Housing Insight’s founder, Nas Hayat, discusses his personal journey to integrate technology for the benefit of people.
Every couple of years, a new player comes into our sector, promising the world by offering a new product that’s supposed to be the ultimate technology solution for social housing providers. Organisations typically invest a huge amount of money on their shiny, new integrated housing management system then, during the months after implementation, they discover that it isn’t actually the answer to all of their problems; it does ‘x’ well, but not ‘y’.
I don’t believe it’s possible for a single company to master everything, which is why I focus Housing Insight on what we’re good at; the bells and whistles that create seamless integration between each customer’s existing housing management system and their resident, staff or stakeholder experience on the ground. We don’t compete with companies offering these back-office systems; instead, we aim to come alongside and partner with them, adding value for the customer.
Problem-solving for people
We love the challenge of taking someone else’s problem and devising a solution that really works, so that we get to see how it makes their team more efficient or productive.
We find good work-arounds that integrate a customer’s back-office system with the end-users’ experience, when the previous integration layer was not perfect on their side. We’ve years of experience in extracting data effectively and writing it back to housing management systems of all types and vintages. Our cloud-based data warehouse provides secure, role-limited access to appropriate levels of information without compromising the integrity of the master system.
In our sector, there are very few privately-owned companies that have lasted as long as Housing Insight. Most start-ups look for a 3-5 year exit but we’ve been in the market for over 10 years, with no plans to sell up.
Being independent and without debt allows us to determine our own destiny. We don’t just follow the money (though profit keeps us in business) – we work to keep our customers and staff happy. We recognise that people come first. The most important thing is not necessarily the result or output, it’s ensuring that customers and end-users understand how this output can improve their lives.
Moving forwards together
We aim to be a thought-leader in social housing, using technology to solve some of the problems that the sector faces while also helping people on a journey of adaptation that allows them to embrace the latest technologies going forwards.
For example, when I started Housing Insight, I decided that we would only develop cloud-based software at a time when it was common for software to be installed locally, on customer premises. In fact, I often had to go in and explain to senior people what ‘the cloud’ was. Our strategy worried some potential customers back then but now, some years later, they recognise that those early decisions were the right ones.
I’ve worked in software development all my life, rising to director level in software development at Atos and working with large-scale corporate customers before starting my own business.
In my experience, smaller companies can be more agile. Although the larger corporates are catching up to an extent, they still can’t deliver projects as fast as we can because they typically have a requirement to set the design and determine the return on investment before beginning a build.
When I chose to move into management, I had to make the tough decision to leave code-writing largely to others. In some ways, my happiest days have been spent writing code but now I specify what needs to be written and explain what the outcomes need to be; as CEO, I aim to empower my staff to make decisions.
I want to create a culture in which staff at all levels of my organisation feel able to raise problems or concerns so that they can be resolved. I don’t believe that top-down management is effective unless grass-root problems are allowed to filter upwards. When I am hiring, I naturally look for an appropriate skillset, but my decision-making is focused around the team dynamic; will this individual be a team player who can bring an extra skill into our group?
Virtual communication
Housing Insight wasn’t always the virtual company it is today. In the beginning we had offices and meeting rooms until we discovered that we could work remotely. We are intentional about bringing the team together by incorporating team-building opportunities on a regular basis as well as training, such as on mental health issues, to ensure that no one feels isolated when working from home.
These days, even our customers tend to prefer a conversation over Teams to an in-person visit. Before the pandemic, we simply wouldn’t have won any deals without a face-to-face presentation. Now, 90-95 per cent of our new business is won via online presentations, without visiting the customer at all. People still remain at the heart of everything, it’s just the method of communication that has changed.
Added intelligence
Speaking of change, technology is becoming much more intelligent. In the past, technology would allow you to view data and make processes more efficient. In the near future, technology will make decision-making more efficient because of the increasing level of intelligence around the information it can present to you.
Some people are frightened by AI, but it’s down to mankind to determine the future. Any technology can be disastrous in the wrong hands yet be a force for good when used properly. Here at Housing Insight, we’re currently working on ways to incorporate AI for the betterment of our products and our customers.
A rounded approach
It’s important to find ways to better ourselves as well as our products. For example, I recharge through travel and am fortunate enough to enjoy a regular summer and winter-sun holiday each year. I’m also a keen squash player, playing in the county leagues for a number of years, as well as a cyclist and not-so-keen runner.
I became a parish councillor last year because I wanted to give back to my local community; I had become aware that some people in my village were finding the economic climate increasingly difficult and I wanted to do what I could to help. Both inside and outside work, it always comes back to people in the end.
Nas Hayat is the founder and CEO of Housing Insight.
