Moving to the cloud
Mention of cloud-based technologies seems to be everywhere these days. Whether moving sensitive data to the cloud for better security, or installing virtual desktops for added agility, organisations across the UK are beginning to see the benefits of taking a cloud-first approach.
This is true for the housing sector, with many of the biggest HAs moving some, or all, of their operations to the cloud. Riverside Housing, for example, are now using Dynamic Resource Scheduling to ensure the right resources are deployed for maintenance and repairs jobs, while Monmouthshire Housing Association have put cloud-based software at the heart of their performance management.
Other groups are taking a more wholesale approach – Lincoln Council is in the process of moving all of its housing services to the cloud in order to improve the lives of it’s 8,000 tenants. The setup will include a portal for tenants to view information such as rent statements, and reports on repairs. It will also include a portal for staff, making remote work easier.
Considerations
Clearly, then, organisations are putting people first in their decision to move towards cloud-based solutions. Does the solution bring advantages to your employees? How can the solution benefit tenants? These are questions that should be asked when addressing cloud adoption, but there are other areas to consider.
Cost, of course, is a big consideration. Your organisation may not have the required funding to move all operations to the cloud; migration may need to happen incrementally. When considering areas of priority, think about which areas have the most immediate impact on tenant and employee satisfaction, such as the management of maintenance and repairs.
Skills is another area to consider. Are your employees generally comfortable with new technologies, and if not, is the cloud software you are looking at intuitive and user-friendly? Is there someone within the organisation that could manage new cloud-based applications, or would 3rd party management be needed?
Which cloud?
There are three main types of cloud adoption: public, private, and hybrid. Which you choose is entirely down to your data needs – for organisations with highly sensitive public data, a private cloud setup is usually the best option. Here, data is stored securely on a private cloud system, and the user has complete control over which hardware and software they choose to implement.
With the public cloud, all applications are available over a public network, typically on a pay-as-you-go model. This means the public cloud is highly scalable – applications can be added as, and when, they are needed. It also means that your organisation is free from maintenance and update costs.
The hybrid cloud is an increasingly popular model, often used by housing associations and other public sector bodies. This model brings a ‘best-of-both-world’ solution, with access to all the applications that you would expect to find on the public cloud, alongside the secure storage of sensitive data on a private cloud platform.
How can we benefit from cloud adoption?
Almost every area of your organisation can benefit from cloud-based systems, from HR though to invoicing. We’ve listed five areas that can be greatly improved through implementing our leading cloud-based solutions, designed to save costs, increase employee engagement, improve customer satisfaction, and streamline workflows.
1. Field service management
With the Operative On Way component of Field Service Management from OneAdvanced, tenants get real-time communication updates from the operative, increasing access rates and improving tenant satisfaction. The operative has access to optimised, real-time route planning, ensuring maximum productivity, while for managers, Dynamic Resource Management allocates the right resources to the right jobs.
2. Domiciliary and residential care
Care Cloud is a true SaaS product, with multiple functions for care providers. Intelligent rostering simplifies care planning, rota planning, and shift planning, while automated payroll and invoicing ensures accuracy and efficiency. Interactive dashboards give you total visibility of operations, even if you have multiple locations and complex structures. Care Cloud works perfectly on mobile devices, making it ideal for care providers in the field.
3. Financials
With cloud-based Financials software from Advanced, you get real-time financial information from any device and in any location. From accounting to asset and inventory management, Financials gives you the information you need to streamline your daily operations. A useful Project Tracking module gives managers complete visibility of costs and planned commitments at every stage of the project life cycle.
4. HR
With our HR solution, employees are able to book leave and report absences from their mobile devices, while the powerful reporting dashboard allows managers to view historical periods of absence. The dashboard also gives data on DE&I, and helps the user set up inclusionary practices such as gender pay-gap reporting.
5. Performance and talent
Replacing the outdated annual appraisal model of feedback, Performance and Talent encourages consistent and regular feedback from all levels of your organisation. Feedback is given is real time, providing an instant morale boost, and objectives can be set for employees to hit throughout the year. Intelligent AI assists the employee when writing feedback, ensuring everyone feels engaged and valued.
Discover our powerful cloud-based solutions for the housing sector.