Technology is improving our services, so don’t overlook it
The housing sector is often perceived as hesitant to embrace innovation, but technology can improve services for customers and protect them, writes Shaun Holdcroft, chief growth officer at Legal & General Affordable Homes
We’re deep into the digital age – new technologies and advancements in AI are propelling progress and innovation across all walks of life. This is especially true for service-based sectors, where high-tech tools have provided endless options to customers and heightened expectations for seamless, high-quality online services, and affordable housing providers are no exception.
On average, 70% of social housing tenants report being satisfied with the service provided to them; this is outpaced by the private rented sector at around 79% satisfaction. In comparison, the major online UK banks, food retailers, automotive businesses and many utilities companies see satisfaction levels well above 80%.
Robust asset management, intuitive repairs reporting, streamlined onboarding and a comprehensive overview of our properties are all crucial components of an exceptional housing service. But capturing and processing this information with precision is often a laborious endeavour, susceptible to human error and, quite simply, inefficient.
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The role of tech isn’t limited to our operational teams – innovation is opening up new opportunities for deeper engagement with customers. Speaking with them at a time and place that works best for them and providing actionable insights.
Whether it’s a simple online consultation tool or using smart home technology to spot behavioural patterns to inform service delivery, the range of new tools at our disposal is transformational.
Tech not only improves service standards for customers, but it also protects them. More than half of UK businesses suffered a cyberattack or security breach in the past 12 months. Ensuring we have modern, secure systems is critical to protecting our organisations and customers from attempts to disrupt services or steal personal information.
Dozens of customer service and asset management solutions exist already. However, their impact is often limited as they tend to be operated as a standalone solution or mismatched to closed systems. This means there are still gaps in capturing all the information required and significant concerns over cybersecurity weaknesses with legacy systems not meeting modern standards.
Taking a step back, is digital the solution for everyone everywhere and every day? Of course not. As service businesses, we must offer intuitive multi-channel solutions that allow customers to personalise their experience of interacting with our organisations.
Additionally, the Office for National Statistics has indicated that more than five million people in the UK don’t use the internet and more than 10 million lack basic digital skills. We cannot forget about these groups when designing a digital future for housing. This may mean providing accessible training opportunities or maintaining offline channels for those who need them.
Will technology solve all of the sector’s challenges? Frankly, no.
Will it help us catch up with other service-focused sectors and with residents’ expectations, as well as freeing up time and resources to focus on more complex issues? Almost certainly, yes.
“Whether it’s a simple online consultation tool or using smart home technology to spot behavioural patterns to inform service delivery, the range of new tools at our disposal is transformational”
We recognised this opportunity when founding Legal & General’s affordable housing division (L&G Affordable Homes). We looked inside and outside the housing sector for best practice and inspiration, and in the end decided to invest in creating our own bespoke solution called My Brolly. It’s a cloud-based, AI-enabled system that sits at the heart of our business, combining all aspects of housing management on one single platform. Ultimately, it has delivered huge value to our operations team, partners and customers.
The housing sector is regularly perceived as hesitant to embrace innovation, but it shouldn’t overlook technology’s ability to make our services more efficient, effective and drive improvement.
Making progress on this front starts with having open discussions about the benefits technology can bring. That’s why L&G is glad to be joining other voices from around the sector to discuss AI and automation at Housing 2025 in June.
The potential for innovation is limitless – it’s just a case of how well and how open we are to embracing it.
Shaun Holdcroft, chief growth officer, Legal & General Affordable Homes
