The 70-strong repairs and maintenance team at Dane Housing Group are now using hand-held mobile devices and software from Telecetera to deliver more responsive services to tenants.
Dane, which looks after 4000 homes in Cheshire, had found that the processes required to support its repairs and maintenance teams were inefficient and very paper-intensive, with some 1200 jobs each month requiring over 5000 sheets of supporting documentation.
Integrating with Dane’s existing IBS housing management system and other applications, Telecetera’s Connect mobile data communication system makes job scheduling easier, significantly reduces the need for reams of supporting paperwork and provides reporting tools for Dane’s management team.
Howard Jones, communications director, Dane Housing Group, said, “Connect isn’t just about tracking or maintenance or booking operatives – it’s a fully integrated business solution which uses the latest hand-held technology combined with well-established IT techniques.”
The PDAs also provide the security of location monitoring and lone worker protection. Howard Jones said, “We have a duty as an employer to have safe working arrangements in place for lone workers. The system helps us to discharge this duty by allowing us to determine the location of each of our team members at any given time.”
Malcolm Pooley, a plumber with Dane, said, “I was reluctant to use a PDA at first but I can’t believe how easy and fantastic it is. It allows me to plan my workload better and as a result I visit more residents in a day than ever before. A quicker, better service to residents has to be good for business and for staff.”
