From the Housing Technology 2017 conference and executive forum at the beginning of March, it’s become abundantly clear that digital transformation is the number one, over-arching priority for most housing providers. And for those housing providers not considering digital transformation, they should probably be asking themselves why they aren’t.
As we’ve covered in previous Editor’s Notes, housing providers’ boards and executive teams are recognising that their IT capabilities, in the widest sense, are now effectively the single most important factor in determining how well (or otherwise) they can cope with the annual one per cent limit on rent increases, universal credit and arrears, the commercialisation of the their services and diversification of their income streams, mergers and acquisitions, and future growth and financial performance.
And alongside those big areas are the (arguably) ‘easy wins’ of using technology to transform specific areas of housing providers’ activities, such as repairs, maintenance, CRM, mobile working, tenant communications and finance.
How different housing providers go about their own digital transformations will vary depending on their size, resources, circumstances and appetite for risk, but one thing is certain; digital transformation can’t be ignored.
