The Conference Season

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

Well, summer is barely gone and the autumn housing IT conference ramps up. There is a good reason why system suppliers enjoy this timing, it gives ICT System Managers good time to squeeze all those super products into next April’s budgets. You may call me cynical, but that's a fact. With that aside, Autumn 2014 looks to be a great period to learn more about what's out there and what your system supplier has put in the latest upgrade.

Orchard, Capita and DRS housing conferences pop up shortly and then this years 'Federation’s IT in Housing Conference and Exhibition 2014' event, becomes a two location affair this year. Although surely that one will cost suppliers double to do both, it will certainly reach more RSLs in the North.

So, how to get the most from your suppliers conference, beyond the almost obligatory free bar? If you are lucky enough to for your supplier using a venue like Alton Towers (you know who you are), ensure you ask for a rides ticket.

Choose some interesting sessions, on areas you may get more from with your existing system. Sessions run by other customers or outside consultants are often the most useful. Expect sessions to be positive though. No supplier would organise a car crash in a session intentionally, so if the subject matter did interest you, do as I do and chat to the presenters after the session, to gauge a more balanced opinion. Suppliers have good stories to tell, but you may well be implementing it in a different situation to others.

Talking of others, conferences are great places for making links with your peers, neighbours and other users of your package. This can be invaluable in sharing insight and knowledge. I have also seen old users of mine at MIS-AMS use contacts to gang up, to push the priorities of new features or module fixes, as a group. You might find that useful to consider. Most suppliers are happy to take feedback on board like that, to push products forward.

I find supplier user conferences invaluable too. Being truly independent, I find all switched on suppliers are pleased to make me aware of their new biggest and best developments. It certainly helps inform me when working with the variety of system applications I work with on a regular basis. It’s obvious that some leading suppliers are developing their systems very rapidly and from their user conferences, seem to be fulfilling delivery promises and expectations.

The National Housing Federation’s IT in Housing Conference and Exhibition 2014 bash also comes with a free drinks event, although this has become more subdued in recent years. Hopefully Documotive will sponsor that again this time. The sheer choice of suppliers you can see at London Olympia and this year at Manchester Central, is a big draw for me. In the last few years I have taken customers wanting to procure around similar suppliers, to make structured soft market assessments. If you are looking to try something similar this year, please be in touch.
Last year’s conference seemed much more focussed on RSL IT experiences and less on supplier pitches, which I believe is the way to go. Satisfied customers often sell solutions better than suppliers sometimes sell software. I am sure you would agree. As again, don’t be afraid to engage speakers after the session if feasible.

If you are booked into the conference circuit this autumn, do let me know. It would be great to share some war stories and a coffee or a beer in the (free) bar(!).

Related Post - Learn To Fly, the Housing Technology Conference

Here are the most important / relevant ones:

Capita's Everything To Everyone 2014 - http://www.capita-softwareandmanagedservices.co.uk/news/Pages/housingconference14.aspx
DigitalFirst at Salford Quays 29th September
Housing Technology SMAC Your IT up at the BT Tower, London, 3rd October - http://www.housing-technology.com/events/smac/  
Orchard Customer Conference 2014 - https://www.orchard-systems.co.uk/news/94b73d32-d118-42ed-9325-b170a7ee3b1f and My experience there
Optitime / Kirona DRS Conference - Chester -4,5th November - http://xmbraceusergroup.org/upcoming-events/next-user-group-meeting/
The Federation’s IT in Housing Conference and Exhibition 2014 - London Olympia and Manchester http://it.housing.org.uk/

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

Nitin Sawhney – The Conference.
(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, please get in touch and let me know!

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Going Places

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


As anyone who reads this blog occasionally, will know, I do a lot of work right across the social housing sector, in locations right across the UK, improving systems and how I can help clients extract the absolute max from them.

Key to this in my opinion for going places, is keeping up with technological solutions and with what others are doing successfully with those. Cracking both of these is actually not as easy as it may seem. For example, I bring a cornucopia of product experience, to the work I do, which I work hard to keep up to date. My ear is always to the ground about new emerging tech, suppliers doing a great job with landlords, and ones somewhat less good.

Conferences and exhibitions are great sources of information, exposure to the most up to date products and some of the most innovative current suppliers. While its useful to meet suppliers at exhibitions (and you should!), one of the most useful feature is to hear how organisations have used those solutions and the journey they have experienced. Some of these sessions can be gold dust to organisations looking to get the most from those solutions and verify what progress has been made and time taken. Two of the key elements to every project.

Going back a decade or more, there was a wide range of conferences and exhibitions, covering systems and associated ICT solutions for SocialHousing. Being honest, many of those seemed to be structured more around suppliers. Conference spots were more about suppliers talking themselves up and actually attendees often learned nothing. I had sat in sessions where I would have learned more Googling it or chatting to users over a beer. Its not surprising that many of those events have hit the buffers and are no more.

These days there is a single ‘go-to’ conference event, early March each year, which in my opinion, has always set out to put the client experience first, which is way better for suppliers and guests. I think that is what explains the success of Housing Technology’s Annual Conference and Exhibition, now 12 years on and due for March 4th & 5th 2020.

I will be there (natch) and as I usually do, will be urging all the clients I work with to attend too. Many are looking to supplement or change solutions, but all are looking to learn from others. The Housing Technology Conference is the perfect opportunity to chat to others, often in the bar or an informal setting. I have often learnt more over a Dead Pony IPA or a pot of Camomile tea at the HT conference, than sitting through two days of demos. No kidding!

These days I know its harder than ever to get a few days out of the office. Its not a free buffet lunch, it’s a working day and will take you forward with better systems and experiences.

If you have not already signed up a place at Housing Technology, grab one soon before they reach full capacity. Here is the link for booking at the Doubletree by Hilton Oxford Belfry - https://www.housing-technology.com/event/housing-technology-2020-conference/#section-8

March 2020 provides an interesting line-up of exhibitors, reflecting the current fashion of hybrid solutions, integrating or attempting to replace traditional housing packages. I surely need to make that a subject of a future blog. Key takeaways from presentation sessions, obviously will gravitate around better using tech for cost reductions, business change and innovation.

There will clearly something for everyone, if you manage 200 or over 20,000 homes. The current trend towards innovative SaaS delivery, should mean that any size of organisation, should be able to take advantage of many of the modern cloud and browser solutions out there. Hopefully, suppliers and providers exhibiting at HT2020 will be able to show off what’s possible and provide an indication if it might fit your budget.

If you are attending, feel free to say hello if spot me down there, I am always up for chewing the fat and exchanging experiences. If you have yet to book for a single or both days, just follow this link :-  https://www.housing-technology.com/event/housing-technology-2020-conference/#section-8

This year too, I will be choosing some specific sessions, to review for a post conference blog and round up in Housing Technology magazine. More than ever this year, I am looking forward to the key tech conference for Housing, in our sector.

Related Post: A shame we still seem to be a long way off from a solar panel on every roof  
 

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.

Paul Weller – Going Places.
(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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National Housing Federation IT Office Escape

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


As regular readers know, I am a big fan of letting staff escape the confines of their office environments, particularly in the social housing autumn 'Conference Season'.

There is a lot to be said for seeing some new solutions, networking with others in the sector and hearing about innovation. Goodness knows, we are in times when we need to increasingly drive our organisations with it, delivered imaginatively and faster than ever before.

The re-booted  National Housing Federation IT in Housing Conference and Exhibition, over two days, comes to Manchester Central, early December. Relocating it to the UK's second city, follows in the footsteps of the CIH and many other supplier conferences. Excellent transport links, sensible hotel prices, super places to eat & drink, and friendly locals (naturally) are drawing more people to conferences in Manchester than ever before. Compared with Olympia where I attended nearly a decades' worth of events, I think it's a good move.

So, apart from the delights of the North, what should draw you to this flagship event?

I enjoyed the new format of the last one and based on wider feedback, 94% of attendees from the last event, said based on the new format they would attend again. 90% of attendees were at Head, Director or Manager level. 95% surveyed were happy with the February conference content.  Personally I think holding the conference prior to Christmas, also means there is a chance for attendees to get new innovations comfortably into next year's budgets too.

Suppliers and a big exhibition area is provided, although conference sessions seem on the whole to be dedicated to RSL's talking about what they have achieved, which I think is great. Well, we all know everything is perfect in demo-land, I do prefer to hear experiences first hand from users. We learn much more then, allowing us to better understand what works and how to get the best from it.

Key discussions across the two days that caught my eye include, 'Data Protection & Security', 'Making real-time online services intuitive and easy to use', 'How technology must change the housing association business model' and In IT procurement, 'the questions you should be asking, but aren't' .

As usual, I will be going and will be blogging about my experiences and what I took from individual sessions. If you are there Dec 6th & 7th, please say 'hi'. To book or to obtain more info as an attendee or to book a stand, follow this link - http://it.housing.org.uk/

Book by 7 October as there is £100 discount on offer.

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

Related Post: For Customer Self-Service, take a leaf out of Scotlands book.? 

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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.


Fingerprintz - Beat Escape.
(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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She Does It Right

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




People of my age can all remember the days before everyone having web access and the days before the practical self-service, we have come to rely on. In fact, its what we have come to expect, do we not?

We practically reach for a Google search before much else these days, to check the price of something, how good people think it is, to complain, complement, order or buy stuff. Excellent and innovative self-service has meant we rarely visit banks and travel agents anymore, and we are empowered to expect anything, anytime and generally delivered in anything between an hour and a day generally.

But how have these organisations cracked the considerable barriers, of making these projects work?

I have worked with many organisations, with ambitious aims, but floundered with untried tech, dealing with multiple suppliers often locking horns like rutting stags, web user interfaces not living up to what modern self-service provides, or simply providing self-serve and hoping that ‘customers will just come’.  

A new up-coming ‘Digital Self Service In Housing Conference, in the autumn -  https://www.selfserviceconference.co.uk/ aims to sweep away some of the myths around why self-service projects struggle to get off the ground and how to tackle many of those challenges, outlined above. This I think is badly needed and naturally, will be providing some useful insights from my recent experiences.

Digital Self Service in Housing is a brand new conference for social housing that places customer self-service and digital channel shift at the heart of the discussion, ultimately answering the question:
“How do we deliver a truly successful digital customer journey?“

The themes that the conference will cover are:

•    Methodologies for delivering successful self-service projects
•    Managing multiple suppliers
•    User experience best practices for self-service
•    Online repairs reporting including self-appoint
•    Strategies for onboarding customers
•    Lessons learned from the front line

There are already six speakers lined up and I would recommend this conference to all in the sector, who would like to get digital self-service right, first time, with benefits for residents, customers and efficiencies in the back office too.
Confirmed speakers, experienced in getting the digital journey right, include:

•    Chris Reed & Karen Dumper, Yarlington Housing Group
•    Anna Robson, Livin
•    Lisa Candland, Torus Group
•    Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting
•    Adam Barrett, Access Social
•    Stephanie Duerden & Chris Thomas, Wigan Council
•    Camilla Busbridge, Active Housing

The conference is central and easy to get to in Solihull, West Midlands. Early bird delegate rates are currently available. I was also a bit cheeky and asked for an extra discount, for all readers of this blog. Just enter the code ‘DSSIH05’, for an extra 5% off, at the checkout - https://www.selfserviceconference.co.uk/register/ . Keep that quiet though, as if that gets out, everyone will be using it!

Register at https://www.selfserviceconference.co.uk/register/  

See you there, Tuesday 2nd October 2018

Related Post: when you have experienced a Critical Friend, you realise the real value of an external view on your projects & systems 

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.

Dr Feelgood – She Does It Right.
(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 rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic Asset Management,Sunguard ,Surveys,Sx3,System alignment,Symatrix Human Capital Management, TonySmithHousing, Systemwise,SM,Sequoa,Serros,SP,Scout,score,Swordfish,Serengeti,SOTI,southview,Sunguard,Service Charges,Spotlight Service, Spotlightservice, SunAccounts, Social Housing Software Applications, Template,Task,Terminal Services, tonys , tonysm , tonysmi , tonysmith, tonysmitht, gotonysmith, tableau Business Dashboards, tonysmithth, tonysmiththa, tonysmiththat, tonysmiththath, tonysmiththatho, tonysmiththathou, tonysmiththathous, tonysmiththathousi, tonysmiththathousin, tonysmiththathousing,Tony Smith That,Tony Smith That Housing IT Guy,TonySmith that housing IT, guy,tonysmiththathousing, tonysmiththathousinguy,tony smith housing guy,sharepoint, share point, SHBVN, 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,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 ..

Many Too Many

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

Conference and exhibition time for housing, particularly CIH and NHF, is always insightful, immensely valuable and a great way to connect with colleagues in the sector from all corners of the UK.

Again this year I was fortunate enough to be able to visit the Manchester Central #Housing2025 June and Liverpool September Housing Community Summit exhibitions. Indeed, although I am hyper-local to both venues in the North West of England, I am fortunate to work with #SocialHousing providers & AHBs, in all corners of the British Isles. Everyone I work with I can see is trying hard, with ever squeezed budgets and other constraints.

Previous to 2024 we had a single conference and exhibition (held for many years at Manchester Central), which with the historic collaboration between CIH & Ocean Media seemed to satisfy attendees and suppliers to a reasonable extent. Everyone understands that not all relationships are forever and things are ever changing.

However, it does feel that we have one too many of these mid-year national events. This is on the basis of conversations I have had with colleagues working within the sector and housing suppliers spending significant amounts to exhibit. The former if budget is available need to pick one or the other. The latter are naturally looking for some return of prospects or contacts, generally driven by some related footfall. 

As an outside observer, hearing & taking on feedback from suppliers and attendees, I would suggest that in 2026 again a unified CIH & NHF event would probably work best for all, but that probably be a single event. Otherwise I think events will be diluted and become ineffective. Otherwise we risk having a trade show, followed by a sector conference with trade not getting much of a look in. Both are not a cheap few days out for exhibitors.

Solid events that feel grounded can quickly become irrelevant, as many attendees of the old NHF IT conference at Olympia would testify. No sooner a new and better forum emerged and if the sector is not open to introspection and feedback, that might happen again.

As said right at the top of this blog, I am sure these conferences and exhibitions are valuable and essential, but need to be effective, producing good outcomes for all. Yes and that’s the point. These conferences enable ideas to be shared and outcomes to be continuously improved for residents and communities. 

Multiple councils are expected to merge, how best to manage bringing systems together?

Get in touch , I will drop in for a brew & bring the Chocky Hobnobs ☕

       Related Post: Compliance as presented as a conference on Northern Ireland

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

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.

Genesis – Many Too Many

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


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

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

File Under: #HomesForBritain,#HousingDAY,#InternetOfTenants,#Shout,#UKHousing, 07854655009, 1st Touch,1stTouch,360,365Agile,3squared,4Js, ACL,ALMO,AMS,AX,Aareon,Abritas,Academy,Accuserv,Accuserve,Active Housing,ActiveH,ActiveF,ActiveFinance,ActiveHousing,Acutence,Advanced,Affinity,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 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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 |

The Last One Standing

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

Well that's never happened to me before!

At the Orchard Housing conference (Theme, "Improving Lives Together"), near COV this week, there was one of those "Stay standing if....", type moments. After all Promaster, Orchard Housing customers and exhibitors had sat down, Ian Shard and Nick Lambert were looking at me standing up alone, in a room of about 350 people. For once, I was lost for words, but to his credit, later he did recognise me as this housing ICT blogger. I am sure next time he will be adding another category just for me, perhaps 'housing bloggers' or 'critical friends' 8-)

 I felt honoured that Orchard had extended their hospitality to me and it was great to meet up with a good half dozen or more of Tweeters, Linkedin'ers and followers of this blog, as well as a lot of great Orchard folk, I have known for many years.


As you know I bang on about housing users getting along to events such as this. Indeed, when I was at the old shop, I did it there. I remember failing to persuade someone who is now an Orchard customer (you know who you are..), to travel the 36 miles from Yeadon to Burnley.  Regardless of that being a trip across tha' Pennines, crossing to an old enemy, they would have got a lot out of engaging with their supplier and peers. That is the point at the end of the day.

I attended many sessions, but two really resonated with me. The first from SevernVale was a fabulous story of transformation. A journey which needed more sales and management skills to turn a situation around, than ICT ones. It made me smile as I am currently working with two customers like SevernVale, different suppliers than Orchard, but the same issues. I don't have to highlight them for you, but it's the same-old, same-old lack of upgrades, not switching on new features or keeping up training and not engaging with your account manager or wider contacts.

I haven't got fingers for the number of organisations have got me in to chuck out a housing management system, but I have got enough thumbs, for the ones that actually needed to. it often takes a re-launch and re-engagement project to put the perkiness back into your processes and systems, often a critical friend working with you and your supplier, is the way to do it.

Lunch was not my second session I was going to rave about, although those creamy éclairs deserve a name-check. Other smaller HMS suppliers take note, quality of deserts IMHO can make or break an event sometimes!

No, the session I really enjoyed was the Cisco IoT (Internet of Things) one. A quite techie one, but something that fired the imagination. Funnily enough in my backyard in Warrington, CISCOs HaaS (Heathcare as a Service). Warrington CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) buys NHS care for the people of Warrington. They are made up of 26 Warrington GP practices and have a £239m budget to get the best health outcomes possible – Excellence for Warrington. The CCG governing body is mostly made up of local GPs, doctors and nurses. Warrington are partnering with Cisco on the first European proof of concept for HaaS.

The IoT is likely to see delivery of security, lighting, StONE (High Street Online Networked Environment) and Rail station and infrastructure, all being attempted to be delivered as a service. Some of these innovations provide 'clever data' rather than 'big data', as was described in the session. An innovation hub, in London's North Greenwich Peninsula has been set up by CISCO and so the presenter Gareth mentioned, we were all invited to drop in. That's off the Jubilee line, in case you were wondering.

Next events up in the conference season are the DRS conference user group event in Chester, next month, followed by the NHF IT at London Olympia & Manchester Central. If you are there, email or DM me, be great to say hello *waves*.

Related Post: Some great presentations at this Orchard conference, but how do you prepare to present one well?

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

Ladytron - The Last One Standing.
(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.
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File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. , 07854655009 , ," """" ",,#UKHousing,1st Touch,3squared, 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 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,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,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,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, 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,Scotland,SDM,sector,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, Systemwise,SM,Sequoa,Serros,SP,Scout,score,Swordfish,Serengeti,SOTI,south view,Sunguard,Service Charges, 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 .

Ain't No Room

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



It was really good to see so many old friends, clients and contacts at the Housing Technology Conference earlier this month, at the Oxford Belfry.

Last year I remember attendance seeming particularly high, and I think George Grant and his team, at least equalled it, in what is a tight operating environment to be getting out a few days from the office. Also, just a few weeks back, was the NHF IT Conference at Chelsea FC.

A couple of the keynote speakers were female, the excellent Dr Sue Black OBE, saviour of Bletchley Park and Rachel Neaman. I had a lovely chat with Dr Sue, who cutely mistook my Specsavers for Google Glass (bless!). Still, I will be looking to see if I can help bring her #TechMums initiative, to the local community library, in South Warrington, I helped re-open. Sounds like a brilliant idea 8-)

Sue did note (again) that females were thin on the ground, at the conference. we should not leave it just to West Kent, to redress the gender balance in IT. Well done Claire, let's get more of that happening.

I found Brigadier Richardson MBE inspirational, and it was great to see what is being achieved at Haig Homes and how he implemented his anti-BUM methodology, to realise true strategy.  He had some revolutionary ideas about charging for Haig properties, particularly relevant when you see many of the military, housed often after long and dangerous tours, putting their life on the line for us. Rent & service charges must be made fairer. RSLs need to start to think differently.

Many of the sessions were very packed out, particularly that pesky library (with 'actual books', as some wag tweeted), where there were people queuing out the door. Now that's one change I would make next year.

There was some great stories at many of the sessions, some of projects not quite coming to fruition and others where there was true lessons to be learned. It was interesting to hear that Home Group were working with the Nintex workflow tool. Spookily enough, I did a large project with PfH a few years ago where a big financial solution utilised it from TSG too. A worthy tool.

Efficiencies gained by effective Omni-channel were mentioned in a few sessions I attended. It was interesting to be in the RHP session, as I have watched the move to digitalisation there, for many years. Amina Graham made me look up when she announced that wanted to be a Martini girl. What she really said was that the RHP web portal was aiming to be as exciting as alcohol. Also being available anytime, anywhere, which is the secret of effective channel shift (in case the penny hasn't dropped with anyone yet). As a recent OmFax survey found, only 45% of our RSLs, appear to have dedicated web portals. So, towards omni-channel we have some way to go.

It's not just our systems that are the problem either. Connectivity is still an issue in many areas. A comment from one contact of mine, living in a semi-rural county, criticised BT for not connecting communities. I can agree, having festered in countryside real ale pubs with painfully slow internet. We need that cracking, as well as supply of tablets/devices, to tenants & customers. Maybe basic tablets could be issued to poorer customers, once they had past a test of digital abilities, after training or mentoring? I am sure there is a way.    

Interesting too, for sector watchers, if you were in the Civica CX, Orchard or Castleton sessions. Three new solutions, which should be a challenge to the 'old guard', dependent on what speed the implementations, build and integration moves. We are moving into interesting times.




This conference was extra special as it celebrated the 50th edition of Housing Technology. A great achievement for the magazine and all the effort that clearly goes in to it from George Grant and his team. It was great to share a glass of the bubbly and catch the speech too. There were also some limited edition, cup-cakes, which were all eaten before anyone could get them on eBay.

All in all, a super event, lots of inspiration and ideas to take away. I hope you thought so too, if you were there 8-)

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

Related Post: Are many of your changes on 'standby' ? 

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The Vines - Ain't No Room.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


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