Over the past five years, there has been a notable change in the expectations of residents, thanks to the rapid progression of development and implementation of technology in the housing industry. 

Residents now demand and expect faster responses, along with access to information at their fingertips, marking a change in expectations which has accelerated the need for more sophisticated software and more streamlined processes. 

The introduction of technology like contractor and resident portals, digital workflows, digital libraries, live tracking apps, complaints module and online calendar and scheduling have played an important role in meeting expectations. 

There are several stages to the defect management process, all of which are set to be impacted and improved by the implementation of technology. The stages are:

1. Defect Prevention
2. Deliverable Baseline
3. Defect Discovery
4. Defect Resolution
5. Process Improvement
6. Management Reporting

The most important point to remember is that at the core of these stages is a resident looking for a quick and efficient resolution. 

As technology continues to be integrated into most industries, customers have certain expectations, many of  which have changed over the past five years, leading to the availability of more transparency and communication capabilities.

Historically, the use of pen and paper has dominated the defect management landscape for many years but the process has obvious limitations which could lead to errors.

So why is defect management so important for housing associations? There are several reasons why:

• It is your legal duty
• It has a serious impact on your reputation
• You can save time and money on remedial work
• It can help avoid construction claims and litigation
• Reduce the risk of death or injury
• It can help you stick to the project timeline
• It is better for the environment
• Saves time for management teams
• It can help boost morale

It’s clear that defect management is vital for companies working within the housing industry. Technology plays an important role in ensuring that areas have been met and defects are resolved.

Resident Expectations

As residents become more savvy at using technology and defect management software companies encourage housing associations, housebuilders, principal contractors and subcontractors to invest in modern technology, it is expected the processes will become faster and more responsive. 

Residents will be able to keep track of defects, share documents and communicate online to make real time decisions.

This technological implementation enhances the expectation from homeowners and what they expect from the industry, while giving them the opportunity to provide constructive feedback. As a result, housing associations and defect management software companies will have the ability to adapt and make real time corrections.

Housing Industries Progression and Adaptability 

As technology has accelerated the expectations and demands from residents, the housing industry must continue to develop and stay one step ahead. 

There are numerous technological developments which could become the norm over the next five years – CGI/Imagery, Automation, Digital Mapping and location plus AI/advanced analytics. These developments will play a huge part in reducing the amount of defects, streamlining the processes and enhancing the services for residents. 

The Landsite, the UK’s real estate platform for property developers, investors and landlords recently commented:

“The advancement of technology within the property sector over the past decade has changed the industry and resulted in an explosion of applications and solutions for thousands of services. 

“The real estate technology ecosystem is shifting toward integrated software platforms that better serve customer needs. The global COVID-19 pandemic forced many businesses serving the real estate market to digitise and use technology to facilitate collaboration, serve client needs and boost business productivity.”

The housing industry is constantly pushing to develop and progress, but requires the parties within the industry to adapt and utilise the technologies available to benefit the resident.

A word from our CEO and co-founder

“Residents’ expectations and demands have changed, software has transformed the way homeowners expect to be communicated and informed. At clixifix® we believe that the residents’ expectations should be at the forefront of everything we do. The implementation has been designed to meet and exceed the expectations of residents. The shift in the industry has enhanced the expectations of residents and it is our job to deliver to the highest standards.”

Conclusion

The advancement and implementation of technology will always have an impact on residents’ expectations. It is clearly in the best interest for the housing industry to meet these expectations through investment in the most sophisticated and intuitive technology to further help residents receive the service they expect. 

Residents will always expect faster responses, less defects, more efficient defect management processes and improved communication and transparency. It is up to the software companies like us to give the housing industry the tools to deliver this.