Housing associations and trusts put time and resources into making sure that service calls are promptly addressed. For the Vale of Aylesbury Housing, the results they got far exceeded their expectations.
Time is of the essence when it comes to tenant concerns. Tenants don’t want to sit around waiting for service technicians – and they hate dealing with poor communication.
Housing associations and trusts put time and resources into making sure that service calls are promptly addressed. Many are now turning to new technology solutions to expedite calls, reduce time windows, and cut down on annoying no-access miscommunications. For the Vale of Aylesbury Housing, the results they got far exceeded their expectations.
Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust’s Goals
Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust (VAHT) services nearly 8,500 affordable homes across Buckinghamshire and the surrounding areas. The trust was established to support residents and neighbourhoods, maintain quality homes and build new ones, and ultimately create thriving communities where people want to live.
The organisation is responsible for making sure homes in the community are of good quality and well-maintained, a process that involves regular service calls at the behest of residents.
VAHT wanted to continue to provide excellent customer service while getting more benefits from their existing technology. They also needed a solution that could be quickly integrated and implemented for maximum impact. They partnered with Localz to implement a customer engagement solution to help communicate with residents and create a more convenient and time-efficient way to service tenants.
Ease of integration
New tech and partnerships can lead to big changes, but it doesn’t have to be a negative or stressful experience. Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust saw just how worth it making a change can be.
Localz assessed VAHT’s current tech stack and looked for ways to improve current operations. Their aim was to reduce no-access appointments, a costly and tedious communications concern that upset tenants and wasted valuable servicer time and resources. Given what they found, Localz moved from kick-off to go live in just six weeks.
Once set into motion, Localz’ solutions, On My Way and Manage My Appointments, helped VAHT provide tenants with information on their service call in real time. This reduced the window of time spent waiting for a service technician from hours to only a few minutes, allowing tenants to go about their business freely while they waited.
Excellence through access
Localz enabled service technicians to communicate with tenants directly, allowing them to plan and coordinate entry on their own terms. Customers now receive an ETA countdown with a live map, an SMS notification with a 15-minute arrival window, and a link to the Manage My Appointments web-based portal for easy rescheduling.
In six months, VAHT decreased the no-access rate for repairs by 37% – a phenomenal improvement thanks to fast and efficient adoption. Their service customers knew exactly what to expect, where they had to be, and when. VAHT was able to not only drop the no-access rate but also provided an improved customer experience.
How do we know for sure? Localz also implemented Rate My Experience, a customer feedback sourcing tool that lets VAHT know how their tenants fare during service calls. Since introducing it, they’ve achieved an average customer rating of 4.5/5 stars.
Partners in technology can take you far
Implementing the best technology solutions for your tenants is easier and faster than you may think. When you’ve got the right partners on your side, you can implement the technology you need without disrupting your existing technology.
Localz is available to help you meet the demand and desires of your residents right now with customer notifications, live ETA tracking, two-way communication, and more. This tech suite can help you streamline operations to benefit your property management staff, technicians, and your residents. It’s no surprise that Localz has been shortlisted as the best technology partner for the 2022 Housing Digital Innovation Awards.
