Ashford Borough Council (ABC) has renewed its contract with Client 360 for a mobile solution that could integrate with its existing Orchard housing management system.
Ashford Borough Council (ABC) is a local authority that provides services to 4,500 homes in Ashford, Kent, and a large network of surrounding villages. The council required a dynamic, fully-functioning mobile solution that would instantly provide up to date information such as tenancy and rent data. The solution also needed to provide offline access where mobile internet was unavailable such as rural areas.
Following a successful pilot between September 2016 and February, ABC opted for Housing Support Pro’s Client 360 mobile working solution, which provides visibility of all operational activity. Delivering all information in real-time, the digital solution also includes search facilities, customisable watch lists, a calendar and reminder alerts to ensure deadlines are met and engagements are kept on time.
The Orchard Management System is integrated with Client 360 via the Blaze interface, which facilitates the data transfer. Furthermore, Client 360 offers pre-designed digital form templates for new tenant sign-up and arrears management. Void, tenant and property surveys are also available via a mobile app.
By introducing Client 360, the borough council significantly increased efficiencies across its entire housing service. Tenancy management and housing officers can now access tenancy and property data across its entire portfolio, including contact details, repair and payment history. Mobile support workers also now operate with greater flexibility, enabling them to spend more time with tenants and less time on administration.
Tenant data is collected quicker and instantly transmitted to the management team, while housing officers also feel empowered by being given more freedom to manage their workload via the use of their mobile device. The borough council can also respond to issues such as fly tipping due to real-time alerts from housing officers onsite. Furthermore, tenant records such as payment history can be instantly recalled via Client 360 to resolve potential disputes.
John Young, Housing Property and Technology Manager for Ashford Borough Council, commented: “Client 360 has unlocked the door for us, allowing us to roll out technology and use the solution for our service. Its operation is much more efficient and, most importantly, we get to see more tenants that need our help faster.
“Client 360 allows our officers to do more in a timely fashion, while Housing Support Pro have been proactive and technically impressive from the outset.”
Glyn Cunnah, Head of Business Development for Housing Support Pro, added: “The ability to deploy Client 360 within a couple of months has enabled Ashford Borough Council to realise its return on investment and we are delighted with the results which we have been able to deliver.”
