Housing associations aim to put residents at the heart of everything they do – but do they think of them as a customer? In the housing sector, the word customer can feel a little cold and commercial. Whilst they’re always a tenant first-and-foremost, they deserve the same level of respect and service as a customer. Plus, the commercial aspects of customer service can actually lead to a more streamlined journey for everyone involved.
The customer experience is having a huge impact across every sector, and housing associations should start thinking a bit more like bigger companies that are revolutionising customer service. A report by social housing provider Acis found that four out of five residents expect the same level of service from their social housing provider as they do from headline brands such as Amazon or Royal Mail – which makes complete sense, considering they'll view all of them as service providers.
As the housing sector continues to become more competitive than ever, delivering exceptional customer experience is going to be a key differentiator. Investment in the right technology and channel shift processes now will pave the way for building more dynamic relationships with tenants. You just have to be brave enough to move away from what you’re used to and embrace a culture of continuous improvement…
Customer experience refers to all of the meaningful interactions you have on a daily basis with your residents and how each one makes them feel. How quickly you respond to an issue, how helpful you are on the phone, how often you contact them – these all build toward how customers perceive your organisation, and affect how they then behave towards you.
Ultimately, if your tenants have a good experience with your organisation, you’re going to be in a much better position to offer continued support and build a more trusting, long-term relationship. On average across all sectors, 60% of UK companies get customer service right first time – compared to 43% for the social housing sector.
Read this. Don’t think of this process as commercialisation – but as a route to a more agile, innovative business approach that will help your organisation respond to the ever-changing markets and technological evolutions. You’re not bringing in automation to cut costs and save time, you’re doing it to enhance the quality of life of your residents.