Discovery on housing repairs and defining a common service pattern

Tender description

Why the Work is Being Done Councils are responsible for providing repairs to socially rented properties. Most users access the service by phone and it is typically the service with highest volumes. The service is attractive to provide digitally, however when an acceptable telephone channel exists take-up is often low. Consequently housing providers do not always realise expected savings from channel shift and providing digital repairs services that meet the service standard may not be economical for smaller providers. We want to run a discovery on whether a common service pattern for housing repairs is possible and what it would look like. Problem to Be Solved The national cost of repairs call handling is estimated at >£30m p/a. Based on our experiences only ~50% of calls are for new repairs implying significant levels of failure demand. Take-up of online repairs is also low compared to telephone channels. We want to understand: -Barriers to adoption of digital repairs services -Elements best suited to automation/self-service -Optimal uses of technology to improve user satisfaction and reduce costs -Is a common service pattern for end-to-end delivery of repairs possible -How the service pattern can be mapped to the Housing Associations' Charitable Trust repairs data standard. Who Are the Users -request and track repairs at my convenience, so I don't have to chase -raise emergency repairs that are handled quickly, so I don't have to worry -request repairs to communal areas, so they are safe and well maintained As a customer service agent I need easy access to information, so I can help callers. As a repairs operative I need to: -know what I’m expected to fix, so that I arrive able to fix it. -raise additional jobs, so that repairs are resolved -know jobs are recorded accurately, so that I am paid correctly Early Market Engagement None Work Already Done We are collating user research from organisations and other councils that have previously taken a user-centred service design approach to repairs. We want the existing user research to be taken into consideration so we are not starting from the beginning. More information can be found as part of our successful bid for MHCLG funding https://localdigital.gov.uk/funding/london-borough-of-southwark/. Existing Team 1x Project Manager at each authority 1x User Researcher at Lewisham Homes 1x Business Analyst at Southwark 1x Business Analyst at Lincoln 1x Business Analyst at Gravesham 1x Repairs Officers from Lewisham Homes, Southwark, Lincoln and Gravesham Current Phase Not started Work Location The supplier will be expected to conduct one week of user research at each partner organisation site - Southwark Council, Lewisham Homes, Lincoln Council and Gravesham Council. Base organisation will be Southwark Council at 160 Tooley Street, S1 2HZ, London. Working Arrangments We would prefer a team onsite for 3 days a week, most weeks in order to engage with Digital and Repairs Service colleagues and build broader engagement with the style of working (eg through show and tells). Security Clearance None Additional T&Cs Discovery must be completed by end of March 2019. Skills & Experience Provide a multi-disciplinary team, including user research, service design, and delivery management Have experience of working to the GDS service design manual Demonstrate a track-record of user-centred design and Agile approaches Have delivered a service that has been assessed against the Local Government Digital Service Standard or government service standard Demonstrate experience designing services for a wide range of digital skills and confidence Share their work freely and openly with the partner organisations and the wider community Be able to build or design a tool that’s so good, people prefer to use it Experience of developing design patterns that can be re-used by organisations Have experience working on repairs service within social housing Nice to Haves Worked on a project with multiple partners No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 3 Proposal Criteria Understanding of user needs from the service Clarity of the approach Experience from a similar project Team structure, including skills, experiences and relevance of individuals Identification of risks and plan to mitigate them Cultural Fit Criteria Work as a team with our organisation and other suppliers Be transparent and collaborative when making decisions Have a no-blame culture and encourage people to learn from their mistakes Take responsibility for their work Share knowledge and experience with other team members Work openly Payment Approach Capped time and materials Assessment Method Written proposal Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 55% Cultural fit 15% Price 30% Questions from Suppliers Budget range £60,000 to £78,000 including all expenses