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Investing in technology is now a necessity, not merely an option

The housing sector has not yet responded to the growth of technology with a strategic approach, argues Olivia Harris

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Olivia Harris of @DolphinLiving argues that using technology is a must for #ukhousing

The #ukhousing sector “lacks a joined-up approach on how to use technology to improve properties”, writes Olivia Harris of @DolphinLiving

“Apparently Grainger are putting Cat 6A cabling in all of their new developments, not just Cat 6. Fibre throughout the building!” reports one of my team, on returning from a PropTech seminar.

I nod sagely (as I assume many of you are doing), as if I know exactly what this means. And that is one of the problems with technology – so many of us don’t actually know very much about it and are blinded by ‘tech speak’.

What I do know is that having the right technology in place can improve the services we provide, reduce the cost of providing homes and services, and deliver the kind of digital offering our residents now expect. But where do we start?

Having reviewed internet start-up businesses in the 1990s, I know where not to start.

A great technological idea does not necessarily convert into a viable or useful business.

Thinking back even earlier to the battle between Betamax and VHS, nor does rushing to deliver the newest innovation to the market, for the risk of future obsolescence is high.

“Having the right technology in place can improve the services we provide.”

For a more risk-averse approach we need to start by identifying opportunities, flaws and weaknesses in what we do and considering if there is a technological solution out there that can help us improve.

We have a responsibility to make sure our homes meet decent standards and we should think beyond these requirements and use technology to provide a better outcome for our residents.

The repairs function is one of the areas where using technology to improve outcomes for both landlord and tenant, and manage costs, has become the norm.


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Dolphin Living, like so many in the sector, has invested in digital services to support our repairs service.

This goes beyond a repairs portal and will: give our residents convenient ways of reporting repairs; enable better identification of the repair needed; maintain a good record of the repairs process; facilitate a more timely response; and hopefully provide a cost-efficient outcome for us as a landlord.

Such digital services are a necessity and can no longer be viewed as ‘nice to have’.

Underinvestment in this area risks not just customer satisfaction but also future cash flows, and impacts the performance which we are now all required to benchmark against.

Should we also be indulging in a bit of blue-sky thinking on the art of the possible?

At a recent PropTech conference there were a variety of technology providers pitching to property developers and landlords.

Each had considered how best to profit from providing tech solutions to landlords and developers. However, the growth in this area has not been met with a strategic approach from either the housing sector or, in some cases, policymakers.

In particular we lack a joined-up approach on how to use technology to improve the existing properties that will still form the majority of our homes in 10 to 15 years time.

Should we be retrofitting Cat 6A cabling and putting pressure on the local provider of cabling to ensure all our residents have good connectivity?

“We lack a joined-up approach on how to use technology to improve the existing properties.”

This would provide access to a wide range of services that may assist tenants in improving their communication channels through their phones, and a reliable internet that doesn’t ‘time out’. It would also serve to reduce living costs by enabling remote heating controls, better access to price comparison websites and our own digital services.

If the cost of doing this outweighs the cost-saving to our residents, should we still do it?

Furthermore, is enabling participation in the tech world a benefit we should provide despite the cost, and where there is no perceived benefit (cost or otherwise) to our organisation?

The lack of supply and nearly endless demand for affordable housing means our customers cannot easily choose to change landlords; as a sector we’ve never allowed that fact to drive down standards. While we may not always follow the market rent or sale sectors, where some developments include luxury gadgets and gimmicks, such as multi-coloured lightbulbs that are controlled from a mobile phone, there are many other uses for technology that would genuinely benefit our residents.

“Taking the best from market housing and using it to improve our residents’ lives is within the remit of a responsible landlord.”

The efficient, safety-conscious and secure management of parcel deliveries, for example, is not a luxury – it’s just an adaptation to keep up with the way people live in and use their homes and communal areas.

Taking the best from market housing and using it to improve our residents’ lives is within the remit of a responsible landlord.

So, tech can range from infrastructure to software, lockers to telephones; it can provide solutions to problems and ideas that we never even knew we had.

Above all, it must be used to improve the lives of our residents and enable us to become more efficient and effective organisations.

Olivia Harris, chief executive, Dolphin Living

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