Watford Community Housing

With a portfolio of over 6,800 homes in 20 local communities across South West Hertfordshire, one of the largest logistical challenges Watford Community Housing faces is co-ordinating an effective repairs and maintenance program. 

In an ongoing effort to provide residents with an efficient, transparent service, the not-for-profit housing association has teamed up with customer engagement expert Localz to roll out real-time operative tracking, allowing a faster and more flexible repairs process for both residents and repairs professionals.

One of the main benefits of this deployment is the control and reassurance it provides for customers. 

On the day of their appointment, customers will receive a message when their technician is en route, with a link to a live map that functions in a very similar way to Uber or Deliveroo. Customers can also message the technician to give direction on how to access the property, allowing for extra precautions so that both resident and operative are comfortable that the repair has been undertaken in a covid-friendly manner.

Automated communications powered by Localz’s intuitive workflows give tenants a real-time update on the ETA of their repairs operative, removing the need for manual communications and ensuring streamlined maintenance visits.

As a direct result of the real time visibility around appointments and tracking capability, the first-time access rates for technicians will increase, facilitating a higher number of repairs in a smaller time frame. 

Automated communications and self-service appointment details should also lead to a reduced volume of calls to Watford Community Housing as customers are automatically informed as to the status of their repair and whereabouts of their operative. 

Looking to the future, the housing association will also benefit from user friendly feedback forms sent to the customer immediately after each appointment. These will guarantee a fully- functional feedback loop that it can use to continually evolve the customer experience. 

This upgrade to the repairs service is indicative of Watford Community Housing’s commitment to its customer promise, to deliver a first-class repairs service that is effortless and convenient for all of its tenants.