National Housing Maintenance Forum

Best Managed External Contract - B-Line and SHG

Breyer B-Line has created an innovative partnership with its client Southern Housing Group (SHG), to continually identify new ways to improve our service, by engaging with SHG's residents to fully involve them in them in the decision making process and management of our Responsive Repairs and Maintenance Service to improve customer satisfaction. This has been instrumental in the development of resident led Core Groups, who collaboratively feed into the decision making process, on a variety of issues from quality management, material selection to community initiatives, training and employment and local events. Direct calls from residents: During mobilisation meetings, we quickly identified that we could improve the service by taking the calls direct from the resident incorporating a `One Stop Shop' service from a flexible appointment system to completion, avoiding duplicated call handling and better management of customer expectations. It improves our chances of 'getting the job right first time'. Integration: We integrated our IT systems to exchange core data and transactional files, generating automatic invoicing. Our automated payment process enhances payment cycles, cutting off the accounts weekly with proven annual cost saving. This process avoids duplication of roles, reducing the requirement for SHG to employ two Administrators and one Accountant to deal with the process. Fixed Price: Within the first 6 months of the arrangement, we transferred to a fixed price arrangement. This has further simplified invoicing, removing waste from processes, whilst maintaining full visibility of repair history. This changes the emphasis for the Contractor, improving the quality of the end product and removing delays for variation and authorisation. Systems Thinking: Our Core Delivery Team attended Client led Training Workshop on Systems thinking. This enables all Stakeholders to participate in a fully collaborative approach to service delivery improvement. This has helped shape the contract reviews by concentrating on single improvements to maximise performance effects. Apprentice Programme: We launched a joint training programme to maximise the effects on local regeneration. We organised a dedicated event for SHG residents, 'Ways into Construction' which was attended by over 100 residents. This was an open forum for residents and potential Apprentices to discuss training and employment opportunities that we could offer them. The event generated 20 work experience placements, who completed our Two Week Taster Course in Construction Skills at our Training Centre in Harold Hill. All attendees successfully gained their CSCS Card and NVQ 1 in their chosen trade discipline. Two outstanding residents graduated into a full NVQ Level 3 in Plumbing and have been offered employment with our B-Line Multi-Trade Operative Team, where they will learn valuable on-the-job experience, as well as structuring their hours to suit their study commitments. Partnering Events: B-Line and Southern Housing Group took our working partnership to the waters for this year's Industry Dragon Boat Challenge, raising over £3,000 for CRASH (a Charity which helps the Homeless). Kevan Allaway (SHG) said, "Repair requests now go straight to B-Line, making our repair services even quicker. It's this kind of innovative partnership working, that makes our companies a great team and enables SHG to continue to provide the best service for our residents."