Background
Platform Housing Group (PHG), the largest social landlord in the Midlands and among the top 15 nationally, manages approximately 46,000 homes. Formed in 2018 through the merger of Fortis Living and Waterloo Housing, PHG faced numerous challenges in integrating its operations, particularly in the realm of technology. The two entities had been using different versions of Capita Housing Management Software (HMS), necessitating the development of a unified, efficient system to streamline operations and improve customer service.
Problem
The primary challenge for PHG was the lack of a cohesive and integrated data management system. The merger resulted in disparate systems and workflows, leading to inefficiencies and potential data inconsistencies. This fragmentation hindered PHG’s ability to provide seamless customer service and posed difficulties in maintaining operational continuity. The need for a single, consolidated platform was critical to ensure a unified customer experience, efficient workflow automation, and comprehensive data integrity.
PHG required a solution that could integrate various business functions, from customer service and asset management to financial operations, while also being scalable and future-proof. Additionally, the increasing demand for 24/7 customer engagement through digital channels required catering to this demand.
Solution
To address these challenges, PHG partnered with Crimson, a technology and recruitment company with expertise in Microsoft cloud technology and IT consultancy. Crimson was selected because it can deliver inclusive technical and commercial solutions, configure systems rapidly, and provide flexible, needs-oriented support, aligning with PHG’s specific requirements.
The solution, named Platform One, involved deploying Microsoft Dynamics 365 across the organisation. This platform was chosen for its scalability and ability to offer a unified view of customer interactions and business processes. The implementation was structured into four key phases:
- Solution High-Level Design and Customer Experience Phase 1: This phase involved consultation workshops and the design process to integrate Microsoft Dynamics into PHG’s existing customer contact centres, creating a new customer portal and consolidating customer services.
- Housing Operations/Integration: This phase focused on integrating front-office delivery through a new CRM system, consolidating legacy systems, and gradually phasing out Capita HMS systems in favour of Dynamics 365 functionalities.
- Asset Management: This phase aims to improve and integrate asset management processes, including maintenance and compliance, to enhance efficiency and operational management.
- Financial Integration: This final phase involved enhancing financial systems, including core processing, debt management, and service charges, to ensure seamless financial operations across the group.
Outcome
The implementation of Platform One resulted in significant improvements for PHG. Key outcomes and benefits included:
- Data Integrity: A unified data management system ensured consistency in reporting and monitoring, reduced manual crosschecks, and enabled advanced data science capabilities for trend analysis and predictive insights.
- Operational Efficiency: Integrating various systems and automating processes eliminated inefficiencies, reduced manual interventions, and allowed staff to focus on more productive tasks. This process re-engineering ensured that customer needs were met more expediently and consistently.
- Enhanced Customer Engagement: The new system provided a seamless omni-channel engagement experience, enabling customers to interact with PHG through various digital channels. The introduction of CRM principles allowed staff to access comprehensive customer records, improving case management and customer satisfaction.
- Future-Proofing and Scalability: The adoption of Microsoft Dynamics 365, with its continuous updates and AI-driven capabilities, ensured that PHG’s system remained current and adaptable to future needs. This investment facilitated ongoing innovation and responsiveness to changing customer and operational demands.
“For us, this is a generational transformation. The delivery between Crimson and ourselves is now moving on from the initial scoping into a programmed integration, with clear ways of working agreed and adopted. The design and configuration progress so far has been exciting to see and even in times of uncertainty and disruption, the collaboration between Crimson and our team has been excellent. Although we still have a long journey ahead of us, we have deep confidence in our delivery partners, together we can navigate this major technological integration and adoption”
Jon Cocker, Chief Information Officer, Platform Housing Group