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Connexus is a community-focused rural housing group with over 10,500 homes across Shropshire and Herefordshire, focussing on providing good-quality affordable housing to the counties of Herefordshire and Shropshire.
Connexus is committed to delivering an effective repairs and maintenance service to customers which offers a resolution at the first opportunity. It is developing new ways of working which will put the customer front and centre and deliver efficient and equitable services to all users based on modern, accessible systems.
Contract announcement
The contract to deliver a new repairs and maintenance management system for Connexus was awarded to MRI Software in May. MRI already supports Connexus with solutions for Asset Management, and Finance Management.
With the new project, Connexus will facilitate improved repairs and maintenance services for its customers by enabling modern work practices. As a result of this enhancement, customers and staff members will be able to communicate more effectively.
Deborah Matthews, Managing Director of MRI Living for Social Housing commented:
“When it comes to repairs and maintenance, it’s essential to be on the front foot and positively impact residents and properties as quickly as possible. Budgetary pressures make it even more important to use every resource efficiently and to control costs. This project signifies an exciting development in our long-standing partnership with Connexus and their goal to build an unrivalled repairs and maintenance service for customers.
As a result of implementing MRI Repairs, a solution designed for the repairs and maintenance of properties and assets in the social housing sector, Connexus operatives will be able to operate faster, smarter and more proactively. This new solution will ensure residents and operatives benefit from intuitive, intelligent, and future-proof repair and maintenance services.
We look forward to working with a fantastic team at Connexus on this project.”
Improvements
Connexus looked at how their repair service could complement and work alongside other parts of the organisation (known as ‘systems thinking’) to map out their future working practices. MRI Software demonstrated that we could support the way they want to work in the future.
The new system will:
Enable customer services teams to book jobs easily and at times that better suit customers, giving them access to the latest details and progress updates on jobs (including those allocated to contractors).
Allocate jobs to repair teams based on their personal skills and current locations, enabling them to attend jobs more quickly, with the information and materials required to complete the job ‘the first time’.
Make it easier for those working on long-term or planned projects to update job progress and complete compliance certificates (such as decent homes and void programmes).
Provide ground maintenance colleagues with more accurate information using map-based systems.
Link suppliers and their systems to the organisation so that materials and van stocks are updated more efficiently.
Enable planners to work more efficiently and under less pressure freeing up their time to deal with complex issues.
The implementation will take 12 – 15 months to complete and is planned to ‘go live’ by the end of July 2024.
Fleur Whittingham, head of repairs at Connexus commented:
“We’re excited about growing our relationship with MRI and introducing a new repairs and maintenance system.
“It will bring major improvements to how we deliver our service and enhance the experience for our customers. Communication is a top priority for key stakeholders including customers, and MRI Repairs will help us keep making progress in this area.
“Our teams in the field and the office will also benefit from better connectivity, access to the latest information, and experience less frustration from unnecessary travel and missed appointments.”
