What is the project and what is innovative about the service provided?

Platform Housing – An intelligent engagement system introduced with Voicescape to call residents proactively and give them real-time control of appointments (40,000 gas safety checks, 3,000 EICR inspections, and general repairs) to ensure no one is left behind. This replaced the previous system where residents had to call busy phone lines, wait in queues, and rearrange work or childcare (often more than once). This proactive system for resident engagement (via automated calls) empowers residents, and particularly benefits vulnerable residents who struggle with traditional contact methods. It offers multi-channel choice (phone or text message) with simple "YES" replies and provided a call queues bypass IVR systems, and automated transfers to connect residents directly to right team member when needed to transform a traditionally frustrating process into one where residents are in control.

What are the measurable benefits to the client, the contractor, the resident, and the neighbourhood?

Platform Housing – Technology being developed in partnership to reduce no-access, improve efficiency and tenant satisfaction.

Client Benefits: Dramatic operational improvements with no-access rates dropping for Gas servicing (31% to 17% since 2021), EICR inspections (41% to 18% since May 2023), and general repairs (92% response rate). 100% gas compliance achieved. Financially, with no-access costing £50/visit, the solution paid for itself in six months, enabling reinvestment into service improvements and enhanced team morale. Successful expansion from gas servicing to EICR inspections and general repairs proved model can grow with organizational needs.

Resident Benefits: Enhanced control and convenience (residents have immediate control over appointments, no phone queues or complex contact processes); satisfaction rates (96.4% resident and 95% response rate); reduced disruption (residents can schedule appointments around their lives) and reduced no-access rates; improved accessibility helps Vulnerable residents who previously struggled with traditional contact methods; faster issue resolution (general repairs - 92% response rate from 65,000 successfully connected calls.

Neighbourhood Benefits: Improved safety - 100% gas compliance means safer homes, risk of carbon monoxide incidents and gas-related emergencies reduced. Better-maintained housing stock contributes to neighbourhood pride and community standards. 96.4% resident satisfaction rate is building better overall relationships and trust with its local residents.

What are the financial costs and measurable cashable benefits over a defined time period?

Platform Housing – robust financial for investment established from calculating the cost of no-access visits across its portfolio (£50/visit) and measuring savings after implementation. It achieved measurable cashable savings for gas servicing (since 2021) from reduced no-access (31% to 17%) equivalent to £280,000 annual saving. Similarly for EICR inspections (since May 2023), reduced no-access (41% to 18%) gave £34,500 annual saving, and for General repairs (since April 2024) improving to 92% response rate and substantially reduced failed visits. More successful visits mean fewer van miles, cutting fuel use and emissions while easing pressure on operatives (aligning financial, social, and environmental value). System paid for itself entirely within the first six months of implementation and ongoing savings create a sustainable financial model, simultaneously improving resident satisfaction while reducing operational costs.

How relevant is this as an example that might be followed by other organisations?

Platform Housing – This model can be adopted by housing providers of any size seeking to improve resident engagement while addressing universal operational challenges, such as all no-access visits. Traditional appointment methods systematically fail residents and organisations alike. This system is scalable and adaptable across any size of organisation since Platform has expanded it from gas servicing to EICR inspections to general repairs. This approach could be applied to boiler servicing, kitchen and bathroom installations, planned improvement works, estate inspections, or any service requiring resident access. It is a Technology partnership model rather than complex in-house development, making the model accessible to organisations without extensive IT resources. Establishing clear metrics of cost per no-access visit, baseline no-access rates, and resulting savings enables other providers to build compelling business cases and to refer to this proven investment return. It also improves accessibility for vulnerable residents, increases trust (compliance is not just safety certificates) and improves satisfaction rates.