issue 39 | may 2014 | www.housing-technology.com | £6.95

Grampian Housing goes virtual Keystone’s component EDM at Port of Leith with with Castle Computer Services accounting with Midland Heart Invu Page 27 Page 04 Page 30

Enterprise search & BI from Feature article: SMAC your Optevia wins Dynamics CRM Clearview for Villages Housing IT up deal at A2Dominion Page 30 Page 18 Page 15

Trident deploys CGFirst Readers’ letters - risk management Peaks & Plains’ approach to Board Portal on iPads and big data in housing arrears Page 22 Page 28 Page 06

Kypera delivers full suite to 1st Touch launches self-service Wales & West’s free wi-fi with Atrium Homes app Meraki & BT Page 03 Page 10 Page 20

© The Intelligent Business Company 2014. Housing Technology is published by The Intelligent Business Company. Reproduction of any material, in whole or in part, is strictly forbidden without the prior consent of the publisher. 0402 || housing technology | housing management www.housing-technology.com Editor’s Notes

Building homes with technology can increase the number of residents that The pressure on social housing stock is they can support through having fewer unused relentless, with most housing providers doing bedrooms among their properties. what they can to build new properties and Many housing providers are well-positioned make best use of their existing properties to to turn their existing in-house services into maximise the number of residents they can commercial propositions that they can sell to accommodate, with particular pressure on other housing providers and local authorities, those operating in the main cities. such as Gentoo’s StreetWise service for ASB While technology on its own can’t magically management and North Lincolnshire Homes’ create hundreds of new properties, it can be Diamond Net broadband service, in order to used to help alleviate the problem in different create additional revenue streams. ways. The most obvious way is by using Finally, the latest housing development and technology to enable housing providers to work project management software can make more efficiently, such as perhaps replacing the actual viability appraisals and building expensive paper-based activities with cheaper processes faster, more efficient and therefore and more streamlined electronic processes cheaper. or using mobile working to lower costs and increase productivity, and thereby reduce their Exclusive video interviews operating costs, with some of the savings put We have just published three excellent towards building programmes. videos on www.housing-technology.com/ videos, comprising exclusive interviews with Another area is housing providers’ financial the Falklands veteran Simon Weston, OBE management. Despite the difficulties of and George Clarke, presenter of Channel introducing component accounting to meet 4’s ‘Restoration Man’, along with interviews the recent SORP regulations, the resulting conducted during the Housing Technology asset registers should make it easier for 2014 conference in February. housing providers to accurately measure and predict the present and future values of Vital research tool their portfolios. Combined with tighter risk If you weren’t already aware, every news story, management to run as ‘lean’ organisations, feature article, comment and interview from housing providers may then find it easier to the very first issue of Housing Technology is raise capital for additional housing stock. online, indexed by topic, housing provider, IT supplier, date and content type. At the Mutual exchanges have increased in popularity click of a mouse, you can now research new since the introduction of the ‘bedroom tax’, technologies you are considering adopting, with HomeSwapper reporting a 25 per cent review all stories about prospective IT increase in the number of tenants swapping suppliers, and read about the technology homes in the past 12 months. However, many infrastructures of prospective customers. tenants are likely to be unaware of mutual Find out more at www.housing-technology.com. exchanges; by promoting such services to their tenants, housing providers may find that they future events sections

Georgia Group: High Impact Leadership 1st Touch: Regional Conference 2014 housing management page 03 Programme Seminar 12 June, The Palace Hotel, Manchester finance management page 04 22 May 2014, Wentworth www.1sttouch.com mobile working page 10 www.georgia-group.com or 01625 441 724 customer management page 13 feature article: smac page 18 Arena Partnership: National Roadshow & Housing Technology: Beer & Pizza 2014 digital inclusion page 20 User Groups 18 November, Olympia, London infrastructure page 23 May onwards, various UK locations www.housing-technology.com readers’ letters page 28 www.arenapartnership.co.uk By invitation only general news page 30

editor design & production subscriptions the intelligent business Alastair Tweedie Jo Euston-Moore Subscribe at www.housing-technology.com or company ltd [email protected] [email protected] email: [email protected] Hoppingwood Farm Twitter housingtech printed in the uk by Robin Hood Way The Magazine Printing Company London editorial and news www.magprint.co.uk sw20 0ab [email protected] United Kingdom publisher George Grant Head Office: 0208 336 2293 [email protected] Twitter tibcomp

housing technology is printed on era silk made from 50 per cent uk-recycled waste pulp, and the balance of pulps from certified forests. © the intelligent business company 2014. housing technology is published by the intelligent business company. reproduction of any material, in whole or in part, is strictly forbidden without the prior consent of the publisher. housing technology | housing management | 03

Kypera delivers full suite to Atrium Homes

NCH’s implementation of Kypera Housing is part of a large transformation programme around customer service. The programme also includes the deployments of Microsoft Dynamics CRM with a data warehouse to deliver many of the housing IT system functions both inside and outside the contact centre.

Owen Barrett, IS Atrium Homes has just completed the deployment of a manager, Newport City Homes, said, “The big issue I’ve suite of new products from Kypera following a three-month always had is the datasets we keep are numerous, complex implementation period. The housing provider is now using and costly. We need to rationalise and CRM is the perfect way Kypera Housing, Kypera Financials and Kypera Mobile within to do this.” an integrated infrastructure. Having completed the Dynamics CRM implementation, NCH Stephen Black, chief executive, Atrium Homes, said, wanted a modern rents and service charges system based on “As part of the procurement exercise, we ran an initial the latest technology that aligned with its existing Microsoft presentation which was designed for the suppliers to show platforms and CRM and provided back-office support for its us what their systems could do. This proved very useful in finance, income recovery and home ownership teams. informing Atrium staff not just which systems might work for us, but also which people we could work with. NCH reported that it chose Kypera Housing due to its Microsoft compatibility, ease of use and value for money. “Kypera’s value-for-money approach supports our key objectives, particularly our goals of protecting our long- New chief operating officer term financial viability, maximising income and using Kypera has appointed Philippa Scobie as its new chief resources efficiently. Kypera’s offering is economical, operating officer, with the position having been created will help us to be more efficient, and the introduction of following a management restructure due to the company’s mobile working will enhance our effectiveness in delivering recent growth and the success of its latest software built our services to Atrium’s tenants.” on Microsoft’s .NET platform.

Newport City Homes to implement Kypera Scobie will be responsible for all day-to-day operational Due to go live in June 2014, matters and for managing the future growth of the Newport City Homes is in business. She is a qualified accountant and joins Kypera the middle of implementing with more than 11 years’ experience as a financial a new housing management controller, including stints at Lehman Brothers and system from Kypera alongside Bedfordshire NHS Trust. its Microsoft Dynamics CRM system.

COMPANIES IN THIS ISSUE

• A2Dominion 15 • Grampian Housing 27 • Salix Homes 16 • Adactus Housing 10 • Hillcrest Housing 11 • Severnside Housing 24 • Aspire Group 34 • Housing 21 32 • Shropshire Housing 24 • Atrium Homes 03 • Midland Heart 04 • Solihull Community Housing 16 • Broadacres Housing 11 • Newport City Homes 03 • Trident 22 • Carnegie Trust 23 • Peaks & Plains Housing Trust 06 • Villages Housing 30 • Coast & Country 25 • Places for People 09 • Wales & West Housing 20 • Denbighshire Council 04 • Port of Leith Housing 30 • WM Housing 23 • Gentoo Group 13 • Radian Group 32 04 | housing technology | housing management www.housing-technology.com

Capita wins Denbighshire housing services contract

Capita’s software services business Peter McHugh, head of housing and The implementation of the Capita signed a contract in January 2014 with community development, Denbighshire software replaces the council’s previous Denbighshire County Council to provide County Council, said, “A key reason why paper-based processes. Provided a comprehensive housing management we selected Capita’s software is that via a secure cloud, the solution lets system. Capita’s OpenHousing software we now have the capability to store and Denbighshire’s team manage a wide will help modernise the delivery of the access essential information about our range of activities including client council’s housing services by supporting properties and tenants from a single assessment, risk assessment, support the day-to-day management of its point. This will simplify the process for planning, and comprehensive reporting. properties and tenant communications, all our employees and increase the speed Given the rural location of much of the within a single system. with which they can respond to our council’s area, the solution can be used tenants.” both on and offline. The software will also make it possible for the council’s employees to carry Denbighshire live with Capita’s care As well as providing the software, out daily tasks such as maintenance, and support software Capita also delivered the technical payments processing and contractor Denbighshire County Council has gone elements of the project and managed jobs without needing to return to the live with Capita’s care and support the process of user acceptance and office. In addition, tenants will have software to help its work with vulnerable user trust. access to the latest self-service tools adults in North Wales. The council has including a web portal to query rent five hubs across the region, with a team accounts, report repairs and make a of 33 people delivering 26 different variety of payments. services.

finance management

Keystone completes £180k component accounting deal with Midland Heart

Sarah Gillard, project manager, Midland Paul Todman, senior financial Heart, said, “When we set out to buy a accountant, Midland Heart, said, “The component accounting solution, we had data flow within the Keystone solution high expectations for both ourselves is streamlined and seamless; in terms and our potential IT partner, but there of resource savings, for the finance Midland Heart has been working with was no readily-available solution that management accounts team alone, Keystone Asset Management over the met all of our business requirements. we have saved 10 working days per last 18 months to implement an end to month to balance and produce the “However, our work with Keystone end asset management and component end-of-period reporting requirements.” has enabled us to achieve our vision accounting solution. of a fully integrated end-to-end asset Rob Hewes, client relationship The housing provider’s project with management and component accounting director, Keystone Asset Management, Keystone began in September 2012, solution that suits our needs.” said, “The project with Midland Heart with the component accounting has really demonstrated the power of Midland Heart is now using Keystone module going live in February 2014 true partnership working. Through the in all component accounting business and the planned maintenance and combined efforts of the technical and processes, from the survey of asset management modules going live financial experts within our respective assets which identifies component the following month. Midland Heart teams, we have produced something replacements through to the contract reported that the total project costs to that is unique, to the clear business management of their replacements, date were around £180,000. benefit of both Midland Heart and and then the resultant depreciation Keystone.” accounting. The Leading Housing Management SoŌ ware Supplier in the UK QL Housing QL Financials QL Business Intelligence QL Personnel/Payroll

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please contact email: [email protected] visit: www.aareon.co.uk tel: 02476 323723 06 | housing technology | finance management www.housing-technology.com Peaks & Plains’ new approach to arrears management Simon Penaluna, Assistant IT Director, Peaks & Plains Housing Trust

Simon Penaluna, assistant IT director and decisions were made based Welfare Reform and the ‘bedroom at Peaks & Plains Housing Trust, predominantly on staff knowledge. This tax’ on both us and our customers. In explains how the housing provider has had worked well enough over the years, reality, the effectiveness of the AMT brought about a revolution in arrears but with the advent of Welfare Reform, has exceeded everyone’s expectations, management. Its in-house developed this way of working was simply not leading to a revolution in arrears system, which won ‘Most Innovative IT suitable. A new approach was needed management. The introduction of the System’ earlier this year at the Housing if arrears were not to rise significantly AMT has meant more efficient use Innovation Awards, incorporates original and collection rates to fall. of staff resources and has led to a thinking, improved performance and reduction in the volume of cases being value for money. The fact that its managed manually by our income collection rates have risen and its arrears team, who can now focus on cases have fallen, when most housing providers identified as needing action. are facing rapidly increasing debt, speaks Since the system went live in October for itself. 2012, income team members deal Good arrears management and with, on average, only a third of the maximising rental income collection tenants that previously made up their have always been high priorities caseloads. As a result, the number for Peaks & Plains, but in 2012 the Great teamwork of home visits has doubled and the likely impact of Welfare Reform and Great teamwork was a vital ingredient number of telephone calls to tenants in particular the introduction of the in developing our new approach to needing help has trebled. ‘bedroom tax’, moved them to the top arrears. Our ICT team worked very of our agenda. The reforms meant that closely and successfully with our many of our tenants would lose some of income and service improvement their housing benefit, potentially leading teams, developing a good to a significant rise in rent arrears. understanding of the intricacies of arrears management. At the Home-grown technology same time, our income and service There was a very good business case improvement teams gained a good for developing a system that would grasp of how the new technology result in better income collection and worked. our ICT team rose to the challenge. Increased rent collection rates Initially, they looked at off the-shelf New way of working The freeing up of staff time has technology but soon felt that ‘home- With the AMT, our ICT team came up meant that our income team can grown’ software would offer a much with an innovative system that can now focus more on collecting ‘live’ better, value for money solution. capture, replicate and display arrears arrears, leading to improved collection management intelligence. Through this rates and a reduction in the loss of The team’s information support officer new way of working, workloads can rental income. As a measure of how took the lead in designing bespoke be easily shared and staff can readily successful this is proving to be, rent software and our Arrears Management support one another, focusing on priority collection rates from October 2011 to Tool (AMT) was developed. The new tenants such as those receiving reduced September 2012 have been compared technology, which was introduced housing benefit due to the ‘bedroom with collection rates from October in October 2012, uses complex tax’. Our staff now have a much better 2012 (when the AMT was introduced) algorithms and key triggers, such as knowledge and understanding of the to September 2013. Having adjusted changes to housing benefit, to identify tenants they are working with as well as the figures to take into account our 6.8 tenants needing support and to considerably more time to give them the per cent April 2013 rent increase, this prioritise debt. help they need. translates into an average of 1.14 per No longer fit for purpose cent extra rent collected, equating to Arrears management revolution Originally, when it came to the reasons approximately an extra £23,000, every From the very beginning, we felt that for tenants falling into arrears and month, over the 12 month period. our new approach to arrears would defining the level of support that play an important part in helping Bucking the trend they needed, conclusions were drawn minimise the negative impact of The value of our home-grown AMT housing technology | finance management | 07

Peaks & Plains’ new approach to arrears management Continued from the opposite page

technology cannot be overstated. value for money. There was no providers, as well as the North West The fact that our rent arrears have financial outlay involved as we decided Income Best Practice Group, have fallen, at a time when most social not to buy-in software but to go down visited our head office in Macclesfield housing providers are facing rapidly the route of developing our AMT to see the new technology in action. increasing debt, speaks for itself. in-house. The development of the There is therefore great potential for Within three months of the AMT software was resourced internally, the AMT to generate income for Peaks going live, our rent arrears fell from with no additional funding input. Over & Plains. 1.7 per cent to an all-time low of a six month period, our ICT team’s A success story 1.5 per cent, putting Peaks & Plains information support officer spent For Peaks & Plains, AMT has been in the upper quartile for arrears three months working on the project a huge success story. Our ICT team management and establishing us as while, at the same time, developing have won ‘IT Team of the Year’ in the a ‘top five’ performer. Our figures are our iPhone app. Housing Hero awards, have proven undoubtedly bucking the trend, as As the AMT was developed in-house, themselves a vital part of the success evidenced by survey results released we are realising annual savings in of the Trust, and continue to develop by Inside Housing, CIH and Capita. the region of £30,000 by not having innovative in-house solutions to The results show that rent arrears to buy-in or upgrade our arrears practical problems. across the country have already management software. Furthermore, increased dramatically as a result of Finally, and most importantly, AMT as our AMT is home-grown, it is the ‘bedroom tax’ and Welfare Reform. has benefitted the people who matter very easy to make continuous the most, Peaks & Plains’ tenants. The One in 10 of the 459 housing providers improvements to the system with few new approach to income collection surveyed said that their organisations cost implications. means we can provide them with the had seen arrears increase by more Potential to generate income help and support they need in these than 20 per cent, while a further 41 Great interest has been shown in our challenging times. per cent reported a rise in arrears of AMT by other housing providers and more than 5 per cent. Simon Penaluna is the assistant IT our ICT team have taken on the role director at Peaks & Plains Housing Trust. Value for money of ‘salesmen’, demonstrating and We have no doubt that our AMT selling the merits and benefits of the technology represents really great new technology. A number of housing

In4Systems’ success with Promaster and Schedulemaster products

In4Systems, now part of Orchard, has deliver a better service while reducing can be used from all sources, allowing announced that Golden Gates Housing the total cost of ownership.” workers to be managed as efficiently as Trust is now using its new Schedulemaster possible. software, and Longhurst Group and WM Neil Warne, stock condition systems Housing Group have both upgraded manager, WM Housing Group, added, Donna Wilkinson, head of customer to the latest version (v4) of its web- “We recognised that Promaster 4 was services, Golden Gates Housing Trust, based Promaster software for asset the natural progression of what was said, “Working with In4Systems has management. an already robust and comprehensive allowed us to introduce a dynamic asset management package.” appointment scheduling system for Gavin Black, senior project manager our responsive repairs service that for business improvement, Longhurst The new Schedulemaster module is suited the specific needs of our Group, said, “As the number of homes a web-based appointment system business and also helped to reduce we provide grows, so does the demand designed to efficiently allocate jobs to costs. Since the initial development from staff for a more flexible approach remote workers based on their location, and implementation, we are now to mobile working and greater module current workloads and skill set. With expanding the appointment scheduler integration. We’re always looking integration to other Promaster modules to allocate work in other non-repairs for ways to improve efficiencies such as Reactive Maintenance Helpdesk areas of the business, including the surrounding asset management and and interfaces to DLO and housing estate caretakers working within our moving to Promaster 4 will let us management systems, information neighbourhood teams.” 08 | housing technology | finance management www.housing-technology.com New housing fraud legislation – Needed or ineffective posturing?

New legislative powers have been The situation is greatly worsened when considered to be aiding a crime, but recently introduced that will give housing which could be let to those often people in such situations are local councils the power to make in need is instead sub-let by ‘tenants’ unaware of the true state of affairs. banks, building societies, utility and who claim to be living there but are Potential usefulness? telecommunications companies supply in fact living elsewhere and renting The Guardian sees the new legislation them with data in order to investigate out the property for their own profit. as mere legislative posturing, reporting housing fraud, writes Emma Moore, a This results in an even greater lack that “this amounts to little more than freelance writer and journalist. of housing, which may force some legislation for its own sake”, likening desperate people onto the streets. The Prevention of Social Housing the situation to a shark which must However, there are those who would Fraud Act aims to tighten the housing keep moving in order to stay alive. Just argue that the latest measures to give system and includes initiatives such as the shark must keep moving, so housing associations greater legal as introducing new criminal offences the government must keep bringing powers over their tenants demonizes of sub-letting, with a maximum of two in new legislation or be seen as and impinges upon the rights of years’ imprisonment and an unlimited stagnant. That anything of significance those in social housing. Others believe fine, powers for the courts to give will be achieved, The Guardian said, that this is a move which will give housing providers any profit the tenant is unlikely. Nonetheless, the Act is beleaguered housing associations the has made from sub-letting and the already being utilised. powers they need to improve their aforementioned rights for councils to services as a whole. For example, a woman was recently delve into suspects’ financial pasts in found guilty of illegally sub-letting pursuit of evidence. Unanswered questions her housing association property to a The Guardian newspaper has brought This may come as welcome news to family in East Ham, London, while she up several issues with the new Act housing providers struggling with lived in Barking and Dagenham and which have not as yet been adequately hard-to-prove cases of sub-letting was ordered by the court to pay back answered by the government. Notably, in properties desperately needed by her £6,900 profit from sub-letting the only local authorities can begin legal others, but there are some who see property, plus £700 costs. Newham proceedings, which raises the question the Act as essentially ineffective and Council, which pursued the case, also of whether councils will prosecute on worryingly unclear. had a ‘key amnesty’ before behalf of housing providers in order to the introduction of the legislation, Ongoing housing reform raise money? This would introduce an allowing people sub-letting council This tightening of regulations and undesirable element of profiting from properties to return the keys of the giving more powers to eviction the crimes of the dispossessed into properties to the association without authorities is part of a decade-long government housing policy. fear of reprisal. The council reported campaign to change the social housing Concerns may also be raised over the that this amnesty saved £1.4 million system. One notable government appropriateness of examining personal and saw the return of 26 homes. initiative was the ‘Right to Acquire’ data in pursuance of evidence. Many scheme which, according to the A drop in the ocean utility companies have privacy policies government, “allows most housing However, the fact remains that there which require customers to agree to association tenants to buy their home is a desperate need for the kind of a degree of data sharing anyway, so at a discount”. low-cost, low-rent housing which those this may not be as much of an issue who illegally sub-let council properties The Money.co.uk website points out as people may think. The British Gas are providing. Ellis and Company, a that “over 1.5 million people have privacy policy, for example, states property agency based in Newham bought their home under the ‘right that “from time to time…we may pass reported “a growth in population and to buy’ scheme in the UK”, and the your information to countries that a shortage of new builds”. This means initiative has certainly lifted some do not have the same standards of that landlords have enough demand to families out of reliance on housing protection for personal information as charge more or less what they please providers. However, it has also reduced the UK”, but a perceived violation of for a property. Frequently rents are far the amount of available housing as personal data is likely to raise hackles beyond the reach of many, who are council-owned homes are bought nonetheless. then forced to resort to illegal sub- by their tenants. This arguably puts Furthermore, the status of sub- letting at lower rates. greater pressure on housing providers letters in such cases also appears to and has limited the options for those The irony is, of course, that if be unclear. Those who are aware of in need of social housing. they were not sub-letting a council their illegal sub-letter status could be housing technology | finance management | 09

New housing fraud legislation - Needed or ineffective posturing? Continued from the opposite page

property, the same property could low-cost housing is a tricky one, and demand for property and reduce be used to house people in a similar one unlikely to be solved by a simple demand for low-cost rents of the type situation, or perhaps even themselves. crackdown on sub-letting. Perhaps which encourage the greedy to sub-let. The problem of rising rents, falling what is needed is more social housing Emma Moore is a freelance writer and incomes, and an increasing need for as a whole, which would reduce journalist.

Places for People has just implemented PIMSS Data Systems’ new tablet solution, Keep taking pimss4tablets, for all of its surveying the tablets operations. Dean Moran from Places for People Places for People now uses said, “We had been exploring mobile pimss4tablets for all of its surveys, – Places for technology for some time, but we allowing its staff to spend more time found that the available solutions were on site surveying, helping tenants and either unreliable or expensive so when People & managing work programmes. pimss4tablets came along we were keen to explore it. Within six months we had Moran added, “The solution reduces travel PIMSS Data evaluated a range of mobile devices, time and has freed our asset management installed the product, completed testing back-office staff to focus on planning and and were up and running across the UK.” Systems strategy rather than data entry.”

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When a tenant is using the app to report a repair, for example, the app will raise a request and ask the tenant 1st Touch to choose an appointment from three or four available time slots. Once selected, the app will then auto-schedule the repair and send it to the maintenance operative’s mobile launches device when they are due to attend. If a tenant needs to report an issue such as graffiti, the app will raise the request with the appropriate operative or contractor and self- inform the tenant when the graffiti is due to be removed and also when the job has been completed. All the requests and actions generated through the app are automatically fed service into the relevant housing management system. The app, which integrates with all existing 1st Touch systems, also represents significant value for money. 1st app Touch’s research estimates that on average, each call to a housing provider’s call centre costs around £5 and that each personal visit costs around £14. As many of the 1st Touch has launched a self-service app which lets tenants issues handled by these call centres can be dealt with submit requests online for a wide range of services, ranging online, the potential savings from the self-service tenant from repairs and maintenance or estate management concerns app are considerable. through to arranging visits from housing officers or conducting rent queries. The system reduces the pressure on the housing Robert Dent, CEO, 1st Touch, said, “By allowing tenants provider’s call centre staff while significantly enhancing to sort out issues themselves 24/7 online and at their positive engagement with tenants. The app can be integrated own convenience, our self-service app provides a better in real-time with all leading housing management systems. customer experience while reducing the service delivery costs of their housing provider.”

Adactus conducts fire-safety checks by smartphone with Parabola

Parabola Software has simplified fire-safety inspections for Adactus Housing by developing a low-cost app for smartphones and tablets. The project was delivered in six weeks and the development costs were less than £10,000.

The app, which uses Microsoft inspection’s over, we can immediately have to return to base to file reports. SharePoint Online, works on any tell if anything’s been overlooked and In addition, all inspections are time- device using Android, iOS or Windows. if the caretaker found any problems. and date-stamped, and reports are Online automation eliminates the filed with GPS location data, helping “The Parabola app was an easy choice errors and delays associated with Adactus to improve staff utilisation. because we didn’t have to buy special paper records, and gives Adactus an equipment or software licences. It Richard Gray, managing director, immediate up-to-date record of the took less than a month to develop and Parabola Software, said, “Apps like fire-safety status of all its 150 general cost far less than proprietary mobile- this are adaptable to most types needs properties with communal areas. workforce solutions.” of remote data collection, such as Gary Heaton, head of property property inspections, tenant support Adactus reported that the app is as services, Adactus Housing, said, or anything in which remote workers popular with its roving caretakers as it “This app puts us in control of our capture data. Smartphone automation is with the management team. There’s fire-safety checks and helps us stay is an inexpensive way to gather data no paperwork for them to complete, compliant. The software guides our and feed it straight back into the the app gives them a simple checklist caretaker team step-by-step through housing management system.” of inspection tasks, and they don’t the checking process. When the housing technology | mobile working | 11

Hillcrest scheduled for mobile with 1st Touch & ServicePower

Hillcrest Housing Association has along with an increase in satisfaction However, we are thinking about extending chosen a new mobile workforce solution survey returns undertaken when jobs our use of 1st Touch to include its multi- from 1st Touch, along with a dynamic are completed.” platform device capabilities so that we appointment scheduling system from can also use it with iPhones, iPads and Mark Percival managing director ServicePower. The combined systems are Android devices.” of maintenance services, Hillcrest expected to deliver more efficient service Housing Association, added, “1st Touch Katherine Proctor, repairs manager of delivery and an enhanced experience for has delivered an improved system Broadacres, said, “The system gives us the housing provider’s tenants. that streamlines the management greater visibility of what the operatives With the integrated 1st Touch and of our maintenance operatives. In are working on and their performance. ServicePower solution, Hillcrest’s addition, the tenants themselves are We can therefore capture a lot of KPIs customer service team can now take much happier with the electronic such as the ‘number of first-time fixes’ repair request calls from tenants appointment booking system, or where there was no access possible. which are raised in Hillcrest’s Aareon especially the use of calls to confirm “The software also gives us an housing management system. that operatives are on their way.” automatic link with Jewsons for The request is then fired into 1st Hillcrest is now planning to roll the ordering materials. The operatives Touch which allocates the right combined 1st Touch and ServicePower carry a certain amount of van stock operatives to respond according system out to other areas including which is listed on their PDAs. When that to the skills required. In turn, this voids, gas, estate management teams stock needs to be replenished, they can generates a range of appointments in and van stocking. place an order through the PDA which ServicePower, which can be offered to goes automatically to Jewsons which the tenant while still on the phone. Mobile gains for Broadacres has the goods ready for collection next ServicePower then schedules the time the operative is passing.” appointment, texting the tenant with Broadacres reported that since the 1st a confirmation of the date and time. Touch system went live, the number of 1st Touch sends the details of that jobs completed by each operative has job along with all other upcoming increased in some areas from 4.5 jobs jobs, in the most efficient order, to an a day to 6.5 jobs per day, representing operative’s PDA or handheld device. an increase in overall productivity of The system directs the operative to Broadacres Housing Association has almost 50 per cent. call the tenant once they are actually introduced mobile workforce software on their way. Once a job is completed, from 1st Touch for its repairs and 1st Touch prompts the operative to maintenance operations, three years conduct a satisfaction survey with the after bringing them in-house. tenant and finally all data relevant to that job is then sent back to the Chris Fawcett, ICT manager, Aareon back-office system. Broadacres Housing Association, said, “We chose 1st Touch as it Mark Flattery IT manager, Hillcrest had an existing integration with Housing Association, said, “We were our Aareon housing management previously managing our workforce system. In addition, with our housing manually and there was a recognition stock spread over a very large area, of the benefit of using this kind of including many rural locations with technology to keep our workforce limited network coverage, we needed Fawcett added, “We are now looking mobile and also to improve the quality a solution that would work offline. at the other 1st Touch modules to use of information that goes into Aareon 1st Touch proved ideal as it has a across our services, including tenancy and our appointments system. ‘smart airtime’ feature that only sends management, estate management and “Combined, 1st Touch and information in short encrypted bursts anti-social behaviour management ServicePower will transform our when a signal is available.” modules. In addition, welfare reform maintenance operations. As a result is a big challenge for us so having a Tom Gallafant, a business analyst at of the efficiencies and productivity mobile solution in the housing services Broadacres, said, “We’re currently benefits, we will be able to do more and income management side of the using the Windows mobile version jobs each day than before. There are organisation will be really important.” running on a Motorola MC65 device. also fuel savings to take into account, 12 | housing technology | mobile working www.housing-technology.com Power to the tenants

Robert Dent, Chief Executive, 1st Touch

Having seen many social housing development of mobile payment repair, the system will raise a request providers strive to place their tenants’ systems for income officers. and ask the resident to describe their needs at the top of their priority list when needs in detail and, if possible, to Certainly, being able to offer a wide investing in new systems such as mobile upload photos or videos. The tenant range of modules and device options workforce technology, Robert Dent, CEO can then choose an appointment for a as part of a single integrated range of 1st Touch, looks at the latest trend that repairs operative to visit from three or does seem to have appealed to places even more power in their tenants’ four time slots. housing IT managers, if only because hands; the introduction of tenancy self- it promises even greater efficiencies Once the appointment is selected, the service technology and applications. than supporting multiple technology system will then auto-schedule the When I first joined 1st Touch in vendors. It also ensures that senior repair and send the details through the 2009, the use of mobile workforce management has a single view of KPIs mobile workforce management system technology in housing was primarily across the enterprise. to the maintenance operative’s mobile to control, manage and support device when they are due to attend. However, probably the biggest single the activities of responsive repairs Either texts or calls to the customers development in the evolution of social operatives equipped with ruggedised can then be scheduled; both to housing technology is happening PDAs or handheld devices such confirm the upcoming appointment right now. This is the introduction as smartphones. In those days, it and also to advise them that the of tenancy apps such as tenancy was pushing the boundaries if the operative is on their way. self-service technology. This opens a software’s use was extended to gas whole world of customer service and However, if a tenant reports an issue and electric operatives, as was the development possibilities. such as graffiti, the tenancy self- prospect of securing a deal with service system will raise the request builders merchants for ordering van 24/7 access with the appropriate operative or stock replenishment via the PDA. Back Previously, tenants wishing to access specialist contractor and inform the then, the focus of my own company the services of their landlord have tenant of the date when the graffiti is was largely on developing tight needed to contact their housing due to be removed. It will also inform integrations with the leading back- provider’s call centre during working them by text once the job has been office housing management systems. hours. A good tenancy self-service completed. system should therefore enable a New mobile trends housing provider’s tenants to submit Shifting the costs online Roll forwards to today and a revolution routine requests online 24/7 for a The introduction of a tenancy self- has taken place, with mobile and wide range of services, at their own service system not only boosts related technologies spreading convenience. accessibility and tenant engagement, throughout the enterprise, as a proof it also delivers significant value for These can range from repairs and of the adage that ‘the real value of money. Our latest research across a maintenance or estate management data lies in the evolution of its use over large number of housing providers concerns, such as reporting graffiti time’. Mobile workforce technology found that each call to their call centre and anti-social behaviour, through to is now used for an increasingly broad costs them between £5 and £10, and arranging visits from housing officers range of applications, from asset that each visit to a tenant costs around or conducting rent account queries. management and stock surveying to £20. As many of the issues handled by Such a system should significantly estate management, legionnaires’ call centres and housing officers can reduce the pressure on the housing monitoring, social care and supporting be dealt with online, one can clearly provider’s call centre staff, while the work of housing officers. By see that the potential savings from the enhancing positive engagement with incorporating modules for all of these introduction of a tenancy self-service tenants. It also allows call centre staff and more, we found that there were app are huge. to spend more time with those who do other new trends to take into account, call, especially those with the greatest However, to get the real value out of such as BYOD and the need to operate need or more complex queries. a tenancy self-service app, it needs across multiple platforms and devices, to be part of a tightly integrated, including iOS and Android. The recent If one was to take our own system as enterprise-wide system that includes welfare reforms have also seen the an example, when a tenant reports a housing technology | mobile working | 13

Power to the tenants Continued from the opposite page

an advanced scheduling application By delivering such tremendous mobile technology, and with many for appointment generation and a customer and service delivery pundits predicting that m-commerce comprehensive mobile workforce benefits, it’s clear to me that this is set to explode, the chances are that management system to direct whole area will grow rapidly and tenants will more readily adopt online the operatives. This integration evolve much further. In time, there will services. with scheduling and workforce no doubt be an even wider range of If this is the case, then the tenant- management makes a huge difference. other services available online through generated demand for self-service systems such as this. Indeed, the When the request comes in online tools will also rise and in turn drive creative potential for both software and the appointment is booked on the even greater investment. If one looks developers and housing providers is system, all the requests and actions back in another five years, I am exceptional. generated, through the self-service confident that the balance may well facility, will then be automatically Growth in self-service have switched, so that the majority of fed through to the housing provider’s One can also clearly see the potential routine tasks will be requested online housing management system. In for growth in the range and breadth by web-aware tenants through self- our case, we have ensured that our of self-service applications when one service systems. tenancy self-service app also links looks at the broader context of the Robert Dent is chief executive of 1st seamlessly to our ServicePower-based public’s acceptance of technology Touch. scheduling system along with all other and, in particular, mobile services. existing 1st Touch systems. With a population that is getting ever- more confident about using web and

customer management

Arena launches Tracker Suite 2014

Arena Partnership is releasing a new version of its Tracker Suite software for tenant interaction, resident profiling, satisfaction surveys and community intervention programmes.

Key developments and enhancements in Tracker 2014 2014 was then written from the ground up so that it delivers include personalised screens so users can focus on the as many of the requirements as were practical, including functions they need, access via PC, laptop, tablet or working with all of the latest devices. smartphone, quick-view dashboards for easier data access, “The new version has also already enabled us to sign up a the option to record resident involvement with different levels number of new users including Aldwyk Housing, First Choice of detail, and the addition of texting and face-to-face surveys Homes and Selwood Housing, all of which are eager to start to the existing range of postal, phone and online options. using the new software and reap the benefits.” Alan Marshall, managing director, Arena Partnership, said, “After extensive research with users last autumn, Tracker

Collaborative relationship management with Gentoo and Orchard

Orchard and Gentoo Group are using effective CRM is becoming more Dubbed ‘collaborative relationship their shared experiences to develop important in a world of shifting management’ by the two organisations, a new Sales CRM system, built by communication channels. Over the the new Sales CRM system will result Orchard from the ground up, to enable past few years, Orchard has responded in better sales forecasting as well as both organisations to understand their to its customers’ needs by developing campaign management. Orchard has customers better and to sell their a number of new technologies to also incorporated a new B2B customer growing range of products and services. manage inbound and outbound dashboard to give users a 360-degree communications by SMS, social media, view of the customer. For both North Eastern organisations, mobile applications and self-service. 14 housing technology | customer management www.housing-technology.com Do you know who you spoke to before?

Simon Stackhouse, Business Development Manager, BancTec

Simon Stackhouse from BancTec explains and unable to manage all of the experience expect the company in why good case management can be the enquiries and complaints they question to respond, with 42 per cent key to happy families in social housing. receive. This often results in tenants expecting a response within an hour. escalating their complaint to the This significant consumer pressure Managing and assigning social housing housing ombudsman. The issue here is demonstrates the necessity to adopt has always been a socially- and time. In many situations, the housing case management in order to ensure politically-charged task. With continued ombudsman is involved purely because every social media communication money saving and lengthy decision- housing providers cannot cope with is treated in the same way as an making processes, an effective case a high number of enquiries, not incoming email or letter. management system is critical. because they are dealing with them The assigning of new council homes Injustices and failed complaints badly. Lots of time could be saved and the management of waiting lists procedures within social housing have and productivity increased, resulting is one of the most controversial areas been relatively well documented in the in more queries resolved successfully, housing providers have to manage. press in recent years. The introduction through the adoption of a case The benefit case management can of policies such as the spare bedroom management system. bring to this is an overall view of each tax have created confusion among Access to case files applicant’s case history. For example, tenants. Queries, complaints and An effective case management details such as ASB records from housing assignment must all be dealt system would allow housing providers previous tenancies can be fed into a with efficiently; without a system to to hold a case profile of every single case of an individual as well as organise incoming communications, tenant. This would contain all of the their complaint history, allowing for an managing these as well as the communication the client has had with overall view when assigning housing. assigning of housing effectively will be the housing provider, no matter what difficult. A case management system As another example, someone whose communication channel they chose. can avoid these issues. case history shows that they have Whenever a tenant gets in contact, it had noise complaints from previous Collaborative case management will be documented within an individual neighbours directed at them can Case management allows for the case file. This means as soon as the therefore be assigned away from collaborative management of tenant tenant gets back in touch with the high rise residences or shared information from multiple sources. housing association, no matter how accommodations. Case management This allows for easy access to data they got in contact before, the member allows for this decision to be made whenever and wherever it is needed, of staff handling the request will be much faster by consolidating all making complaints procedures, able to track and examine the full case relevant evidence into a single place in decision making and communication history, avoiding the question of ‘do front of the decision maker. efficient and effective. It ensures any you know who you spoke to before?’. incoming communication, whether by Case management systems allow Case management systems also phone, email, letter, in person or social housing providers to prioritise, allow social media enquiries to be media, is documented and applied to seeing the key flashpoint areas and contained within a case. There is a a single profile. concerns of their tenants by placing growing trend for people to complain all communications from an individual For the majority of housing providers, via social media feeds, based on in one place, via multiple access the primary contact with tenants the expectation that by complaining points no matter how they chose to is over the telephone or by letter. publicly, the organisation in question communicate. The key benefit of this However, these two contact points will will be more inclined to respond and to both housing providers and tenants often not actually be linked. A lack of do something about the complaint in is an increase in efficiency. Local case management has recently been order to avoid further embarrassment. government and housing providers made evident by this winter’s flooding; Most organisations originally started are regularly considered inefficient severe delays in dealing with essential social media feeds with the intention and slow to respond. By contrast, complaints and repairs demonstrated of marketing and distributing case management gives housing a failure by many housing providers information, however, with so many staff all the available information to effectively deal with and manage people using social media to complain, on an individual case in one place, communications. their role has significantly changed. increasing efficiency and speeding up Housing providers are not deliberately Dealing with social media the process. choosing to ignore their tenants. Research has shown that 58 per cent Simon Stackhouse is the business Rather, it seems they are overloaded of people who tweet about a bad development manager for BancTec. housing technology | customer management | 15

Optevia wins Dynamics CRM deal at A2Dominion

A2Dominion Group has selected Optevia to implement Microsoft Dynamics CRM across its entire property sales and marketing department.

The housing provider previously used Trevor Whitaker, head of business an old database and spreadsheets to systems, A2Dominion Group, said, “We capture and share data. This was both chose Optevia to build this tailored CRM limiting in terms of collaboration and system because it not only has housing- business intelligence. A2Dominion sector expertise, but also has wider therefore decided to buy a new CRM industry experience to help us create a system to provide a single solution that more corporate environment. could be applied across all sales and “Optevia was also keen to help us with marketing requirements for the group. the proof of concept so that the IT In July 2013, A2Dominion and its team could verify the true value to the technology partner Optevia developed business. The goal for our sales and a proof of concept for a property sales marketing team is to have one system solution. A2Dominion approved this for recording and sharing all information prototype and in January 2014 began relating to leads, opportunities and a project to deliver a private sales and contacts, a streamlined process for shared ownership solution for its sales marketing to potential clients, along and marketing teams built on Microsoft with a more efficient process for Dynamics CRM 2013. forecasting sales and reporting.”

CR Advert copy.pdf 1 12/11/2013 09:00

Code Red Associates the trusted name for all Housing IT recruitment

Code Red Associates are a specialist C supplier of Permanent, Contract, M Y Project and Executive ICT resource CM MY to the Social Housing, Local Authority CY CMY & Public Sector markets K Call Now: 0115 945 2828 Intelligent RecruITment www.coderedassociates.com 16 | housing technology | customer management www.housing-technology.com Salix Homes takes on SmartVoice ViewPoint

Salix Homes is now using SmartVoice Salix Homes can now conduct IVR “Sinclair Voicenet’s customer ViewPoint, a customer feedback system (interactive voice response) surveys feedback system will improve our from Sinclair Voicenet, in order to immediately after calls while they are ability to assess how we measure up get a better understanding of tenant still fresh in the minds of tenants. to published operational performance satisfaction levels and improve services It will help to increase first-time fix indicators such as the percentage of to tenants. The system is being paid for rates and reduce the number of calls answered within 30 seconds, on a per-survey basis, without requiring unnecessary and costly repeat service appointments kept and emergency any capital expense. visits, with automatic alerts sent to repairs completed on time.” managers by SMS or email if results Replacing the manual, paper- fall outside acceptable limits. In addition, Salix Homes now has a based surveys used in the past by web-based dashboard where real- the housing provider, SmartVoice Pam Roberts, customer relationship time business intelligence can be ViewPoint will allow up to 3,500 manager, Salix Homes, said, viewed and a comprehensive range surveys to be automatically carried “SmartVoice ViewPoint will allow our of reporting tools can be used to out each month by telephone, web customer insight team to automate create and deliver bespoke reports to or SMS, with tenants given a wider the entire survey process and deliver designated staff and stakeholders. choice regarding how they complete cost savings by allowing us to redeploy the surveys, with the aim of increasing staff to other productive activities. The response rates and providing Salix system will give us an effective way to Homes with better feedback. manage the full customer journey from initial point of contact to resolution.

Solihull Community Housing joins the Rental Exchange

Solihull Community Housing them gain access to more This was particularly true insurance, simply because has signed up to sharing affordable credit. It will also for the younger generations organisations cannot information on its tenants’ enable tenants to prove (76 per cent of 18-45 identify them electronically. rental payments with their identity online to help year-olds). “The majority of our tenants the Rental Exchange, a them, for example, access Chris Deery, head of pay their rent regularly partnership between Experian current accounts and ICT, Solihull Community and on time, and there is and Big Issue Invest. insurance. Housing, said, “As well as currently no recognition By sharing information on An initial survey of its often having to make do for paying this major how its tenants pay their tenants revealed that a with the more expensive commitment. We wanted rent, Solihull Community majority was already keen credit options, so many to make sure our tenants Housing will be able to to have their rent payment housing tenants struggle were given the credit they assist in strengthening history included in their to access a range of basic deserve for fulfilling this the credit histories of over credit reports to help services, such as opening a commitment every month.” 10,000 tenants, helping improve their credit scores. bank account or taking out We’re proud to be committed to innovation and leading social housing provision through specialist software. We offer an alternative to the traditional Housing Management system or ERP approach: • Over 30 comprehensive integrated housing and asset management modules • Integral CRM with full commercial capabilities, no need for complex integration with an external CRM • Comprehensive integration capabilities so that you can protect and leverage your existing investment in IT solutions • Integral Business Process Management suite, offering an agile edge to your business and the changes you will face • Information from other applications is easily presented in one place, saving you time.

Orchard Housing - An enterprise business solution for housing providers. Come and talk to us on Stand C14 at CIH Manchester to see what makes us different.

To find out about Orchard Housing, visit www.orchard-systems.co.uk or call 0191 203 2500 18 | housing technology | feature article www.housing-technology.com SMAC your IT up

Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud in housing

With the combination of social media, “One can apply hindsight to the example, for a housing provider that is mobile, big data analytics and cloud fates of Blockbuster, Kodak, participating in social networking, this (SMAC) gaining wider awareness HMV and Borders, all of which can offer valuable insight into a large were high-profile victims of as being possibly the next wave of changes in technology, but in five data set, to find out what excites and technology, Housing Technology years’ time, I suspect CIOs will drives residents. By including social interviewed SMAC exponents from ask each other, did you see CRM, housing providers can work out SMAC coming?” Caltech IT, Ciber and Clearview Systems Paul Swannell, sales manager for social how to communicate better with their about how SMAC could be used by housing, Ciber UK tenants. housing providers. Phil Callaghan, managing director “Equally, giving housing officers What is SMAC? of Caltech IT, added, “Social media, and maintenance staff mobile tools Most housing providers have already mobile, analytics and cloud (SMAC) is extends their connection to the office; adopted at least one or two of the where each of these enables another by allowing a housing officer to get SMAC technologies, most commonly to maximise its effect. SMAC is about a full picture of a particular resident mobile and, to a lesser extent, cloud the creation or transformation of before visiting, such as rent arrears, and social media, with only a few processes as well as the technology outstanding maintenance, reported instances of true big data analytics. that supports those processes.” ASBs or other factors, and align this In short, the theory behind SMAC with social media, you will have a full is that while each technology is Extending existing services picture of every resident so you can worthwhile in its own right, the real The benefits of SMAC appear to be exceed their expectations.” benefits in terms of operational based around a ‘virtuous circle’ of processes, value for money, tenant more accurate analytical insight, An alternative view about extending engagement, customer services and leading to better decision-making, and housing providers’ existing so on are from where each of the four from there to better services to tenants implementations of the SMAC technologies enhances the others. and performance improvements, very technologies was expressed by often from taking a holistic view of the Clearview Systems’ Hobart who said, Mark Hobart, Clearview Systems’ individual existing implementations of “On its own, it doesn’t extend existing managing director, said, “SMAC social media, mobile, analytics and cloud. services. It needs a concerted effort offers the ability to combine new to want to leverage social media data sources such as social media Paul Swannell, sales manager for and other data to drive performance feeds with traditional enterprise data social housing at Ciber, said, “SMAC improvement. Once that happens, to deliver new insights to improve should be considered as a set of analytics will rapidly come to the business performance and customer complementary technologies. For fore. Mobile and cloud are inevitably services, while the mobility and cloud example, the extension of social media involved, but relevant data and aspects are a potential means of to engage with tenants, suppliers analysis are the most important delivery.” and partners is likely to increase the parts.” volume of communications but at the same time, it will increase the volume Why SMAC? “To benefit from SMAC and value of available data. Combining As mentioned above, the main reasons data, housing providers will for adopting a SMAC strategy are to need to find the right tools analytics in this scenario will help to to access and understand distil information and insight from gain a better understanding of and it, resulting in the ability to what could otherwise be the ‘noise’ of communication with tenants, enable exploit the data to spot trends big data.” more efficient working practices and and opportunities.” cost reductions (such as through more Phil Callaghan, managing director, Caltech IT Caltech IT’s Callaghan said, “SMAC tenant self-service, less administrative stacks provide a lot of power and, in work or time spent travelling). short, can make interactions leaner, faster, smarter and clearer. For housing technology | feature article | 19

SMAC your IT up Continued from opposite page

Ciber’s Swannell said, “First, SMAC housing providers will need to find the careful consideration will enable housing providers to glean right user friendly tools to access and by IT. While it is critical better insights into their tenants and understand it, resulting in the ability that these solutions are in doing so shape the services they to exploit the data to spot trends and secured properly, it is also offer. Perhaps more pressing in light opportunities.” vital that adoption is not hampered by of Welfare Reform, predictive analytics outdated policies or even prejudice. has the potential to highlight tenants Ciber’s Swannell said, “Given the at greatest risk, allowing scarce typical heterogeneous application “Enterprise-grade cloud applications resources to be focused where most landscape of most housing providers, and platforms can sometimes be needed. integration is certainly going to dismissed out-of-hand due to IT be a hot topic; how do you build a policies, when in reality they can “Secondly, SMAC is a key enabler of roadmap for a SMAC architecture offer greater levels of security and self-service and, as long as effective when a dozen or more core business resilience when compared to on- back-office integration is in place, this applications have no common data premise systems running on outdated will deliver the twin benefits of lower structures and may evolve in varied infrastructure.” cost-to-serve and increased tenant ways? Furthermore, from a customer satisfaction. And thirdly, mobile and interaction perspective, how do you Clearview Systems’ Hobart said, “All cloud support internal efficiencies, ensure your social and mobile ‘front- of the current SMAC technologies giving flexible access to systems and ends’ do not generate a manual have their own security models which data, anywhere, anytime. This reduces administrative headache in isolated should fit well with traditional IT the need for travel, cuts down data re- back-end processes?” infrastructures. I think the biggest keying, and means a better job can be issue will be not so much security done in customer-facing situations.” Changing role of the CIO but the marshalling and governance The adoption of a SMAC strategy of data. The more data you have, and its effect on the role of a the greater the risk of exposing it by “The biggest issue for SMAC housing provider’s CIO or head of mistake.” implementations will be the marshalling and governance of IT can be seen in two ways. From data. The more data you have, one perspective, it moves the IT Hybrid IT infrastructures and the greater the risk of exposing function much closer to the heart applications it by mistake.” of the organisation, while from Swannell from Ciber concluded, Mark Hobart, managing director, Clearview Systems another perspective, it’s merely the “SMAC shouldn’t be seen as a bolt- logical continuation of what the IT on to existing applications and Hobart said, “I think the relevance department is likely to be already infrastructure; the hybrid platforms of social media and big data to the doing. and infrastructure of today will housing sector has not yet been continue to evolve and it is the role fully established. Innovation in Swannell said, “One can apply of IT and service providers to ensure service delivery, engagement and hindsight to the fates of Blockbuster, convergence with SMAC, rather than bi-directional communications with Kodak, HMV and Borders, all of which changes in opposing directions. tenants will drive the agenda here and were high-profile victims of changes at some stage the ‘relevance link’ to in technology, but in five years’ time, “In terms of applications, as well as the sector will be made and ‘Eureka’, I suspect CIOs will ask each other, did an accelerating move to the cloud, a new breed of technology will be you see SMAC coming?” mobility will soon become a given. required to make sense of it all.” Forward-thinking vendors are already Security implications moving away from mobile ‘app’ Teething problems As with standalone cloud services, versions of their applications; instead The main hurdle to the adoption of security concerns around SMAC are creating user interfaces common to all a SMAC strategy seems to be not commonplace, particularly as SMAC devices, supporting seamless device- only dealing with the vast amounts of strategies are likely to expose more sensitive experiences across PCs, data likely to be generated by SMAC, data externally, but most enterprise- tablets, and smartphones.” but also establishing which data is class cloud services are in reality more important and which is just ‘noise’. secure than on-premise servers. Housing Technology would like to thank Phil Callaghan (Caltech IT), Paul Callaghan from Caltech IT said, Ciber’s Swannell said, “External-facing Swannell (Ciber UK) and Mark Hobart “There is a vast amount of data out systems, consumed on a wider range (Clearview Systems) for agreeing to be there, hence the ‘big data’ explosion of devices and hosted on cloud-based interviewed for this article. of 2013. To benefit from the data, platforms, will increasingly require 20 | housing technology | digital inclusion www.housing-technology.com

Wales & West’s free wi-fi with Meraki and BT

stroke, it has helped me tremendously with my memory, as well as opening up a new world to me. “I think having the pupils here to teach us is a fantastic idea for us oldies. Some may think that we can’t do certain things, but, as I say, we can do anything as long as we are helped a little to get started.” Jason Williams from Michaelston Community College said, “I was surprised how well the residents picked everything up; they didn’t really need a lot of help. I went through social media, email access and getting onto the internet – a bit of everything really.” To date, 1,300 pupils from nine schools across Wales have joined the Wales & West Housing, in collaboration BT Digital Champions programme. with Meraki and British Telecom, As an added incentive, participating recently reached its first milestone pupils can also get tickets for Rock in deploying its free tenant wi-fi Assembly, a free afternoon concert at project powered by Meraki wireless Wembley Arena on July 9 hosted by access points. Radio One DJ Nihal. So far, six networks comprising Richard Troote, head of information 34 MR12 access points have been communications technology, Wales & installed in both North and South West Housing, said, “I am delighted Wales, providing connections for over at how successful this day was. The 250 separate devices. pupils did a great job in helping numbers of devices feasible for a The points are installed in Wales & our residents at Oldwell Court gain relatively small central team. West Housing’s residential properties the most from the internet and the as part of its digital inclusion “The scheme enables tenants to equipment that they already have, programme and supports the use the internet in their own home and I am thrilled that they are making organisation’s plan to roll out free wi-fi whenever they want, using equipment arrangements to repeat this session to as many of its tenants across Wales of their choice. By the end of the on a regular basis.” as possible. project, we will have provided almost 3,000 tenants with access to the Wales & West Housing has also been internet.” working with BT’s Digital Champions as part of the scheme, with BT Teenage digital champions bridge arranging for pupils from local schools the generation gap to provide coaching sessions for older Sixth formers from Michaelston tenants and showing them how to use Community College joined residents at Facebook, Twitter, Skype and Google. Wales & West Housing’s Oldwell Court in Cardiff to show them how to use The scheme will eventually result in the internet. more than 300 access points in over 100 locations across Wales, with The initiative is part of the housing the ease of administration using the provider’s digital inclusion programme Meraki Cloud Dashboard proving and is the first time that a social critical to enabling the delivery of housing provider in Wales has joined the project. forces with BT’s Digital Champions programme. Marc Pensom, ICT infrastructure manager, Wales & West Housing Oldwell Court resident Anne Halliday said, “The ease of configuration and said, “I’ve had an amazing time and management via the cloud dashboard learnt a lot. My tablet is only a few makes the administration of large months old and because I’ve had a housing technology | infrastructure | 25

Just when you thought you had FRS component accounting102 under control is introduced

Is your fi xed asset solution/spreadsheet capable of dealing with the added complexity and increased data volumes that FRS 102 is set to bring for the 2014/15 comparison year?

Why not contact Real Asset Management (RAM), a leading provider of component accounting software to over 180 housing associations, to find out how we can assist you through the FRS 102 changes?

By using specialist software you will benefit from a full audit trail of the comparison year, comprehensive reporting facilities, enhanced system security, improved data integrity and a reduction in admin time/costs associated with the process.

Tel +44 (0)1689 892 127 E [email protected] W www.realassetmgt.co.uk 22 | housing technology | digital inclusion www.housing-technology.com Trident wins InMotion award for digital inclusion

Trident Social Investment Group was Trident deploys CGFirst Board Portal awarded ‘project of the year’ at the on iPads recent InMotion event run by Kirona and Trident Social Investment Group has Xmbrace DRS for its ‘digital by design’ DI continued to roll out its green and programme. The other housing providers paperless strategy by moving its board short-listed for the award included meetings to the cloud using CGFirst. CityWest Homes, Coastline Housing and Trident has reduced its paper output by Town & Country Housing Group. 100s of reams a month by introducing Apple iPads to the boardroom. Trident reported that it had faced can also not be underestimated, many challenges over the last few years ranging from 3-D graphics, office Using CGFirst has halved the time it but none as testing as the pressures software, video software and broadband takes Trident’s administrative staff to imposed by Welfare Reform. The main (100Mb uncontended upload and produce board packs as it was taking aim of the digital by design project was download), all delivered through flat- up to 40 hours per month assembling to increase the use of online services screen PCs and high specification materials, having them copied, bound as well as ensuring that Trident’s desktop computers. and packaged. With board members tenants have the opportunity to become Trident’s results speak for themselves: spread across the West Midlands, they digitally literate and confident with • The suites have seen a massive can now access documents via the technology. To this end, Trident’s IT increase in usage, with the facilities cloud through their tablets. team even gave up their own time to being used by over 1,300 people, with Ed Reed, head of ICT, Trident Social deliver training to tenants. requests for new courses increasing Investment Group, said, “The main Ann Rivera, Director every week; benefits of the CGFirst app have of Organisational • 60+ basic computer skills and been the significant cost savings and Development, Trident employment-related training courses a demonstration of leadership to Social Investment have been delivered by Trident’s IT internal and external stakeholders, with Group team, in addition to their full-time jobs; transparent corporate governance, and • A 32 per cent growth in the use of technology adoption.” The desired online tools available from Trident and outcome of the increased communication with tenants project was to as well as reaching tenants with long- increase the standing arrears for whom back-dated IT literacy of benefit claims have been achieved; Trident tenants so they could use • A large number of digitally-excluded online services, many of whom have tenants living in one of the most come from the homeless route or have disadvantaged areas in the UK English as a second language. Realising now have better opportunities for the threat of proposed Welfare Reform employment and education. changes, the team wanted to use their own skills to help tenants access online Ann Rivera, director of organisational Board members can now share services and become more digitally development, Trident Social Investment documents securely and use an online included. Group, said, “Being online is a very hub to record and access documents important factor for work, learning anywhere, anytime. The CG Board 42 computers for tenants’ use across and recreational use. Good digital Portal places all records in one eight sites were installed, as well as skills and access to technology allows place, has reminders for important finding a number of local internet cafes us to benefit in many ways such as actions, progresses notifications and libraries with computer suites. saving money through online shopping, and online indicators, and provides The team has delivered state-of-the-art paying bills and giving access to new recommendations for good governance. facilities to support some of the most opportunities. We are very proud that There are also multiple access levels vulnerable people across the Midlands our programme has delivered these for board, executive, staff, investors and by providing them with the skills and benefits for our residents.” external service providers. confidence to get online and preparing them for the ‘digital by default’ changes One Trident resident commented, “As Reed said, “iPads were the chosen introduced from 2013 onwards. a frequent user of the community device because they were already computer room facility, I would like to adopted within the organisation and The Trident IT team ensured that the thank and commend all of the IT staff were regarded as a trusted platform computer facilities were fit for purpose for the newly installed equipment that is and easy to use. They make for a great and met the wide-ranging needs of the helping us tenants in our job searches meeting experience as participants tenants. The technical specifications and business start-up activities.” engage in across-the-table discussions.” housing technology | digital inclusion | 23

WM Housing’s boost with Social Telecoms

digital inclusion project, to help its tenants get online using kiosk computer terminals in the group’s offices in Coventry, Birmingham, Hereford, and Worcester. The kiosks will give tenants access to the internet and use it to pay bills and access online accounts securely. The donation will also help towards installing wi-fi across all of its offices and helping more tenants with access to broadband at home.

WM Housing Group has signed a two-year contract with Social Ian Tinsley, director of ICT, WM Housing, said: “We Telecoms to provide mobile phones for the business and help are delighted to be working with Social Telecoms. The with their digital inclusion strategy. As part of the deal, Social company’s status as a social enterprise means that it Telecoms has given £5,000 towards WM Housing’s shares many of our values and fits in with what we are trying to achieve as an organisation.”

Digital inclusion guide from Carnegie Trust

The Carnegie UK Trust has launched a seven-step guide to knowledge, making affordable broadband available in social digital inclusion aimed at local authorities, housing providers housing, and a bus kitted out with the latest technology and other public- and voluntary-sector organisations, providing to take digital to communities and demonstrate how it can an easy-to-use toolkit for them to help get people online. be used. The report showcases six different approaches used to The report can be downloaded from www.carnegieuktrust. encourage people online in Liverpool, Glasgow, Leeds, org.uk/publications. Housing Technology’s ‘Digital by Sunderland, Wiltshire and Fife. These include training Default’ report can still be downloaded free of charge from volunteer digital champions to help share skills and www.housing-technology.com.

infrastructure SecurEnvoy’s tokenless two-factor authentication in housing

SecurEnvoy has developed a tokenless For many years, non-office staff at this investment and save on the cost two-factor authentication method so that the Royal Borough of Kensington of dedicated tokens.” housing staff working remotely can easily and Chelsea in London carried a Dundee City Council also now uses and efficiently log into networks using dedicated, physical token, which SecurEnvoy’s tokenless two-factor devices such as smartphones. generated access codes for network authentication in order to address authentication purposes. However, SecurEnvoy lets housing providers and security concerns relating to location- tokens were frequently lost or left local authorities use smartphones, independent network access by its staff. behind and the constant need laptops or tablets as authentication to replace them led to increased Graeme Quinn, IT team leader, devices. One method is to send a operating costs. Dundee City Council, said, “We dynamically-generated password to wanted to improve the security of our the employee’s mobile device via SMS Russell Hookway, network and VPNs and liked the easy and secure or email. The password received is telecommunications manager, Royal network access process offered by an then combined with the user’s login Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, SMS-based method. Almost everyone information to achieve tokenless two- said, “We had already given mobile has a mobile phone so the overall factor authentication. phones to more than 1,000 employees costs can be managed.” so we wanted to make greater use of 24 | housing technology | infrastructure www.housing-technology.com Shared services, shared success

Andrew Dale, Head of IT, Shropshire Housing Group Ian Pritchard, IT Manager, Severnside Housing

Towards the end of 2010, Severnside To overcome this, we spent a lot of and SLAs, performance has increased Housing and Shropshire Housing time making services transparent significantly for the delivery of projects Group created an initiative to partner by improving communication for and helpdesk services. An additional on the delivery of IT services to both upcoming projects, forthcoming element to improving services has organisations, now known as unITe changes and current issues, as been the regular review of customer Solutions. well as reporting on the time spent satisfaction with the service unITe across each business delivering the provides. The original intention of the initiative IT service. Success and buy-in was was to provide IT resource-sharing for Staff and training primarily achieved through consistent skills transfer, procurement savings At first, working as an enlarged team communication to position unITe as a and value for money by having greater across more locations and supporting business partner that helps meet the buying power. This included having a different business needs resulted organisations’ business objectives, joint IT strategy and common working in the team being stretched and while making changes through practices, due to the similar size, not understanding differing setups. evolution rather than revolution. The structure and geographic spread of This affected the initial rollout of other challenges that we faced were both organisations. the combined service. By focusing very widespread, and included some effort on staff locations and cross Severnside Housing has two offices in of the following areas. training, issues were overcome while Shrewsbury that manage around 5,000 IT & business alignment the strategy and planning cycle was in properties, employs 240 staff, and The IT strategies of both organisations motion. has an electrical contracting business had limited alignment with their and a homelessness division. And in At the same time, both Shropshire respective business objectives. To partnership with Social Telecoms, Housing and Severnside Housing overcome this, we did a complete Severnside set up a Digital Den which have expanded and diversified their review of both Shropshire Housing helps with local digital inclusion. services. This has meant an increase and Severnside Housing’s corporate in the number of employees, locations Shropshire Housing manages 4,500 plans, with additional reviews of each and service types being supported. properties and employs 290 staff, directorate’s key objectives and issues. By improving the IT services and alongside its Total Response business The results of these were prioritised to working to structured processes, we for in-house and private repairs give a roadmap of deliverables. These can support many more staff and work, and is a partner of the Sustain were used to identify where common locations without having increased the Consortium, providing supported solutions could be implemented. A key number of IT staff. services to in-house and private element to the success of the strategy customers. has been the theming of services into Common solutions readily understandable sections that Technological differences, deficiencies Accepting shared IT services show where benefit will be realised. with some solutions, and some In order to deliver a collaborative incomplete implementations have IT service that met the original Service delivery & performance been replaced with many common objectives, a number of challenges The policies and procedures that solutions, such as the single internet- had to be overcome, including a lack governed IT deliverables and working based telephony system being used of understanding among the various practices meant that service delivery by both organisations. By rolling out businesses of what a shared IT service and performance were below that common solutions, we have reduced meant in reality and the on-going expected within the business. To address the support requirements by having a acceptance of a shared IT service. To this, the unITe team reviewed the single technology with reduced costs deliver a shared service, we had to services offered, what the expectations involved for licensing, implementation prioritise tasks and allocate resources were and what service levels should be and maintenance. accordingly; this led to one business or delivered. The results were new service another feeling there was an unequal level agreements (SLAs) and policies, Digital inclusion & customer service service and that one was getting and targets set for key performance In order to address digital inclusion, greater benefit from the relationship indicator (KPI) measures. By regularly we have worked with our IT suppliers than the other. reviewing performance against the KPIs and have also now expanded the housing technology | infrastructure | 25

Shared services, shared success Continued from the opposite page

unITe team to deliver community- accessible remotely and via multiple provide a consistent and professional based IT services to customers, thus devices. This has been addressed by service. diversifying our own area of work and providing hardware that is relevant to • Spend time with key staff within the providing a wider-reaching IT service. the role of the employee, and enabling partnering organisations to ensure systems that are accessible externally, the future direction for IT is in line Meanwhile, customer service while maintaining security. with corporate objectives, and that initiatives to drive improvements for the services offered are relevant to external customers have resulted Having gone through the development supporting business services. in greater demands on the use and of a shared IT service, there have • Develop a common strategy that availability of IT services. The thirst been many learning points that can considers the individual needs for information can shape the service be used in the future should our of each company while giving an offered to customers, and the need collaborative work be expanded. The overall common direction that is for timely information has resulted in key learning points are focused on implementable, supportable and a complete shift in how information is communication, service and people, cost effective. delivered to the businesses. There is not the technologies that are used. • Create an identity and brand for the now a dashboard and exception-based In summary, to achieve a shared promotion of IT services for a sense reporting solution that shows trends collaborative service: of belonging for the IT team and to and issues. This gives us the ability • Ensure consistent and timely give a common point of contact for from within systems to now quickly communication of change and status all staff across all organisations. find information about customers of service to enable buy-in to the through a single ‘hub’ that shows Andrew Dale is head of IT at Shropshire services offered and to achieve the information from various back-office Housing Group, and Ian Pritchard is the ultimate success of a shared service. systems. IT manager at Severnside Housing. • Take small steps to change so that Staff expectations services and solutions evolve and In addition, ever-increasing internal can be understood. staff expectations are such that • Spend time with IT staff to ensure demands on technologies and they are up to date with changes, services have increased. This has able to promote changes and are come about through the increasing comfortable dealing with people and consumerisation of IT and the technologies at differing locations to expectation that all services should be

Coast & Country voices heard with SpeakInConfidence

Following feedback on a recent staff turn are committed to respond to are field based and therefore don’t survey, Coast and Country Housing has each and every message. have access to the corporate intranet selected SpeakInConfidence to provide or even have a CCH email address. “SpeakInConfidence will provide a confidential, secure communication confidential platform for employees opportunities between the four members Flounders added, “We reviewed to voice any concerns they have, while of its leadership team and its 500 solutions which could be used with giving senior managers the ability to employees. our intranet, but we believed a third respond specifically, yet anonymously. party anonymous platform would Esme Flounders, communications As communication continues, the encourage more staff to speak out manager, Coast & Country employee can choose to remain about issues that mattered.” Housing, said, “We are hoping anonymous, or can step forward and SpeakInConfidence will help us continue the conversation on a one-to- improve scores for ‘do you feel able one basis.” to engage with the leadership team’. One of CCH’s reasons for choosing SpeakInConfidence will allow anyone the third-party, web-based service was at CCH to send a message direct to that around 50 per cent of CCH’s staff any of the leadership team, who in 26 | housing technology | infrastructure www.housing-technology.com

Big data – The emergence of the enterprise data hub Jack Norris, CMO, MapR Technologies

Jack Norris, CMO for MapR Technologies, One of the initial uses for an internet and mobile records every examines how an enterprise data hub enterprise data hub is to offload month. ComScore uses this data to provides an alternative to expanding data processing and data storage from produce reports that allow its clients silos and spurs innovation within larger more expensive systems. For example, to gain behavioural insights into their organisations. a data hub can act as an offload area mobile and online customers. The for the Extract, Transform and Load move to Hadoop removed several Organisations are increasingly (ETL) processes that prepare data key bottlenecks resulting in a tenfold becoming data driven. For commercial for analysis within data warehouses. increase in computation speed. enterprises, data is effectively a Instead of loading large volumes of competitive weapon that underpins raw data into a data warehouse and Another example is Cisco which innovation and differentiation. Data- performing complex transforms there uses Hadoop as part of its business driven companies are rapidly gaining (an ELT process), significant speed intelligence processes across large, market share and big data is no and cost savings can be realised globally distributed data sets, longer a nice to have, but a necessity. by performing the transformations including structured and unstructured Hadoop is at the centre of the big data directly on the Hadoop cluster. information. The complete revolution and is changing how data infrastructure solution focused around is stored, processed and analysed. Offloading to Hadoop Hadoop lets Cisco analyse service Hadoop represents a new data and Additional savings are realised by sales opportunities in a tenth of the compute stack that provides huge offloading ‘cold’ data from a data time and at a tenth of the cost, and operational advantages and is being warehouse. The typical cost per to generate $40 million in incremental used to change how organisations terabyte of data contained in a data service bookings in the last year. compete. warehouse is £10,000 and more. In contrast, data can be offloaded to It’s no accident that organisations Data across the enterprise is growing Hadoop for a few hundred pounds, such as ComScore and Cisco have quickly both in terms of volume as long as the Hadoop platform invested in Hadoop as the basis for and data types. Historically, new has the requisite data availability platforms capable of delivering new applications and data sources have and protection features so that the insights. The tangible cost benefits, resulted in the creation of dedicated data can be stored long-term with reduction in complexity and ability information silos. Organisations are confidence. to scale are all key benefits of the struggling today with multiple fast data hub and compelling reasons to growing data sources with machine- An enterprise data hub can also examine the Hadoop technology. generated log files, sensor data and support a range of analytics that are social media as just a few examples. performed directly on the data. In Jack Norris is the CMO of MapR Instead of erecting more specialised essence, Hadoop allows you to load Technologies. processing and analytic silos to deal all these different data sets into an with this growth, visionaries are expandable cluster of servers and then instead deploying enterprise data distribute computational, analysis or hubs. indexing workloads across the different servers and data sets. These are Structured and unstructured data applications that combine operational An enterprise data hub provides a processing as well as analytics to solve nexus for data sources. The hub may a pressing business problem. contain data from CRM systems, websites and housing systems as well Business intelligence & behavioural as external data such as social media, insights and a myriad of other unstructured For example, the digital marketing data including text and video. intelligence provider ComScore, uses Hadoop to process over 1.7 trillion housing technology | infrastructure | 27

A survey by Netwrix has found that almost had made changes that affected system 60 per cent of IT professionals have made downtime daily or weekly and almost 40 Netwrix undocumented changes to their IT systems per cent had made a change that was the that no one else knows about, and as many as root cause of a security breach. 40 per cent of organisations don’t have any The survey also found that 62 per cent of formal IT change management controls. report the respondents had little or no real ability Netwrix’s, ‘2014 State of IT Changes’ to audit the changes they made, revealing survey collected data from 577 IT serious gaps in meeting security best on IT professionals in organisations across practice and compliance objectives, and multiple industries and a range of sizes. only 23 per cent had an auditing process The survey found that 65 per cent of IT to validate changes being entered into a professionals have made changes that change management solution. changes caused services to stop, 52 per cent

Grampian Housing goes virtual with Castle Computer Services & VMware

In order to replace an ageing server avoid adding another box. three weeks. To be able to react that estate at Grampian Housing Association, quickly is a huge benefit.” “We wanted to significantly beef-up Castle Computer Services has completed our disaster recovery. Because we Laws said, “We are about to complete the implementation of 16 VMware virtual were backing-up to tape and it was the implementation of Castle’s servers and its own Castle DataGuard taking so long, if there was a staff DataGuard, which was the second part backup and recovery service. request to restore a file, it would of the project. We backup every night Grampian Housing’s business growth take ages to process. We had to get on our premises which is replicated to and consequent demand for more the tape from our off-site location, Castle’s datacentres. Previous 18-hour complex IT services had resulted in a catalogue it, index it, find the file and backups to tape have been replaced sprawling estate of around 10 servers, provide it to the user. It could take by full backup to disk in less than each at least three years old. The days to do. If there was a disaster we three hours; it’s good to get that email server room was very noisy and space were aware that backing up to tape every morning to say that the backup was running out. Cooling was also an would have really increased the time to was completed successfully and in issue, with considerable heat being restore significant amounts of data.” just a few hours.” generated in the room. Castle was awarded preferred IT Following the implementation, To compound the situation, backup partner status as part of an earlier Grampian Housing found that it now arrangements were time consuming tendering exercise to support had plenty of disk space for storage and cumbersome. A full backup to Grampian Housing’s existing physical on the new SAN so it is running tape for the entire server infrastructure network structure. Laws said, “We shadow copies four times a day on would take around 18 hours, which was knew Castle Computer Services was the network for end-users. This means causing problems because the backup VMware- and Veeam-accredited. We were that if they delete standard Microsoft was still running when people came in happy with how VMware worked on the Office files at any time, the IT team the next morning. couple of virtualised servers we already can bring them back at any one of the had. We considered several options but four staging points. Martin Laws, information systems felt that it was best to standardise the manager, Grampian Housing Laws said, “Because of VMware, we infrastructure on VMware.” Association, said, “We couldn’t react can do hardware maintenance during as fast as we wanted to if there was Grampian Housing has now reduced working hours without the end-users a need for new software or system its server estate from ten servers to noticing. So if there are any hardware add-ons that required a new server. three physical servers supporting 16 upgrades on any of the hosts, we can It would take about two to three virtual servers, and the reduction in use VMware’s VMotion to move the weeks to get a server and find space physical hardware to power and cool servers to another host. Before, it for it. Therefore because of the lack in the data room has cut the energy would have taken a weekend or would of space and cooling problems, costs by two-thirds. Laws said, “We have been an out-of-hours job. Our IT we began to shoehorn multiple can now commission and build a new team naturally welcomes anything that applications onto a single server to server in less than a day, instead of reduces out-of-hours work!” 28 | housing technology | letters to the editor www.housing-technology.com

Risk management and technology in social housing Sir – Risk comes in a number of categories within the social housing sector; it could be operational, financial, legal or even political risk. For example, any housing provider owes a duty of care to its field workers to inform them of potential hazards they may come in contact with during their working day. This could be exposure to asbestos in a property or hazardous materials used on a building maintenance job. The noise of big data Sir – All of the hype and references to big data are great as it gives us Using mobile technologies, this risk can be directly and immediately something new to talk about, but is it all that it’s cracked up to be? highlighted to the operative on their handheld device before starting the work. Equally, protection can be given to the operative’s personal safety Sure, there is more data. Social media platforms create loads of data by monitoring their location and enabling help to be given quickly if a but so what? I’ve looked at Twitter and tried to make sense of tweets, dangerous situation occurs or even deliver pro-active management, such work out sentiment and turn 140 characters of Twitter-speak into as advising and scheduling operatives to work in pairs because of useful, insightful information. Facebook… you’re having a laugh (a a possible risk or an adverse risk assessment of the work. sponsored laugh these days). Within housing providers’ back office functions, IT can help to reduce We all get sucked in by the hype and the rhetoric. financial risk, pro-actively warning of loss making jobs and contracts Today is more about ‘now’. Getting the information you need about and pin pointing the cause of any issues. Ensuring that KPIs are properly your business, your customers, and your staff when you want it and managed and recorded helps manage the risk to the legal and political without having to go to someone to get it. targets and ensures customer satisfaction remains high. I’m in the big data arena. We have software that is fundamentally In summary, integrating asset management information with geared around scale and performance, but it’s not big data we are operational workflows, so that everyone involved in the process knows promoting, it’s self-service and ease of use. In today’s society, size is about the potential risks and how to deal with them, is a huge benefit in irrelevant… it’s relevance that’s relevant. delivering good risk management. The old-fashioned data warehouse, staging areas, cubes and so on are Chris Potter no longer in vogue. Everything these days is ‘search’ for something and Director of Uniclass, ROCC you’ll find it in seconds. However, search is ‘throw away the old’’ and do things in a completely different way. Google has been revolutionary. Google is a gargantuan warehouse with the easiest to use interface you could possibly come up with… genius. Big data is a general realisation that there is so much more data than what you collect in your back-office systems that might be useful, but even with the likes of Hadoop to persist that information in an accessible repository, what is the true value of this data and how do we get that value? I find the hype around big data and the promotion of technologies that require dozens of servers, armies of techies and even then professors of programming to get at the data a bit of a scam. Big data, big issue At the end of the day, it’s about value for money, efficiency, customer The big data revolution seems to be sweeping almost invisibly through satisfaction and self-improvement so it’s not size that matters, it’s business, academia, government, housing and everyday life. Defined being able to zero in on the facts and finding the information that as the collection, analysis, and visualisation of vast amounts of matters. information, facilitated by clever algorithms, big data is seen by many as the biggest technology innovation since the birth of the internet. Big data is noise. I am concentrating on finding out the facts and masking out the noise. But ever mindful that the noise might get A recent survey carried out by Mobysoft appears to confirm that louder, I’m equipping myself with the tools to adjust the volume when housing providers also recognise the power of effective data analysis, I need to. with 100 per cent of respondents stating it will be very important or vital to their organisation in future. Mark Hobart Managing Director, Clearview Systems Getting to know their tenants better, assessing the risk and anticipating behaviour were also cited as crucial in the wake of welfare reform and all of the above will undoubtedly be underpinned by intelligent data mining. The more intelligence a housing provider can gather, the earlier they can intervene and support the tenants who need it most. In the wake of rising rent arrears, this must surely be a benefit to everyone involved. Derek Steele, Managing Director, Mobysoft

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Port of Leith Housing Association is Once Invu’s document management mid-way through a project with Invu to software has been integrated with EDM at digitise more than 50,000 documents, the housing provider’s existing replacing its previous manual process business applications, staff will be Port of of filing and storing all paper-based able to manage the confirmation of documents. The £32,000 project is instruction documents, valuation expected to be completed this summer, reports, gas certificates, tenancy Leith with and in doing so will free up significant agreements and post-management amounts of storage space amounting to questionnaires without having to 30 metres of shelving and eight filing spend time searching through reams Invu cabinets of documents. of documents in either physical cabinets or its Windows-based filing The decision to move the structure. organisation toward electronic document management was Donald added, “One of the good prompted by the need to have access things about the Invu document to a mass of documents for efficient management system is the service delivery and meet regulatory integration with email. People just standards. don’t realise how much business- critical information is contained Neil Donald, ICT manager, Port of within their inboxes these days, and Leith Housing Association, said, they feel inclined to just keep things “With over 50,000 documents to there. The email add-on is a great maintain, it was vital for us to find feature for not only filing emails, but a system that would make it easier also attachments.” for our staff to retrieve documents quickly. Thanks to the structure in the Invu electronic document management system, the increased control allows us to assign an owner or task to a document, complete with a full audit trail.”

Enterprise search & BI from Clearview for Villages Housing

Villages Housing is implementing between these systems, we need a Clearview will enable Villages’ staff to Clearview’s enterprise search engine- comprehensive approach to the way create live performance dashboards based business intelligence and reporting data is shared and accessed across and transform their existing monthly suite in order to make sense of all the data systems, ideally to ensure that all data ‘performance clinic’ model into it holds across disparate systems. can be commonly reported, combined, a more proactive performance compared, consolidated and mined monitoring environment; even board Villages recognised that the volume of through a single tool or system. This reports could be developed to be live data it held had increased significantly will allow us to exploit a vast pool of and interactive in the future. since the Capita IBS applications were data better and much more effectively installed in 2008. This growth of data Mason added, “Clearview provides inform current business activity and has been generated throughout the an opportunity for data cleansing, as future service planning. core business systems, comprising data errors and gaps are more easily IBS OpenHousing, OpenAccounts and “Having looked at a number of identified and therefore resolved. SharePoint, and within its general management information systems, we Ultimately this will lead to improved Microsoft Office applications. felt Clearview stood out because of its validation of Villages’ data with ease of use and return on investment. consequential benefits for service Ken Mason, corporate services The system is easy to navigate and quality and efficiency.” director, Villages Housing, said, “While can be compared to something as there has been some data sharing simple as doing a Google search.” Introducing OPENEDM Improving the way your social housing organisation manages data Saving time

Seamless integration Save staff time and resources by using OPENEDM to OPENEDM can integrate fully process documents via a fully with Capita’s housing solutions, automated process and get but works with any housing instant access to scanned management system, providing images to deal with enquiries. improved efficiency in back and front office services.

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Capita’s electronic document management solutions have all the functionality we need; the level of integration “with the housing system is the best on the market. Chris Dreery, head of IT , Solihull Community Housing

For more information about Capita’s electronic document solutions as a part of” your complete social housing management system, email [email protected], call 08700 100347 or visit www.capita-software.co.uk/documentsolutions 32 | housing technology | general news www.housing-technology.com

eShare launches new BoardPacks

eShare has released an updated version to be imperative or very important fantastic improvement. So hats off to of its web- and app-based software for to good governance (according to you all at eShare, I am very impressed governance and meeting management. eShare’s recent survey), eShare has with the thought that has gone into developed BoardPacks as more than your product.” The new BoardPacks upgrades just a meeting management solution; eShare’s current software with a BoardPacks users get the opportunity it also includes modules to manage fresh, intuitive design that makes to contribute to eShare’s product procedures, risks, and decisions, meeting management easier. The development programme. As Tim helping to improve governance across accompanying apps for iOS and Vaughan from RSA Group said, the board. Windows tablets allow directors “Having seen the new BoardPacks for to work from anywhere, providing Brian Moran, director of corporate the first time, I was very impressed secure access to their meeting packs, services, Adactus Housing Group, by its design, ease of use, and documents, and information, as well said, “I used the notes feature during functionality. I look forward to its as to their corporate SharePoint sites. a board meeting and my minutes are release and being able to start using it now done. I hate writing minutes and for my schemes.” With seven out of 10 governance usually put off typing up my notes professionals believing technology until near the next meeting so this is a

Better performance at Radian

Radian has transformed its business two points to three per cent and staff if we didn’t measure our engagement performance in the past five years by turnover reduced from 17 per cent to levels. improving the engagement levels of five per cent. “These results feed into our business its employees. Through working with Radian’s customer satisfaction has plan and we now use employee the market research company Orc also improved, with consumers stating engagement as a key performance International since 2009, the housing they now have increased trust in the indicator and as a prominent measure provider has demonstrated that there is a organisation. They also believe Radian of how the business is doing. significant relationship between customer has a good reputation and that it acts Without it we wouldn’t have been satisfaction and employee engagement, and listens to their views. able to prioritise so efficiently and staff turnover and sickness absence. progress as quickly as we have done. Peter Wakefield, head of Between 2010 and 2013, Radian We have proven the link between organisational development, boosted its employee engagement employee engagement and business Radian, said, “Orc’s analysis of our levels from 58 per cent to 80 per cent, performance for the first time in engagement data really helps us with individual team scores up to 98 the housing sector, and as a result, to identify what’s important and per cent. This has had significant have completely transformed our what’s not. The research has given us knock-on effects throughout the business.” information we simply wouldn’t have business with sickness levels down

Housing 21’s £15m partnership with CarelineUK and Cirrus

Housing 21 has signed a 10-year contract with a combined value of £15 million with Cirrus (£11m) and CarelineUK (£4m) for the supply, installation and maintenance of Housing 21’s warden call and door entry systems, including a full new build programme, and emergency alarm monitoring for over 24,000 connections. 3487.004_Civica_Housing Cx Advert artwrk.pdf 1 02/07/2013 10:48

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www.linkedin.com/company/civica 34 | housing technology | general news www.housing-technology.com

Housing providers launch best practice portal

A new method of sharing expertise has been launched by Social Melanie Mills, chief executive, Social Enterprise West Enterprise West Midlands, part of the Aspire Group. The new Midlands, said, “There are some fantastic examples of web portal is funded by 16 housing providers and will allow great practice from across the UK, including First Ark in the them to share best practice. North West, Walsall Housing Group and Trident in the West Midlands to Shepherds Bush Housing Group and Plymouth The portal will focus on five themes: Community Homes in the South. We hope sharing the peer- • Understanding – supplying the information housing to-peer learning will create even more social impact.” providers need to get started with social enterprises; • Buying – all housing providers need to know in order to Seed funding for the Social Enterprise and Housing Hub buy from and do business with social enterprises; was provided by Amicus Horizon, Aspire, B3 Living, Bolton • Doing – providing the knowledge necessary to partner with at Home, Cross Keys Homes, Festival Housing, Gedling, social enterprises and benefit from it; Knightstone Housing, National Housing Federation, Orbit, • Enabling – providing access to social enterprise work and Placeshapers, Plymouth Community Homes, Severnside business opportunities; Housing, Sovereign Housing, Together Housing, Trident, • Finding – facilitating access to social enterprise Two Rivers Housing and Walsall Housing Group. specialists to provide support.

HomeSwapper – 25 per cent increase in mutual exchanges

An increasing number of tenants are HomeSwapper for those wanting to site, there are 55,000 one-bedroom using home-swapping services as a result downsize. and 140,000 two-bedroom homes, so of welfare reform, according to figures housing choice is there for people who Richard Blundell, CEO, Housing from Housing Partners, the company need to move. Partners, said, “The number of behind the HomeSwapper mutual successful swaps has risen from “We believe that housing providers exchange platform. 21,700 for the year ending in April should encourage their tenants to Figures from Housing Partners show 2013 to 27,200 at the same point use mutual exchange services more. that the number of tenants swapping this year. Despite reports of a lack of The benefits are clear for both sides; using HomeSwapper has risen by a smaller social homes, we have noticed housing providers can make valuable quarter since April 2013. The data a consistently high number available cost savings by limiting void costs and also shows that there are almost through HomeSwapper. Of the rent arrears, while tenants can avoid 200,000 one- and two-bedroom social 300,000 properties registered on the paying for bedrooms they don’t use.” housing properties available through

Happy 20th birthday to SDS

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Promaster enables you to make informed appraisals and decisions about individual properties and strategic issues affecting your estates or your entire stock portfolio. Promaster offers the advantages of being web browser based. This means a wealth of comprehensive modular functionality can be delivered via any device that supports a web browser, as well as making it easy to host as a cloud based solution.

Promaster delivers a cost saving investment that will help you transform the way you work.

For a discussion on how we can help reduce Find us on your asset management costs contact us at Stand C10, [email protected] or on 0118 989 0362 CIH Manchester www.in4systems.com BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY & BUSINESS SUCCESS

IT services & business solutions • Strategic IT consultancy • Shared IT services • BCP/DR • Mobile working • Virtualisation & cloud computing • IT training • Programme & project management • Relocation IT services • Merger & acquisition - integration IT support • System & software implementation • Application support • Outsourced IT services • Colocation & managed hosting

For more information contact us on 020 8216 3333 or at [email protected] Alternatively, visit us at www.sovereign-plc.co.uk

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