Comment: Tim Cowland

By Tim Cowland, Socitm Advisory

As housing providers continue to share distressing stories about the financial choices their customers are being pushed to make, they, too, are being pushed to make difficult decisions.

Income forecasts are being amended to account for financial pressures, including the rent ceiling and spiralling energy, material and labour costs. Leaders are understandably being asked what activity can be paused or scrapped altogether?

In this climate, it will take both foresight and courage for landlords to continue their investments in new technology and improved data processes.

These are longer-term investments at a time of (hopefully) short-term crisis.

But we must not forget that it’s these projects which are going to reduce inefficiencies in our organisations, create lasting savings and, most importantly, underpin excellent, efficient and effective customer services.

And aren’t these the factors driving conversations in board rooms across the country?

Yes, this requires upfront capital expenditure investments now, and ideally out of this year’s budgets. But it can make sure your business is in a position to work smarter and leaner, protecting as much as possible against a drop off in service standards.

It’s reassuring to see many senior leaders focusing their attention on how to support their tenants in response to current Covid recovery and the cost-of-living crisis, whilst their colleagues in transformation keep an eye on the long term, structural challenges ahead.

It’d be a crying shame to see the progress we’ve made on innovation and technology undone. I’m afraid it won’t simply be a case of picking it back up in a few years, and housing will simply fall further behind other sectors.

And what would it mean for tenants? Many landlords delivered digital and data transformation in record time when pushed due to Covid-19 restrictions. And many experienced higher tenant engagements as a result. We mustn’t lose this momentum.

It’s a real concern to know that so many people in your neighbourhoods will have to forego phone and internet connections to afford basic survival – food and warmth. And as we know, if those on the lowest incomes have to sacrifice connectivity, they potentially become harder to reach and more isolated.

Digital inclusion is not an ‘add on’ or a nice to have. It’s pivotal to achieving overall business objectives – and a fairer society.

As we face another time of national emergency, we have to think laterally about the solutions. We can’t let progress stall for our organisations, or our communities.