Having implemented a mobile working system from 1st Touch, Stevenage Homes has been awarded a two-star rating by the Audit Commission.
As an ALMO for Stevenage Borough Council, Stevenage Homes’ repairs and maintenance team deals with around 30,000 jobs each year across 8300 properties. Implementing a mobile solution had been identified as an opportunity for the repairs and maintenance service as part of a drive towards two-star status.
Kate Gascoigne, a project manager acting on behalf of Stevenage Homes, said, “This mobile project was a key part of a wide-ranging project to achieve a two-star rating for our repairs service. At the same time, the mobile implementation was a valuable step towards a ‘right-first-time’ repairs service where operatives will be able to complete a repair on the first visit.”
Using 1st Touch’s smart communication technology, the new system replaces paper-based forms and significantly reduces office visits. Jobs are sent out electronically to mobile workers’ handheld devices, which then collect the results and send them back to base. With the mobile solution integrated with a Northgate back-office system and Opti-Time scheduling software, Stevenage Homes hopes to significantly reduce the time taken to complete repairs. Customer satisfaction is also expected to be significantly improved by the provision of a ‘right-first-time’ service.
Brent O’Halloran, director of property services, Stevenage Homes, said, “In our latest Audit Commission inspection, we received a ‘two stars and promising prospects for improvement’ rating. Our investment in the mobile repairs project has been a key component in delivering our efficiency and performance improvements.”
