Following an Audit Commission inspection which highlighted the need for Gateshead Housing Company to review its web site, the housing provider launched a new ‘customer-centric’ site based on Jadu’s content management platform.
Following the tender process for the development of the new site, web content management system provider Jadu was selected as the development partner. As the web platform for GHC development, the Jadu CMS includes online forms, Google searches, user intelligence, statistical reporting, standards compliance, and product and catalogue management.
The new web site for GHC, which manages 21,000 properties in the North East of England, was implemented over a three-month period in partnership with Jadu. During that time, GHC’s four-strong communications team moved more than 50,000 pieces of web content to the new site, with a further 50,000 content updates completed since its launch.
In February 2009, after the launch of the new site, the Audit Commission said that GHC’s services were ‘excellent’, that it had ‘excellent prospects for improvement’, and gave it a three-star rating.
Mark Birch, strategic ICT manager, Gateshead Housing Company, said, “The implementation of the Jadu content management system has been a key factor in delivering our customer-centric services. The web site is now a true access channel and is capable of delivering a wide range of customer-focused services, such as integrated housing applications, bids for property and repairs reporting.”
Recent additions to GHC’s site include location-specific information due to the ability of the CMS to provide area-based pages. The next phase of development includes the provision of web services so that tenants can check on their rental status and arrears.
