Project Synopsis
Starts With You (SWY) is a social enterprise based in Bolton, providing property services to ethical landlords and housing associations including Bolton at Home.
SWY inspects, maintains and manages properties to ensure they are safe and fit for purpose, with significant value placed on providing high quality places to live and having a positive impact on communities.
Following a competitive open tender process, SWY chose TSS and our F0CUS solution to meet their requirements for cloud-based contract management software to support the delivery of property services to a range of B2B and B2C clients.
We were asked to support their facilities management function of Property Clean and Clearance, Statutory Building Inspections and Handy Persons Services. We have also provided commercial management advice including modelling of rates for tender purposes, operational delivery, reporting, and client portal functionality.
Implementation
As part of our implementation process our team held a number of pre-mobilisation meetings with SWY representatives which included a ‘brown paper’ exercise to scope out their requirements for the works they undertake. After which we have tailored made the solution to meet SWY’s needs for the following work types: Damp & Mould, Static Caretakers, Handy Person, Statutory Inspections and Voids.
The phasing and testing of the system was undertaken by agreement between our respective parties including agreed timescales, after which the successful completion of the same was rolled out within the business, with all relevant procedures/documentation/forms available to managers and operatives via laptop/tablet and also via our F0CUS mobile app giving individuals the ability to access the system whilst out in the field installed on a mobile phone.
We developed tailor-made reports for SWY and these can be run on an adhoc basis or scheduled to be delivered at regular intervals – configurable by the client. We have received positive feedback from client teams using F0CUS to manage their workload and deliver services to customers.
Social value
- SWY delivers life-changing social programmes and a core part of TSS’s service offering is to bring tangible social value to SWY and the communities in which it works.
- Throughout the contract to date, TSS and SWY have worked closely together to agree and implement initiatives that truly add value to local communities. Our actions include:
- Offering work placements to students and/or people over 50 looking to return to work or change career
- Providing training to SWY employees to upskill the team and provide new skillsets and transferrable skills
- Donating old laptops and other IT equipment to local charity
- Commitment to donate 1% of our annual contract turnover to SWY’s nominated charity, the local Woodland Trust
- TSS staff volunteering at careers fairs and/or providing digital inclusion training.
Overcoming challenges
A major challenge overcome was being able to demonstrate that a client’s representative had attended a property to gain entry to carry out required works.
We were able to design our solution to time stamp every attempt made via a photograph which is saved to the system. A copy of this evidence can be forwarded to the client should they require it.
Successes
- Collaborative working
- Developed a flexible and response system of working
- Better informed decisions
- Improved stakeholder satisfaction
- Planning / scheduling tool has greatly improved efficiency by reducing abortive property visits.
Testimonial
"We’re delighted to appoint TSS as our partner and to introduce F0CUS to improve SWY’s efficiency, business intelligence, and customer experience across our Property Services portfolio. Our businesses share common values and complementary skills which will strengthen both partners, combining commercial expertise with a commitment to responsible business practice and to delivering genuine social impact. We are delighted TSS has recently become an accredited Real Living Wage employer, a supporter of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter. We are excited about the opportunity to build a strong and innovative partnership"
