Equity Housing Group has mobilised its neighbourhood officers using Housing Support Pro software from Footprint Solutions, acquired via a framework agreement set up by Golden Gates Housing Trust and the software provider. The software was implemented in June 2015.
The adoption of the mobile working software follows the transformation of Equity’s neighbourhood services, of which one side effect was an increase in the number of mobile workers needing to return to the office to update records.
Kenneth Power, executive director for corporate development, Equity Housing Group, said, “We are a geographically-dispersed organisation and all too often mobile officers are under pressure to become more visible and accessible to tenants, yet they were trapped by having to regularly return to the office to do paperwork.
“The driver for implementing a mobile working solution was to enable housing officers to become more mobile and accessible to tenants, working effectively within their communities while maximising time and visibility.”
Equity identified an opportunity to work with Footprint Solutions via a framework agreement set up in partnership with Golden Gates. The framework, which is open to all housing providers and local authorities in the UK, allows Equity to bypass standard procurement processes because Golden Gates has completed all of the necessary legal procedures, including OJEU compliance. This means housing providers and local authorities can buy software direct from Footprint at fixed prices.
Power said, “We have been impressed with the level of service provided via the framework and the seamless integration with our existing Civica system. The ability to bypass standard processes and access cost effective, innovative solutions such as Housing Support Pro was a very attractive option.”
