Delivering Innovation And Efficiency: Finalist

Transcription

1 Delivering Innovation And Efficiency: Finalist Harvest Housing Group: Voxy Media Project Summary The VOXPOD aims to be an accessible and easy to use tool that was introduced to us at CIH Harrogate 2009 on our feature stand, to canvas customer opinion on a range of self chosen topics, via simple touchscreen surveys or videos. The VOXPOD tool then evolved into The Mediabank Project. This was a joint pilot project between TAROE (Tenants & Residents Organisations England) and the Housing Mediabank, and is a project that has been endorsed by the TSA. It has been designed to help landlords communicate with their residents in a new way using national standard video material, for four key service areas: Repairs ASB Providing Quality Accommodation Paying Your Rent. You can also design specific surveys linked to video materials or photographs on the front screen show-reels. The VOXPOD then allows customers to leave comments via text or by leaving video messages - after watching a short

2 information video or by doing a short topic based survey. What did you set out to achieve? 1. Create a tool that helps get information to and from customers in a more interactive way without having to read leaflets, complete paper surveys or attend regular meetings. 2. Create a portable tool that could be taken out to customers in their neighbourhoods. 3. Create a more inclusive tool that is easy to use by those who may have difficulties leaving text comments i.e. customers with a disability, literacy issues or language difficulties (by being able to leave video comments). 4. Develop a tool that made use of touch screen technology and produced information in a range of ways (i.e. videos, text comments and surveys) to help gather customer opinion. These could then be used: On the VOXPOD Shown on Reception TVs Used in sign-up DVDs Shown on the website (and as part of the pilot project, we were able to trail the videos on a 3 months FREE license on the Harvest website). 5. Produce a tool that is cost effective and affordable to a wide range of registered providers and local authorities, yet also have the ability to be tailored to individual organisations needs. 6. Achieve VFM, by producing a tool where the bulk non-pilot video production costs ( 50K) could be shared amongst a pool of nationally participating organisations. 7. Create a VOXPOD tool which produces data easily - where the survey, text or video comment outputs (i.e. providing both quantitative and qualitative data), could easily be downloaded and presented in a range of forums, e.g.: Tenant meetings Staff and board presentations Stimulate wider debate and customer opinion Provide customer feedback comments for the website Quote customer comments in future publications Display data responses on reception TVs and VOXPOD surveys to stimulate further debate.

3 How were these aims and objectives met? Yes the VOXPOD tool achieved all objectives listed in question two and because the pilot project has been so successful, and has obtained approval from organisations such as the TSA, TAROE, and SLCNG. It has now started to look at producing a bank of up to 26 national TSA standardised videos on other housing service related areas such as: Repairs ASB Paying your rent Quality of accommodation Domestic abuse Hate crime Getting involved Condensation Garden standards Cultural awareness Sheltered housing Adapted homes Energy efficiency Home safety Bogus callers Money and debt advice Community projects Neighbourhood initiatives Accessibility to services Home safety Home security Guide for new tenants Parking safely Diet eat well campaigns Garages. It will aim to achieve this by creating a wider pool of RSLs wanting to produce and buy into the Mediabank videos on a 12 month license giving them the choice to pick and choose which videos they want to opt for at a competitive rate. One of the advantages that the VOXPOD demonstrates in using national standard video and text material is that it allows organisations to achieve huge efficiencies. This is because whilst the surveys can potentially be self designed, the standardised videos can be used by all registered providers. The surveys and video material can then be branded and tailored to suit individual local organisations needs (i.e. Harvests or others). This ensures we all work to a single national standard video on key service areas yet also gives us the ability to give and receive local customer

4 information and responses via the surveys that will be useful to each individual organisations needs. What challenges did the project face, and what lessons were learned? 1. Initially identifying RSLs to take part in the pilot project. After presenting the concept and idea to over 14 organisations for the pilot, four of them were chosen to take part in the pilot with TAROE and The Housing Mediabank Project. These were: Harvest Housing Group (registered provider) Halton Housing Trust (ALMO) City West Housing Trust Northwards Housing. 2. Promoting the tool and developing it to incorporate visual media as well as textual surveys into the VOXPODs. 3. Getting the initial buy into the project and promoting the idea and concept to the senior management teams within our respective pilot organisations at the same time was a challenge but this was overcome by preparing a demo/presentation and offering an attractive starter package for the VOXPOD and video Mediabank, which included: 1 20inch touch screen VOXPOD unit worth 2k (plus two hours on site training) 1 day filming (Harvest offices, properties, etc.) 4 films (on a 12 month license). 4. Coordinating the production of the four Mediabank videos in a quick and timely manner within the short three-month timescale of the pilot project between January-March This was overcome by Harvest offering advice on the national standard script production and providing easy access to its properties, staff and offices to complete the majority of the videoing for the Mediabank videos in the four key service areas. How was the success of the project measured? 1. To develop the VOXPOD tool in such a way was attractive to customers and suited their needs as well as those of all registered providers. 2. The production of the four pilot key service area videos within the three month pilot timescales. 3. We monitored the VOXPODs usage, popularity and feedback from customers, officers and staff at a range of events e.g. using the VOXPOD: As a survey tool at six customer road shows, where over 200 customers

5 were asked their opinions on Harvests new key business objectives At a customer consultation meeting on proposed re-investment and improvement works at the West View site in Accrington Getting customers to monitor our Customer Service Standards at Frontis office reception in Warrington over a month s period As a survey tool and videos at the Manchester City Council Homelife conference to gain customer opinion on key service areas such as repairs and lettings As a survey tool to gather staff and officer opinion on the new Stockport office at its opening in January 2010 As a survey tool to gather visitor questions for the Big Debate at Harvest s Annual Seminar Canvassing over 700 customers, staff and officers opinions on Harvests local offers project at the CIH conference in Harrogate Within a week of the event, we had over 20 specific requests from officers and organisations for further details on the VOXPODS. What were the key positive outcomes? Achieving an affordable cost for the Mediabank pilot, e.g for a three month pilot which ran between January-March Successfully promoting and creating a healthy demand for the use of the VOXPOD across the organisation by staff at all levels. This can be demonstrated at Harvest by the log of VOXPOD usage since March Being able to demonstrate larger numbers of customer involvement and feedback through having a more interactive and visual tool to gather customer feedback and opinion, which ultimately helps us to review our key service area provision and subsequently tailor the services to suit our customers needs. How did the project demonstrate positive practice in equality and diversity? The touch-screen design of the VOXPODs, and the visual nature of the videos, allows access to those with a disability/vulnerability, literacy issues and language issues to also take part in leaving feedback (through leaving a video massage). This has been clearly demonstrated at the events where we have used the VOXPOD. For example the recent Harrogate conference where: We obtained feedback from a customer in Guajarati on the local offers project Customers who found it difficult to attend meetings or complete paper based surveys due to a disability / vulnerability could easily give their feedback using the easy touch-screen technology

6 Customers who had literacy issues could also give feedback after watching the Mediabank videos. The easy and portable nature of the VOXPODs also allows us to get feedback from customers from within their neighbourhood settings - whom we would normally find more difficult to reach, for example, elderly and vulnerable customers through sheltered schemes, or younger people. The portability of the VOXPODs also allows us to place it at venues on pedestals that are DDA compliant, e.g. at a height of 700mm so that wheelchair user access is also achievable. What elements of the project could be replicated by others? The VOXPOD and Mediabank tool has been designed so that it can be used by ALL registered providers, local authorities and customers but can then be tailored by each individual organisation to suit its own local needs. The project will also achieve huge efficiencies by the collective of RSLs/LAs producing one set of Mediabank videos materials that comply with national standards for key service areas. How does your project help to promote and support choice and independence? As demonstrated above, there is a clear need for innovative customer engagement tools that don t simply reply on physically meeting with customers, or filling out lengthy, and often complex, surveys. Harvest, alongside many other RSLs and LAs, has a very varied customer base, often where English is not someone s first language or there are learning / /disability / vulnerability or access hurdles. Harvest wanted to introduce a tool that was interactive, visual, mobile and diverse and that was the main driving need for the innovation. How will you ensure that your project will continue to have an impact on the lives of vulnerable people? Taking into account all of the above, Harvest looked at the current market to look at, and sample, technologies that met the specification the Group had given itself in terms of what it needed from the tool. Due to the diverse range of engagement methods displayed by the VOXPODS (touch screen surveys, touch type comments, video messaging and video streaming) Harvest chose VOXPOD as the tool to use in its new innovative engagement and consultation project.