Social housing: What tenants are trying to tell your mobile workforce

Waiting for a repair appointment can be stressful. Tenants have to let a stranger into their home, with no control over when they’ll arrive.   

Social landlords tell us that gaining access is a significant challenge. Often, tenants have popped out, unaware that the technician is on the way.  

For each missed appointment, skilled tradespeople and vehicles must be re-dispatched at a significant cost. Tenants’ anxiety is prolonged, which damages their overall satisfaction. 

So how can landlords and contractors get access first time around? 

Providing tenants with real-time SMS updates is an obvious solution. But if communication is only one-sided, you’re missing opportunities to salvage appointments. By providing a two-way communication portal,  residents can share information that will lead to successful repairs. 

Here we’ll look the types of messages that tenants share with repair operatives. You’ll see how customer communication increases first-time access, speeds up service times, and reduces operational costs. 

Speed up access 

With two-way communication, customers can share information that helps operatives to gain access. This reduces down-time and improves the experience for tenants and mobile workers. 

• I'm out the back so come through the side gate when you arrive. 
• Come in through the back door. I’ve shut the dog out of the kitchen. 
• At gate please use password 12345.
• Please knock loudly, doorbell is broken.

Avoid missed appointments 

Missed appointments are incredibly costly, especially where skilled technicians are involved. Thankfully, these examples show many appointments can be saved with access to the right information. 

• I'm out, but neighbours will let you in.  
• Wow, I only just submitted the request. I'm at the shop but will be back by 3:15. Please wait! 
• Please don't arrive until 8am, and wait for the door to be answered in case I'm upstairs. 
• Please ring at door 25, I'm visiting neighbour.

Provide extra details 

Even if the tenant is ready and waiting, there may be vital details that they need to share. Such information can reduce service time and safeguard technicians. 

• Please knock then go straight in – Sue is expecting you, but she can't get to the door.
• I have dogs, wait for me to come and open the gate.
• Please don’t park the van in front of number 7. 

Avoid unnecessary visits 

Two-way communication can highlight an unnecessary appointment. This helps to reduce unnecessary mileage and flag errors in the booking system. 

• Someone already came and it's sorted now. Thank you. 
• Emergency team fixed it yesterday, no need for another call out.  

Collect useful feedback 

It’s possible to automatically send a feedback survey as soon the job is completed. Tenants can respond while the experience is still fresh in their mind. 

Negative feedback lets you identify problems quickly, while positive feedback can indicate that there’s no need for a follow up. This allows service staff to focus on customers who need additional support. 

• The technician left water everywhere and didn’t fix the leak. 
• The operative didn’t have the right tools and must come back another time.
• The contractor was on time and really polite :) 

The value of customer engagement 

How much time and money does your organisation lose through missed appointments? And how many tenants have felt disempowered with no easy way to share information? 

With real-time visibility and communications, you can increase your first-time fix  rates and boost tenant engagement. Talk to Descartes today to get started.