whg was Highly Commended in the Digital Transformation category of the Housing Technology Awards 2026.
Digital transformation is rarely just about implementing new technology. The greater challenge is introducing change in a way that builds confidence and momentum, rather than an all-at-once rollout that can feel overwhelming.
At whg, an agile approach to customer-contact transformation reduced average call-waiting times from above eight minutes to just over one minute while significantly improving first-time resolutions for customers.
Where we started
When we began reviewing our customer-contact service in early 2024, it was clear improvement was needed. Our customer-services team of 30 FTEs handled around 160,000 contacts each year. Feedback from customers and colleagues pointed to the same underlying problems: long waits, inconsistent experiences across channels and too many enquiries requiring multiple contacts to resolve.
Our colleagues also described a related challenge. They wanted to provide a better service but didn’t always have the visibility or tools to do so easily. Phone, email and social media interactions were handled through separate processes, making it harder to see a customer’s full history or understand patterns in demand. Our executives also lacked real-time insights into peaks and trends in contact volumes, which made proactive planning difficult.
We recognised that delivering better outcomes would depend not only on upgrading our technology but also on how that change was introduced and embedded.
Introducing the right foundation
We identified the need for an omni-channel contact platform that could bring telephony, email and social media into a single environment and provide real-time operational insights. We selected 8×8 for telephony and unified communications because it offered the flexibility to introduce these capabilities in stages rather than through a single large-scale rollout.
The platform created the technical foundation but the implementation approach proved just as important.
Rather than attempt to transform everything at once, we adopted a staged, test and learn approach. Improvements were introduced gradually over six months in 2024, beginning with telephony and routing improvements, followed by email and social media integration.
Each stage was treated as a learning opportunity. Performance data and colleague feedback were reviewed before progressing to the next step. This allowed our workflows, call flows and training to evolve in response to what we were seeing in practice.
Introducing change incrementally also helped to build confidence across our teams. Colleagues could see improvements taking shape and adapt gradually rather than facing a large-scale transformation overnight.
Another important principle was ensuring that our channels were genuinely connected. The aim wasn’t simply to improve phone handling or email response times independently but to create a more seamless experience where colleagues could see a customer’s history and respond consistently, regardless of how that customer had originally made contact.
What changed for customers
For customers, the most noticeable change has been how fast and easily they can now get in touch.
Average waiting times that had previously stretched beyond eight minutes have fallen to just over one minute. The number of callers abandoning the queue has also fallen sharply, from around 30 per cent to below five per cent. These improvements mean that many more customers can reach the right person quickly when they need help.
Just as importantly, more enquiries are now resolved during the first conversation. First-point-of-contact resolutions have increased from around 80 per cent to almost 95 per cent, meaning customers are much less likely to need to call back or repeat their situation to different teams.
Digital contact has improved alongside telephony. Because email and social media enquiries are now managed through the same platform, our colleagues can respond with better context and consistency. Customers receive clearer answers and fewer follow-up requests.
The difference is reflected in the feedback customers share. Their comments that previously described their difficulties in getting through have increasingly been replaced by feedback about fast responses and clear explanations.
What changed for colleagues
The programme has also changed how colleagues experience their work.
Previously, limited visibility of demand meant that teams often felt they were responding reactively to pressure. The introduction of real-time dashboards now allows leaders and advisers to see patterns in contact volumes and understand the different types of enquiries being received.
This insight makes it easier to plan staffing, identify recurrent problems and take action earlier. It also gives our customer services, IT and digital teams a shared view of performance when reviewing service improvements.
Efficiency gains from the new system have created additional capacity within the team; overall, the improvements are equivalent to adding around three FTEs.
Rather than simply absorbing that capacity into higher contact volumes, we chose to reinvest it in learning and service improvements. A ‘protected’ weekly session, known internally as ‘the golden hour’ now brings the team together to review performance trends, share insights and strengthen consistency.
Colleagues had previously said that they valued having some structured time to reflect and learn together, so this has now become a key part of sustaining our improvements.
A culture of continuous improvement
One of the most important outcomes of the programme has been cultural rather than technical.
Because improvements were introduced gradually, our colleagues were able to adapt alongside the technology. The staged approach reinforced the idea that change is something that continues over time, rather than something that happens once at the point of implementation.
Real-time data now allows teams to test adjustments, review the results and then quickly refine the processes. Customer and colleague engagement also plays a central role in shaping what happens next. Feedback gathered through customer forums, surveys and improvement groups continues to inform future developments. These conversations help to ensure that digital services evolve alongside customer expectations and operational reality.
The next phase has introduced live chat and a chatbot integrated into the same contact environment, allowing customers to resolve simple enquiries fast while giving colleagues greater visibility of the various digital conversations. Future developments being explored include the introduction of WhatsApp as a customer contact channel to further expand digital access.
What we learned
Although this programme focused on customer contact, many of the lessons are relevant across other types of housing transformation.
Digital transformation often attracts attention because of the technology involved but the success of these programmes frequently depends on how change is introduced and embedded. Breaking improvements into manageable stages allows teams to adapt, learn and build confidence as the programme progresses.
Equally important is ensuring that the systems and processes are genuinely connected so that improvements in one channel strengthen the overall service experience.
For us, the most valuable lesson has been that digital transformation is not defined by a go-live date but how well change is embedded and how effectively we continue to learn and refine the service afterwards.
While the platform provided the foundation, the real transformation lies in the confidence, insight and momentum that now allow us to keep improving.
Celia Warrender is the assistant director of digital and product at whg. The housing provider was Highly Commended in the Digital Transformation category of the Housing Technology Awards 2026.
