly criminal mind, but in one of my early jobs in retail ICT at Littlewoods Liverpool, I did a lot of work with the internal auditor, particularly with the payroll packages. We did have a payroll of over 32,000 staff, so it was an area that got attention pretty much every other month. His name (strangely) was Gerry Myers. I learn't a lot through the questions he asked, bespoke reports he wanted etc, It was a real insight into how a criminal mind might work, or a detective. He kind of had the charisma of Columbo, without the cigar, (just when you think you have seen the back of him, he would ask, “Just one more thing….”).

System and project reviews for me often identify numerous security holes that I recognise, like those in a 16 month matured Swiss cheese. For example, obsessive system control of responsive repairs budget is common. If a kitchen repair SOR cost escalates from £85 to £365, the repairs team experience a grilling like the Spanish Inquisition. There is generally a tight audit trail of authorisation for a DLO or key partnering contractor. It's very rare these are not tightly linked to the finance purchase ledger too. Trying to embezzle here, is as crazy as trying to gemmy open an ATM cash machine.

However, where external contractors are used with manual replication of documents in the finance purchase ledger, or fed from a hefty (multi-million pound) capital/cyclical budget, there is often rich pickings, even if just a few % can be creamed off, there’s a few hundred grand per annum for the taking. Unbelievably easily stolen in plain sight.

One project I was involved in for a large Midlands based landlord, involved automating asbestos surveys and any follow-on work, updating Asset register and leaving a good audit trail. While we had rolled this out for reactive and voids work, the planned/capital/cyclical team, said, “we can't work like that”. The reason was that team were not actually in control of ordering asbestos surveys. They just added a PO to the value of the monthly invoices when they came in. The budget was over £600k for asbestos annually. I explained how between three of us, we could pocket 3 x £20k each annually, by just starting a convenient arrangement to raise £60k of bogus orders, which would always just be paid. For all I knew it might already have been happened by accident now and again!

Its tempting to put specialist compliance/cyclical contractors totally in charge of doing the work, with few checks & audit etc. Gas service & LGSR is a very common situation for this. Where there are few controls, poor/missing integration to finance, apart from the staff cost of waste due to double-handling, it’s an open goal to the unscrupulous.

There have been plenty of cases that have come to court, the latest being one at Greenwich Council, where last month two Council workers were jailed, over a £1.5m false repair contracts fraud. A nice little earner for using the technique I have outlined above, this time by arranging bogus lift works and servicing. Nice little earner, read more on it here.

This is one of many. 

When I was at one of the HMS system suppliers in a past life, there was a case in 2005 where a two handed social housing DLO con of over £330k was perpetrated over just 7 months. Read about that one here -  There were plenty of integration, checks and balances in the supplied solution, however few were implemented and audited, by the landlord. You can bet they certainly were put in, after that court case.

Internally audit must remain vigilant, it should not and cannot be just a tick-box exercise. Trust your audits or system reviews, think like a thief and be sure to prioritise plugging any gaps found. While improving organisation security, internal efficiency will also be improved, opening the door to effective transformation.

Subscribe to our blog here on this link, to always catch the latest news on whats happening in the sector.

Acutance Consulting would be happy to help you review systems options, 

please just get in touch, for a chat over a brew ☕😋

       Related Post: How can landlords manage repair complaints better for everyone 

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


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

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

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President Gas

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @hotpixUK
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If you are involved in UK social housing, you will have probably encountered 'Inside Housing' magazines Gas Access Campaign. An excellent idea and one that would certainly make the whole area of access, slightly easier. In my experience though, despite the stiff penalties for transgression, so many organisations still leave data records in the area wholly or partially in the realm of Excel.

"Providing they get the job done properly, what's wrong with that?", asks your asset manager. Well quite a lot my good (wo)man, I would reply.

Excel (and Access) breed little islands of data that notoriously are disconnected with your main HMS, ERP or third party asset module. I am sure when the spreadsheet was initially created it was drawn from the current asset list where gas was present. Tenant contacts were up to date as were mobile numbers and email addresses.

Just a few weeks on, voids are processed, new assets taken on, leaseholders buy stock or become 100% shared owners, gas comes to old E7 properties, some of the original contacts become deceased and new ground source pumps (or solar PV) replace gas.

Now how likely is your asset managers spreadsheet to keep pace with that lot?

If I were a betting man, I would give you good odds that they won't. Of course your peripheral systems are keeping pace, as they are recording the changes through repairs and changes in rent charging.  So would it not make sense to manage gas servicing and certification connected with your main system modules?

Each of the major housing management systems out there handle gas relatively well. Some need application of a few service days and once completed generally customer services and contractors can easily be made aware of gas issues too, providing prompts to catch risks before they become issues.

Reporting can be simplified too. Exception reports of (actual & approaching) overdues married up with a report of assets not flagged with any gas status, easily allows effort to be targeted at where issues need a spotlight shone. Indeed across many organisations where I have implemented full processes within existing HMS applications, for gas, 10 year and PAT electrical checks, have said afterwards, "How on earth did we cope before"?

Don't sit in the dark, turn up the heat on your gas servicing procedures, before a terrible accident turns it up on your chief exec. It's a hot potato, make sure you think outside the jacket!

Related Post: While thinking about assets, have you a single unified asbestos register?

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

The Psychedelic Furs - President Gas.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009

PS As usual, if there are subjects you might like me to tackle on this blog, or you could benefit from any of our services please get in touch and let me know!

You can access a quick list of blog posts here
Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems or issue.
File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. , 07854655009 , ," """" ",,#UKHousing,1st Touch,3squared,Accuserv,Acutence,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,App,Associates,ACL,Abritas,AMS,AX,aspireview, BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning, Business Process Review,Business social networking, Blockwise, Block wise,BI,BancTec,BluTek,Bluebox, Castle,CBL,Cedar Open Accounts,Cx,Change,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, CHR,Citrix,Civica,Clearview,CMS , CCS IT Keystone CCSIT, Contractor Systems,CORE,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,CRM,Crystal Reports,CTI,CTX,Customer Relationship Management,Cashflow, COA,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Competitive Dialogue process,complex IT procurements,Component Accounting,Consilium,Consolidation,Consultancy,Consultant,Contact Manager,Context,CIH,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cadcorp,Cerrus Saturn,convergeOne,CACI,CPL Director, Deeplake,Development Systems,Accuserve,Document Management,Documotive,datasystems , Microsoft dynamics GP 2013 ECMK,EDRMS,England, English,EnterpriseBI,ERP Systems,ERP,Elmhurst,Estatecraft,EDM,ESRI,Exponential-e, Finance,Financial Systems,Financials, Factorwise,Facebook ,Fusion, Getting best from,gotonysmith, Grasp,Grip,GeoSolveIT,GIS,GGP, HouSys,Housing software,HG,Housemark survey,Housing Blueprint,Housemark, HRA, Housing Options, Housing Group,hotpixuk, HousingIT,hotpix,Hardware,Hitex,Housing Contact Company, Impact Response,implementations,In House,In4,InMotion, InMotion2014, InMotion2015, InMotion2016 , Exhibition, conference, Infoflow,Information Technology,Informix,inHouse,in-house workforce, Innovation,Inside Housing,Internet Portal,Internetalia, Invu,Ireland,Irish,IT Budget,IT Training,iWorld, Innovation Group Apex,ITIL, In4Systems Promaster,IT,Insight, Keylogic,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera,Keyfax, Ledgers,Linkedin,Locality,Liquid Voice, MD ,Mr Void , MrVoid, Measuring Change,Mebus,Miracle,MISCS, mobile functionality,Monopoly board images and pictures, Montal,MS Dynamics,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Miracle Software,Management Reporting,MI,M3,MIS,MIS-AMS,Mobysoft, Northgate Codeman,Neighbourhoods and Communities, Northgate,Notice,NROSH,NINTEX , NINTEX workflow,Nintexworkflow, OA,OGC Buying Solutions,Ohms,OJEU Limits,OmFax,Omniledger,Open source software,open tender,OpenHousing,Opti-Time,Oracle,Orchard,Outsource and outsourcing,OpenContractor,ORS,OneServe, PIMMS Data Systems, Paloma,performance management systems,PfH,Pick,PIMMS,pimms4communities,Planned maintenance,People Value,Plus,Peoplevalue,PM,Progress,Promaster,Proval,Pyramid,PRINCE2,prince,Pamwin,PlanForm, QL,QLX,Quiss,Qlikview, Registered Providers,Registered Social Landlord,Rent Increase Freezes,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,ROCC , Rocket,RPs,RSL,Reality,ReAct,reidmark,RM865, Saffron,SAP,Scots, Scottish,Scenario, Scotland,SDM,sector,TonySmithHou,Server Virtualisation,servicing, Servitor,Sharepoint,Simdel,Simdell,Slash and Burn,Social Media,Software,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting Services,SQL reporting services,SQL Server,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic Asset Management,Sunguard ,Surveys,Sx3,System alignment,TonySmithHousing, Systemwise,SM,Sequoa,Serros,SP,Scout,score,Swordfish,Serengeti,SOTI,southview,Sunguard,Service Charges,Spotlight Service, Spotlightservice, Template,Task,Terminal Services, tonys , tonysm , tonysmi , tonysmith, tonysmitht, gotonysmith, tonysmithth, tonysmiththa, tonysmiththat, tonysmiththath, tonysmiththatho, tonysmiththathou, tonysmiththathous, tonysmiththathousi, tonysmiththathousin, tonysmiththathousing, tonysmiththathousingg, tonysmiththathousinguy, sharepoint, share point Three Star,Today,Total repairs,Tribal,Twitter,U2, tonysmith , tonysmiththat , thathousing , thathousingIT , thathousingITguy ,TED,Tagish Casework,TP Tracker,Telecetera,Tagra,Trace, UniClass Enterprise,Unidata,Universal Housing,Universalcredit, universal credit, universal credits,UC,Universe,Unrest, UK, United Kingdom ,Ukhousing,UK Housing, Van Stock,Voice and data,Vantage Sentinel,Version One,Visualmetrics,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Windows Server,Workflow and tasking,Wheatley, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App .

Welcome To The North

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Music - Welcome To The North.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009

PS As usual, if there are subjects you might like me to tackle on this blog, or you could benefit from any of our services please get in touch and let me know!

You can access a quick list of blog posts here
Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems or issue.
File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. , 07854655009 , ," """" ",,#UKHousing,#HousingDAY, #HomesForBritain, #Shout,1st Touch,3squared,Accuserv,Acutence,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,App,Associates,ACL,Abritas,AMS,AX,aspireview, #HousingTech2015, BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning, Business Process Review,Business social networking, Blockwise, Block wise,BI,BancTec,BluTek,Bluebox, Castle,CBL,Cedar Open Accounts,Cx,Change,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, CHR,Citrix,Civica,Clearview,CMS , CCS IT Keystone CCSIT, Contractor Systems,CORE,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,CRM,Crystal Reports,CTI,CTX,Customer Relationship Management,Cashflow, COA,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Competitive Dialogue process,complex IT procurements,Component Accounting, Community Reward Services, Consilium, Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Contact Manager,Context,CIH,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cadcorp,Cerrus Saturn,convergeOne,CACI,CPL, CRS , #HousingTech2016, #HousingTech2017, Director, Deeplake,Development Systems,Accuserve,Document Management,Documotive,datasystems , Microsoft dynamics GP 2013, DynamicAI, Dynamic AI, ECMK,EDRMS,England, English,EnterpriseBI,ERP Systems,ERP,Elmhurst,Estatecraft,EDM,ESRI,Exponential-e, Finance, Financial Systems, Financials, Factorwise,Facebook ,Fusion, Getting best from,gotonysmith, Grasp,Grip,GeoSolveIT,GIS,GGP, HouSys,Housing software,HG,Housemark survey,Housing Blueprint,Housemark, HRA,Scottish Housing options,Housing Options Scotland,Scotland Housing Options,ScotlandHousingOptions,ScottishHousingOptions,Housing Options, Housing Group,hotpixuk, HousingIT,hotpix,Hardware,Hitex,Housing Contact Company, Impact Response,implementations,In House,In4,InMotion, InMotion2014, InMotion2015, InMotion2016 , Exhibition, conference, Infoflow,Information Technology,Informix,inHouse,in-house workforce, Innovation,Inside Housing,Internet Portal,Internetalia, Invu,Ireland,Irish,Inphase , IT Budget,IT Training,iWorld, Innovation Group Apex,ITIL, In4Systems Promaster,IT,Insight, Keylogic,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera,Keyfax, Ledgers,Linkedin,Locality,Liquid Voice, MD ,Mr Void , MrVoid, Measuring Change,Mebus,Miracle,MISCS, mobile functionality,Monopoly board images and pictures, Montal,MS Dynamics,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Miracle Software,Management Reporting,MI,M3,MIS,MIS-AMS,Mobysoft, Northgate Codeman,Neighbourhoods and Communities, Northgate,Notice,NROSH,NINTEX , NINTEX workflow,Nintexworkflow, OA,OGC Buying Solutions,Ohms,OJEU Limits,OmFax,Omniledger,Open source software,open tender,OpenHousing,Opti-Time,Oracle,Orchard,Outsource and outsourcing,OpenContractor,ORS,OneServe, PIMMS Data Systems, Paloma,performance management systems,PfH, Pick,PIMMS,pimms4communities, Planned maintenance,People Value,Plus, Peoplevalue, PM,Progress,Promaster,Proval,Pyramid,PRINCE2,prince,Pamwin,PlanForm, Propoints, Pro-Points QL,QLX,Quiss,Qlikview, Registered Providers,Registered Social Landlord,Rent Increase Freezes,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,ROCC , Rocket,RPs,RSL,Reality,ReAct,reidmark,RM865, Saffron,SAP,Scots, Scottish,Scenario, Scotland,SDM,sector,TonySmithHou,Server Virtualisation,servicing, Servitor,Sharepoint,Simdel,Simdell,Slash and Burn,Social Media,Software,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting Services,SQL reporting services,SQL Server,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic Asset Management,Sunguard ,Surveys,Sx3,System alignment, TonySmithHousing, Systemwise,SM,Sequoa,Serros,SP,Scout,score,Swordfish,Serengeti,SOTI,southview,Sunguard,Service Charges,Spotlight Service, Spotlightservice, SunAccounts Template,Task,Terminal Services, tonys , tonysm , tonysmi , tonysmith, tonysmitht, gotonysmith, tableau Business Dashboards, tonysmithth, tonysmiththa, tonysmiththat, tonysmiththath, tonysmiththatho, tonysmiththathou, tonysmiththathous, tonysmiththathousi, tonysmiththathousin, tonysmiththathousing, tonysmiththathousingg, tonysmiththathousinguy, sharepoint, share point Three Star,Today,Total repairs,Tribal,Twitter,U2, tonysmith , tonysmiththat , thathousing , thathousingIT , thathousingITguy ,TED,Tagish Casework,TP Tracker,Telecetera,Tagra,Trace, Totalmobile, Total Mobile, UniClass Enterprise,Unidata,Universal Housing,Universalcredit, universal credit, universal credits,UC,Universe,Unrest, UK, United Kingdom ,Ukhousing,UK Housing, Van Stock,Voice and data,Vantage Sentinel,Version One,Visualmetrics,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Windows Server,Workflow and tasking,Wheatley, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App .

Mouth To Mouth

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @hotpixUK
or LinkedIn here uk.linkedin.com/pub/tony-smith-bsc-hons-acih/a/979/351/

This week I was listening to a news item on the radio about pensions. For most of us, it's going to be a long time to wait but we will eventually be pleased to move over to not working any more.

30 years is a long time for humans to imagine, even 3 or 5 years is difficult to focus on, if that's when your deadline was. Most business change projects, which are modular in nature, you know like estate mobile working, EDM or group Asbestos Register setup, generally can be completed in between 9-18 months.

In the many projects I have worked with over the years, by far the most successful have all been between 12-18 months long. I have a theory that the human mind has problems focussing on modular projects of longer duration that that. In fact if the duration is longer than that, often the project is never finished or implemented properly.

Projects with too shot or unrealistic time-scales or outcomes are another matter, certainly from me worth special focus in its own blogpost.

Users, suppliers and often project teams lose faith, momentum and the will to live frankly. Ultimately time, effort & Money can be seriously wasted.

Look around your organisation. How many projects have you got in that state? I am thinking of Tenant Self-Service portals never switched on or with pitiful take up, EDM systems that are pretty empty, partially used or docs still fester on your shared drives, Mobile systems that are poorly used or utilise forms that are filled in, when your users get back to the office. 3 ideas just for starters. I am certain there are many more you can share with me.

Isn't it about time we collated the 'Lessons Learn' from these ghost-ship projects? I am unsure if we could set up witch hunts to punish the guilty, but we should at least stop keep doing it, don't you think?

My advice is to scope properly initially, resource with a suitable project team, set & keep to realistic dates and communicate widely. Then document what went well, less well and do it better on the next one.

The good news is that most projects seemingly dead in the water, can be given mouth to mouth to revive them. Although like in a post A&E situation, recovery should be expected to be slow, expensive and far more painful than preventing the project going wrong from day one.

Related Post: Do you think you have got 'Team Spirit' in your project & other teams?

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

Faith No More - Mouth To Mouth.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009

PS As usual, if there are subjects you might like me to tackle on this blog, or you could benefit from any of our services please get in touch and let me know!

You can access a quick list of blog posts here
Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems or issue.
File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. , 07854655009 , ," """" ",,#UKHousing,#HousingDAY, #HomesForBritain, #Shout,1st Touch,3squared,Accuserv,Acutence,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,App,Associates,ACL,Abritas,AMS,AX,aspireview, BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning, Business Process Review,Business social networking, Blockwise, Block wise,BI,BancTec,BluTek,Bluebox, Castle,CBL,Cedar Open Accounts,Cx,Change,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, CHR,Citrix,Civica,Clearview,CMS , CCS IT Keystone CCSIT, Contractor Systems,CORE,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,CRM,Crystal Reports,CTI,CTX,Customer Relationship Management,Cashflow, COA,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Competitive Dialogue process,complex IT procurements,Component Accounting, Community Reward Services, Consilium, Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Contact Manager,Context,CIH,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cadcorp,Cerrus Saturn,convergeOne,CACI,CPL, CRS Director, Deeplake,Development Systems,Accuserve,Document Management,Documotive,datasystems , Microsoft dynamics GP 2013, DynamicAI, Dynamic AI, ECMK,EDRMS,England, English,EnterpriseBI,ERP Systems,ERP,Elmhurst,Estatecraft,EDM,ESRI,Exponential-e, Finance, Financial Systems, Financials, Factorwise,Facebook ,Fusion, Getting best from,gotonysmith, Grasp,Grip,GeoSolveIT,GIS,GGP, HouSys,Housing software,HG,Housemark survey,Housing Blueprint,Housemark, HRA, Housing Options, Housing Group,hotpixuk, HousingIT,hotpix,Hardware,Hitex,Housing Contact Company, Impact Response,implementations,In House,In4,InMotion, InMotion2014, InMotion2015, InMotion2016 , Exhibition, conference, Infoflow,Information Technology,Informix,inHouse,in-house workforce, Innovation,Inside Housing,Internet Portal,Internetalia, Invu,Ireland,Irish,Inphase , IT Budget,IT Training,iWorld, Innovation Group Apex,ITIL, In4Systems Promaster,IT,Insight, Keylogic,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera,Keyfax, Ledgers,Linkedin,Locality,Liquid Voice, MD ,Mr Void , MrVoid, Measuring Change,Mebus,Miracle,MISCS, mobile functionality,Monopoly board images and pictures, Montal,MS Dynamics,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Miracle Software,Management Reporting,MI,M3,MIS,MIS-AMS,Mobysoft, Northgate Codeman,Neighbourhoods and Communities, Northgate,Notice,NROSH,NINTEX , NINTEX workflow,Nintexworkflow, OA,OGC Buying Solutions,Ohms,OJEU Limits,OmFax,Omniledger,Open source software,open tender,OpenHousing,Opti-Time,Oracle,Orchard,Outsource and outsourcing,OpenContractor,ORS,OneServe, PIMMS Data Systems, Paloma,performance management systems,PfH, Pick,PIMMS,pimms4communities, Planned maintenance,People Value,Plus, Peoplevalue, PM,Progress,Promaster,Proval,Pyramid,PRINCE2,prince,Pamwin,PlanForm, Propoints, Pro-Points QL,QLX,Quiss,Qlikview, Registered Providers,Registered Social Landlord,Rent Increase Freezes,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,ROCC , Rocket,RPs,RSL,Reality,ReAct,reidmark,RM865, Saffron,SAP,Scots, Scottish,Scenario, Scotland,SDM,sector,TonySmithHou,Server Virtualisation,servicing, Servitor,Sharepoint,Simdel,Simdell,Slash and Burn,Social Media,Software,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting Services,SQL reporting services,SQL Server,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic Asset Management,Sunguard ,Surveys,Sx3,System alignment, TonySmithHousing, Systemwise,SM,Sequoa,Serros,SP,Scout,score,Swordfish,Serengeti,SOTI,southview,Sunguard,Service Charges,Spotlight Service, Spotlightservice, SunAccounts Template,Task,Terminal Services, tonys , tonysm , tonysmi , tonysmith, tonysmitht, gotonysmith, tableau Business Dashboards, tonysmithth, tonysmiththa, tonysmiththat, tonysmiththath, tonysmiththatho, tonysmiththathou, tonysmiththathous, tonysmiththathousi, tonysmiththathousin, tonysmiththathousing, tonysmiththathousingg, tonysmiththathousinguy, sharepoint, share point Three Star,Today,Total repairs,Tribal,Twitter,U2, tonysmith , tonysmiththat , thathousing , thathousingIT , thathousingITguy ,TED,Tagish Casework,TP Tracker,Telecetera,Tagra,Trace, Totalmobile, Total Mobile, UniClass Enterprise,Unidata,Universal Housing,Universalcredit, universal credit, universal credits,UC,Universe,Unrest, UK, United Kingdom ,Ukhousing,UK Housing, Van Stock,Voice and data,Vantage Sentinel,Version One,Visualmetrics,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Windows Server,Workflow and tasking,Wheatley, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App .

Labour Of Love

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @hotpixUK
or LinkedIn here uk.linkedin.com/pub/tony-smith-bsc-hons-acih/a/979/351/




Sometimes I come across some real labours of love, encapsulated in Excel. I am sure we have all come across them, multiple worksheets, using lots of formulas, function seven deep, no end of HLOOKUPs and pivot tables.

It's amazing how some of these start off as simple ways to solve quite small problems. That's how they gain acceptance and grow into some real animals. One I encountered was from an organisation managing personal care budgets. It worked fine while they were managing a few dozen of them. Being successful, they soon were awarded a few hundred more to manage and within eight months had an expanding spreadsheet with already 25,000 rows of transactions on it.

Another example I come across often, is tracking of voids. How void teams seem to love spreadsheets and the way columns can be formatted as dates. This ignores the fact that most integrated housing management systems out there can knock out a fairly functional void action plan. Spreadsheets can look sexier though and that's often the attraction.  One I was looking at with a void team recently (I won't say where) had an Excel guru who built theirs and it looked great. However to report they had to count voids manually, there were no SUM() functions in it, or conditional highlighting to graduate a cell red when it was overdue.

When it was suggested they could build the void action plan with dates in the HMS and it was explained that would be easily reportable, the conclusion floored me. The void manager said, "Oh yes, that would be just like a database!".  "Well yes dear, that's the point of an integrated HMS", I was thinking while I bit my tongue. I calmly suggested I put it on the list of areas we will note that need addressing.

...and don't get me on the number of excel hosted Gas servicing and asbestos spreadsheets I have seen, during my 19+ years in social housing. 

There is a serious skills gap around understanding Excel and also what is possible from applications users already have. The former is a problem caused by organisations, who rarely provide enough training to assist them in getting the most from a brilliant tool. Lack of knowledge of system applications that are there, to manage our business processes, sometimes comes down to lack of training, but also some chronic under-implementation.  Suppliers are as much to blame here as project teams and ICT staff. When suppliers make it so difficult to understand and configure integrated systems, it plays into the hands of the Excel lovers.

I leave you with this poem I stumbled across this week, from Brian Bilston. You will enjoy it if you know your Excel. If there are any subtleties you are missing, get yourself on an Excel course.

Feel free to get in touch if you can knock together an 'Ode to Ohms', 'A Couplet for Comino' or a 'Promaster Pentameter'. Get your stanza's out 8-)    

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

Related Post: When it comes to workflow, are your users more used to their tea-tray than their HMS Task-Tray?

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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.


Hue and Cry - Labour Of Love.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here
Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.
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Local Boy in the Photograph

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



In a chat last week with a very well known character in certain areas of social housing and now in a slightly different area, chat turned to demos. If I had £50 for every time I had sat through a poor demo, or had one described to me, I'd be way richer than I am today. Why do suppliers do this to us? It's a particular problem where existing suppliers demo, why would that be?

Incoming suppliers, no-doubt sensing the chance to grab a new customer, will characteristically be more hungry for new business. Of course they try harder. I used to be involved in tenders and coming from what was of the smaller of the big six suppliers, I understand that whole situation.

One thing in the discussion that came out, was that local thinking was needed in these demonstrations. I remember doing demos in Scotland and Ireland, exchanging images of English sterling notes, with Clydesdale tenners and Bank of Ireland fivers. it just seemed natural to me, the way to get into the heads of your audience.

The biggest trick is actually tailoring around the prospects schemes or projects. I have driven around estates, the evening before a demo to grab a few shots, that my audience might recognise. It's simple connection with your audience.

Why suppliers think mention of English Decent Homes or Welsh standards will hit the spot in Scotland, for example baffles me. a bit like mixing up a P1E and a Prevent1. I am sure you get the picture.

Also, another big bugbear of mine is a demo kit with poor or missing data in it. Blimey, that is the schoolboy error isn't it? Again if I had £50 for everyone who could say they were in a demo and someone said "It would be here, but I have not got anything set up" or similar.  Well as the late, great Victoria Wood might say "Beat me on the bottom with the Woman's weekly- Let's do it, let's do it tonight", these suppliers have got days, months to set this stuff up and do it. Its us poor end users who should have our rolled up mag' prepared, based on home, family and lives of grown-up women, of course (following the VW template).

Maybe sometimes, its lack of knowledge of the demo crew, or maybe lack of where the rich data is to be found in the demo database rig. I can remember still, all my data used to be in Stanley St, and although all my test surnames where based on classic cheeses, it was rich creamy and identifiable.

Selling does take effort and without it, someone else can be picking up the sale. Remember, it does take twenty times the effort to gain an initial customer, than keep them. Don't fall at the simple hurdles, to keeping them and selling more sensible relevant stuff.

So suppliers, don't forget the trick of getting the local boy in the photograph

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

Related Post: Asbestos is your hot potato, are you on top of it? 

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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.


Stereophonics - Local boy in the photograph.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


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

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