Bristol Turns To The Cloud To Transform Tenant Services

Bristol City Council has selected a cloud-based housing management system to streamline processes and enhance tenant services.

The local authority signed a £1.9m agreement with software, technology and outsourcing provider Civica after recognising the potential of its Housing Cx system.

The solution combines a modern interface with any time, any device accessibility for applicants, tenants and staff, alongside integrated customer management, which Bristol Council hopes provide the foundation for a responsive, personalised and efficient housing services able to anticipate changing demands.

The local government body is aiming to put technology at the heart of its operations to improve customer services and satisfaction, including for the 61,000 tenants across 28,000 homes in the city that will benefit from the adoption of the Civica system.

Housing Cx will allow council staff to access all information about tenancies, rents, repair works and feedback in one place as well as up-to-date information on waiting lists, repairs and maintenance logs.

The system is also designed to encourage tenant self-service by offering a simple to navigate, “app style” interface featuring separate CRM (Customer Relationship Management), tenant and supplier portals which allow housing managers to instantly check on the status of a repair using the same application and update records on the spot.

Integration With Existing Systems

The solution has the ability to automate tenant preferences, enabling them to receive communications via their preferred methods, for example, tenants can receive repair information via text and rents or arrears via letter.

It also integrates with Bristol’s own digital platform, supporting its council-wide initiatives to provide improve online services for citizens and suppliers.

The local authority also uses Civica’s Keystone asset management tool, which supports the effective administration of housing stock and will integrate with Housing Cx.

“The Council is committed to providing high quality housing services to our tenants. As part of this commitment, we are developing tools to improve the way our officers work,” claimed Councillor Daniella Radice, Assistant Mayor for Neighbourhoods with responsibility for Housing Delivery at the local authority.

“The system will work better for both officers and tenants. Officers will be able to access lots of different housing information in one place, and whilst they are out and about, not just in the office. Tenants will also be able to communicate better with the council about their housing issues using Civica.

“This is a significant investment in our housing services in Bristol and I look forward to its smooth implementation,” she added.

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