Aiming to all the time do the best factor is a part of a tradition. It’s a philosophy that places clients, colleagues and purchasers on the coronary heart of every part we do. That is underpinned by our dedication to ensure everyone seems to be welcome, everyone seems to be essential, everyone seems to be supported, and everybody can thrive.

To borrow a phrase from Locations for Individuals’s Chief Govt, “We don’t all the time have to be proper, however we all the time have to do the best factor.” Particularly at this time as our clients search to climate macroeconomic storms.

Challenges on the horizon

With an unsettled political panorama, fears for the economic system, and well-documented elevated residing prices, there may be an acute want for housing associations to assist clients via this.

It’s not simply concerning the 4 partitions by which clients reside it’s about understanding precisely who they’re and what they want from us, so their properties are secure and safe and we are able to assist them in main wholesome lives.

Prior to now 12 months, we’ve seen clients being confronted with astronomical vitality value rises, the results of ageing housing inventory and rising inflation, and while all of us present nice initiatives, we have to do much more to know who our clients are and use our networks and platforms to drive change.

At Locations for Individuals, we try to have significant dialogue with our clients to permit us to take motion to assist folks once they want it. We’re always evolving to get to the centre of our clients’ challenges be that via our Service Enchancment Group, which meets month-to-month to contemplate adjustments we are able to make to enhance providers for our clients or our Nationwide Buyer Group. Established in 2020, the latter has a strategic overview and affect on vital points, insurance policies and strategic priorities affecting clients in inexpensive housing.

It’s solely by listening intently when our clients inform us what’s occurring of their properties that we are able to take that perception to positively affect change on the highest stage and break down the stigma towards social housing.

Because the Chair of the just lately shaped NHF’s – Buyer Expertise and Housing Administration Group, I’m dedicated to addressing this matter head-on.

Buyer journey

How will companies achieve that deeper understanding? The bottom line is being clear and keen to hearken to house truths and share these amongst our friends.

A lot of our classes realized this previous 12 months got here from buyer complaints, satisfaction surveys, and focus teams. Strong knowledge administration is likewise important in permitting us to work higher with our clients. This helps to offer a larger understanding of wants and helps us to determine seasonal tendencies and higher put together for financial adjustments.

A willingness to interact is what’s going to actually make a change. We have to nurture a grassroots, in-house, cultural shift one by which our colleagues are empowered to make swift selections to assist clients. I’m excited that we now have this new cross-sector group which exists to steer, inform and affect the work on housing administration, customer support and resident engagement, and hopefully, affect wider change.

This group is able to make a long-lasting influence and can play an important position in shaping coverage selections and member engagement on the brand new shopper regulation regime. We’re able to form measures within the Social Housing Regulation Invoice, Renters Reform Invoice and assist within the response to the suggestions of the Higher Social Housing Evaluation round customer support and resident engagement.

To share your insights contact Jo Allen, Head of Member Relations.