Delivering digital - why we need a message which resonates

This month I've invited Jamie Angus, he's our Head of Communications to share his thoughts about why we need to be getting more people using the internet...

Jamie Angus

 

Last week saw the publication, probably for the first time, of a detailed state of play of the UK housing sector when it comes to delivering digital services.

 

All-in-all it doesn’t make for great reading in terms of the sector’s success of transforming service delivery in the digital age. Yet if you read the bloggersphere and believe the hype of the Twitteratti you’d think that the Jetsons’ hovercrafts were just weeks away.

The reality, which the self service report draws out, is that clunky IT systems, a lack of credible data on accessibility for tenants and a reluctance to promote a service which is far from Amazon-standard is holding us back.

But what strikes me the most is that as a sector we still haven’t nailed down why we’re doing this. We haven’t constructed the narrative as to why this is so important.
It reminds me of a great blog by Kate Bentham (@katebentham) where she refers to Channel Shove rather than Channel Shift.

We’ve all seen the transactional costs data and in a time where financially, we’re scrambling to strangle the last drop of value from every penny spent, we can see why online is such an attractive proposition. But if you go to any estate in Wolverhampton, or indeed any estate across the country, and tell tenants that going online is great – it’ll save us a fortune, then you can probably guess what most reactions will be. And this feels like the challenge we’re grappling with.

But the truth is, and this is the message which needs to resonate with tenants, they risk getting left behind if they’re not online. With Universal Credit on the horizon it’s never been more important that tenants, especially those of working age, get ready by being online. The stark reality could well be that no internet access equals no Universal Credit payment. I of course over simplify, but when you think about the message of missing out, it fits better with the raison d’etre of social housing. By not being online, tenants are missing out on job opportunities, financial savings, better energy deals, the chance to connect with friends and family. All of a sudden, the digital agenda ticks the moral boxes of financial and social inclusion, fuel poverty and social mobility.

At Wolverhampton Homes we’ve been grappling with the challenges of Channel Shift. It’s been an uncomfortable process but we’re making progress. And, in fact, although we may not have shouted the loudest, our statistics are credible and show we’re up there. The Yorkshire Housing report pretty much states there are no real pioneers yet. Yes, some are better than others at promoting it, but as a sector, we’re still finding our feet – but think of the potential if we all worked together to nail this.

In Wolverhampton, with a tenant-base of 23,000 – nearly 6,000 are signed up to our do-it-online account. Last month, we had nearly 1,000 active users logging-in to either make a payment, change their details or book a repair. Interestingly, our repairs booking system (although it’s far from perfect) is fully automated into our back office systems and allows tenants to pick a time which suits them. No e-forms which go to a customer service advisor to manually input; it’s fully automated self-service.

 

But we know that for most people they’d still pick up the phone. As proud as we are of our website and its mobile-responsive design, booking a repair online isn’t sexy enough to drive thousands of tenants there.

 

But the challenge isn’t so much getting people to report repairs online; that should come later. Just being online is the key. People won’t come to our websites excited by the fact that the internet means they can book repairs or update their personal details. But they will be excited when they’re saving money, switching energy suppliers, helping their kids with their homework and applying for jobs and training. But that’s not a message we can deliver on our own – so we’re looking to work with schools and businesses in the city to promote that message too.

It’s a long digital road ahead, and although the technology will no doubt improve, if we can’t win the hearts and minds of tenants and colleagues then it’s going to be an arduous journey.

But we can and will win the debate, we have to, our tenants have got too much to lose if we don’t.

Thirty years in the making

Thirty years in the making

I can’t describe the excitement amongst my colleagues when the council announced that it was going to be building its first new council houses for more than thirty years.

Sue (centre) and I were delighted to join Emma Reynolds MP  last October.

With more than 12,000 on the waiting list – there’s a chronic shortage of council housing in our city. There are a plethora of reasons for this – the evolution of Right To Buy being one – but I’ll leave the whys and wherefors to the politicians to debate.

What I do know though is that the 40 or so new homes being built at Thompson Avenue in the Parkfields area of the city are going to make wonderful homes for the families who received their keys earlier this week.

I’ve watched with real interest as the site has developed over the past few months and back in October I went for a tour around the development with the Chair of our Board, Sue Roberts MBE. We’re going to be managing the new homes so it was quite fitting that the day we went was the day before her wedding anniversary (she won’t thank me if I say how long ago her wedding was!) But what was fascinating is that her wedding reception took place at the pub where the new houses will now stand. I thought that was quite fitting. Council housing must run through Sue’s DNA!

It was lovely to see the new homes being built. They were modern and energy efficient with lovely garden areas and I’m sure there’ll make wonderful family homes for many years to come. But of course what we really need now is more.

Massive credit needs to be given to the council for building these new homes and I’m delighted that we’re going to play a small role in some small new-build projects with the council over the next couple of years. But of course this is really only tinkering around the edges when it comes to solving the housing crisis in the UK. The National Federation of ALMOs say that the next government has the ability to free council’s up to build more homes. In fact, they reckon that councils could build up to 60,000 much needed new homes over the next five years – just by increasing the amount of debt councils can borrow against their housing stock. The case is compelling. It says that 92p out of every £1 spent on building stays in the UK and that 56p of this returns to the Exchequer - with 36p of that bringing direct savings in tax and benefits. In times of austerity – building things seems like a very sensible thing to do!

Now of course Wolverhampton Homes is apolitical - but with less than 100 days until the general election you’ll no doubt be getting letters, phone calls and leaflets from your local candidates. It’s no up to me to say who you should vote for (but please make sure you go out and vote for someone) but if you get the chance to speak to your candidates ask them what their views are on the housing situation and what they’d do to help solve the crisis. I’ll certainly be asking candidates who knock on my door that very question.

'Bedroom Tax' and 'Poverty Porn'

It’s been twelve months now since the removal of the spare room subsidy – or, as critics and the media dubbed it, the ‘Bedroom Tax’.

If the issue of the welfare system and council housing weren’t really in the public consciousness twelve months ago, they certainly are now.

Not council houses: the now infamous James Turner Street

In recent months we’ve seen the vitriol emanating from the Twittersphere and Fleet Street surrounding White Dee and her neighbours on ‘Benefits Street’ and, most recently, we’ve seen the return to our screens of ‘How to Get a Council House.’ Channel Four’s ‘shock-umentaries’ have, in fairness to them, elevated these issues to the national debate. But they’ve also, rather unhelpfully, reinforced the grossly unfair negative stereotypes which are lauded over council tenants and people who are on benefits.

I have to admit – I couldn’t bring myself to watch ‘Benefits Street’ - but it was impossible to escape the editorial jibes or internet forum debates about work-shy scroungers. Instead of indulging in what some commentators have dubbed ‘poverty porn’, I prefer to focus on making a difference and trying to improve the lives and homes of people who live in our city.

Instead of debating whether White Dee will stand for parliament – perhaps the narrative now needs to switch to how we can fix some of the root causes to these problems; the chronic housing shortage; the need for more jobs and apprenticeships and a sensible, grown-up discussion about mental health.

One of my colleagues met with our local newspaper, the Express & Star, last week to talk to them about the Bedroom Tax, one year on. The subsequent headline read ‘Dozens risk eviction in Wolverhampton over Bedroom Tax’. Sadly, the headline rings true.

 

Around 3,500 tenants were affected by the welfare changes in the city. Just 37 have failed to pay anything – that means nearly 99% of those who had to find extra rent for the first time, have, somehow, made some sort of payment. And we’re grateful for that. I’m amazed that we’ve been able to retain our position as one of the highest rent collecting authorities in the country; collecting more than 98% of the rent we’re owed. That in itself should show that the overwhelming majority of our tenants are paying their way. From talking to lots of the tenants I meet, I know that some of them have had to make some really difficult choices and sacrifices to find that extra cash.

 

We're working to help tenants manage their budgets

Sadly, just a few hundred have been able to, or chosen to, move since last April. There’s a mixture of reasons for that – the two main ones being a shortage of smaller homes and, quite simply, people don’t want to move. To some, council houses are a commodity or asset– but to those who live in them, it’s their home.

Now whether the ‘Bedroom Tax’ stays or goes – what we do know is that financially, things for lots of our tenants are going to get worse before they get better.

We’ve invested a lot of money in offering support and debt advice to tenants – but for some, the cycle of debt feels never-ending. We held a focus group with some tenants and we asked them about debt and where they’d go to for help; and still people were saying that pay day lenders were an easy way to get money. What we’re saying is – yes – but they’re an easy way to get into dire financial trouble too.

My plea to anyone who is struggling with their finances is to please ask someone for advice. If you’re a tenant, then come and see us. Or pop and see your local Citizens Advice Bureau. Or open an account with your local credit union. There is help out there…and it doesn’t cost a billion % APR either.

I read a lovely letter last week from a tenant who was thanking our Money SmartTeam for all the work they’d done with her to help turn her financial woes around. If only more people would do what she did and asked us for help.

So, we can talk about ‘Benefits Street’ or ‘How to Get a Council House’. We can take to Twitter to condemn those who are unfortunate enough to be unemployed, or who have mental health problems. We can talk about whether the Bedroom Tax should or shouldn’t be scrapped. But what I’d rather we talk about are the real reasons and problems behind this smokescreen of a so-called welfare system debate. Let’s talk sensibly about how we build more social and council homes, how we treat and support vulnerable people and families in our communities and how we help people break that vicious cycle of debt so they can rebuild for themselves and their families, a brighter future.

Anyway - I'd much rather here about the tenants who have got inspiring stories to tell...like Michelle...

Proud to be a Best Company

Last week was one of my proudest as Chief Executive of Wolverhampton Homes.

For the second year running we’ve been named as one of the best not-for-profit organisations to work for in the UK in a list published by The Sunday Times and employee engagement specialists, Best Companies.

More than 900 UK-based companies took part in the Best Companies survey this year where employees were asked to rate the company they worked for through in-depth questionnaires.

Our first ever staff volunteering project last summer

Two and half years ago we started out on a new journey to make Wolverhampton Homes one of the best places to work for in the public sector. And last week, we were named as a two-star ‘outstanding’ company when it comes to employee engagement. We’re ranked as the 42^nd best not-for-profit company to work for and the 2^nd best ALMO (Arms Length Management Organisation) too.

There are plenty of blogs, websites, Twitter feeds and text books which talk about the virtues of good employee engagement. In fact, there are so many, I won’t bother trying to replicate them all here!

But, as a Chief Executive, what I do know is that in reality, it boils down to this; an engaged workforce who buy into the ethos of your company and who are proud of what you do will perform better.

• They’re less likely to be sick (our sickness rates are down to 6 days compared to 15 a few years ago!)
  
• They’re more likely to stay with you
  
• They tend to have less accidents (we lost just 29 days last year compared to 632 in 2006)
  
• You’re going to get new recruits who really want to work for you
  
• They’re likely to go that extra mile because they really believe in what it is you’re trying to do.

Plus – quite frankly, it’s the right thing to do.

Our employee engagement journey continues

Are we perfect? Of course we’re not. There’s still a long way to go and, ultimately, we’re here to serve our tenants and leaseholders and to deliver the great service they expect from us.

But one thing I do know – a disengaged workforce isn’t going to deliver that level of service.

So we’re a two-star ‘outstanding’ company and the 2^nd best ALMO to work for…and I’m immensely proud of my colleagues for helping us to achieve that. Their enthusiasm to get on board with what we’re trying to do is incredible.

I feel I should point out that whilst we’re 42^nd on the list (we were 40^th last time); to some it could look as if we’ve taken a step back. We most certainly haven’t. The important thing here is that we’ve improved on our overall scoring (going from one star to two) and if anything, shows that more companies are getting on board with the notion that effective employee engagement is good business sense. Importantly, our journey continues along the right trajectory.

For me, this isn’t rocket science and needn’t cost the earth. As long as you truly and authentically believe in it then it can make a huge difference. It’s about making people feel part of the wider vision, treating people fairly, with respect, and rewarding people when they do a good job. From my experience this isn’t anything to do with money either…in the public sector we can vouch for that! 

Sometimes the most powerful reward is simply two words…thank you.

To the ballot box and beyond

If you listen really carefully you can faintly hear the cogs turning as the political parties shift up a gear into full blown General Election mode.

With the clock ticking down to the next General Election – you can already feel the mood and the perhaps, less than subtle, subliminal electioneering messages emanating from Westminster.

Whoever has the key to Downing Street in 2015 has the chance to shape housing

But with 16 months to go until polling day – now’s the opportunity for everyone – politicians, prospective politicians, housing professionals and, most importantly, tenants and local families – to help shape the debate around our country’s (and indeed our city’s) future housing need.

I think most people agree – we need to build more affordable homes to stimulate the economy and ease the social and welfare system pressures. But where we can’t seem to find a consensus is around how we do that, how we fund that – and who does it.

Earlier this week, the NationalFederation of ALMOs, of which Wolverhampton Homes is a proud member, became the first housing group to launch it Election Manifesto.

It’s an easy read – with a series of very simple messages.

We all know the stark financial and economic realities we’re operating in – and in which the new government, whoever it may be, will find themselves in.  Whether it’s cuts to local council services or the real human costs where we see hundreds of local people in our city visiting Food Banks every week just to get a hot meal for their families. What’s even more alarming is that an increasing number of those are people are in fulltime paid work, but who still desperately struggle to make ends meet.

But our aspirations and drive in the ALMO-sector needn’t be dampened by the financial constraints we find ourselves operating in. There are new challenges and new opportunities out there to support and encourage economic growth in our towns and cities. Providing decent affordable homes, great customer service and empowering tenants to build for themselves a better future needn’t break the bank. There are in fact lots of ways in which the new government can kick-start a housing revolution in this country.

Building new houses creates new jobs, boosts the economy and provides much needed homes. ALMOs have a great track record of delivering new builds. And why are ALMOs well placed to do this? I think it’s because we’re in a unique position where it’s our tenants who drive the agenda. What better way to drive success and raise standards than having those who are directly affected by what we do, at the helm.

But it’s not just about building new homes – it’s about:

• being more energy efficient 
• driving up standards in the private rented sector 
• tackling fuel poverty

• tackling the challenges of welfare reform
•  providing more skills and training opportunities 
• getting more people online 
• offering more debt advice services and support to credit unions.

The full NFA Manifesto is available to read online. Take a few minutes to take a look and decide for yourselves whether you think your elected representatives should be looking closer at the NFAs proposals to build a brighter future for our local communities.

So, now’s the time to contact your local MPs and local candidates to explain that it can be done – and, importantly, for economic and social prosperity, it desperately needs to be done.

The best gift you can give this Christmas…a roof over your family’s head

I know it still feels a bit too early to start talking about Christmas but now the Coca Cola and John Lewis adverts are on, I thought I better start giving some thought to this year’s festivities.

Sadly, for some families in Wolverhampton – and across the whole country – Christmas is going to be a tough time where some will genuinely be debating whether they choose to heat their homes or buy a meal. In 2013 it’s heartbreaking to think that so many people still live in these conditions.

The homeless charity Shelter has just launched an emergency Christmas campaign. According to their figures, 80,000 children will be classed as homeless this Christmas. “One homeless child at Christmas is a tragedy…80,000 is a disgrace”. It’s a sobering thought.

Our Rent First campaign launches on Monday

Having a roof over our heads is one of the most basic needs any person can have. Yet sadly we still see people with nowhere to call home.

At Wolverhampton Homes, we’re just about to kick-start our annual ‘Rent First Please’ campaign.  For the next few weeks we’ll be knocking on hundreds of tenants’ doors, making thousands of phone calls and working flat out to speak to as many tenants as we can to encourage them to clear their rent arrears before Christmas. I’ve even got a call sheet of numbers so I’ll be mucking in to help the cause as well! We’ll be trying to sort out payment plans and collect owed rent - but we’ll also be showing people where they can get financial and debt advice too.

I saw on the news this week that, on average, people will spend around £29 on each present they buy this. The pressure to buy the latest gadgets and toys for children is overwhelming. For the first time this year, we’ve arranged a Toy Swap for tenants so they can come along and exchange one toy for another as a way of making Christmas more affordable.

Our message is simple – the best gift you can give your family this Christmas is a roof over their head and a place to call home. It might not be glamorous and you certainly can’t wrap it up in paper – but it’ll be there long after the toys and computer games have been put away in a cupboard, never to be seen again.

Our message couldn't really be more simple.

Rent arrears in Wolverhampton are up by nearly £250,000 compared to this time last year. Welfare reforms, a stuttering economy, unemployment and years of debts and credit spending are having a huge impact on the city and local people. But, sadly, the reality is; people are at risk from losing their home if they don’t pay their rent. 

The overwhelming majority of our tenants pay their rent, on time, religiously and have done for years. But we know it’s getting tougher. But we are here to help if people come and talk to us.

It’s going to be a busy few weeks for everyone here. But if we can help tenants clear their arrears so they can have a more relaxed Christmas then that will be a good job well done.

If you want to find out more about Shelter’s campaign or even donate a few pounds to the cause, visit www.shelter.org.uk.