So, how can AI help?

First off, there are many ways to help overcome the problems we introduced in the first part of this blog, but we want to consider them from the perspective of AI.

AI and automation can help organisations improve customer service by offering additional contact channels and allowing services to tailored. They can also help reduce costs and increase productivity, by taking the mundane activities away from the human workforce. Here are some more specific examples.

Chatbots/Virtual Agents

Chatbots are becoming increasingly popular for organisations across a variety of industries. Telephone and face-to-face contact channels can be costly for organisations, and involve a certain risk of a poor customer experience if they involve queues during peak hours. Chatbots can provide an alternative channel for customers that is not only cheaper for organisations, but also quicker when it comes to problem resolutions for customers.

Virtual agents are well placed to provide straightforward services where human interaction is not required. For example for paying a bill, asking a question or booking a repair. New AI technology is improving its capabilities all the time, allowing chatbots to understand natural sentences, offer solutions and learn from customer interactions.

New generations of customers who place higher value on purchase flexibility, may also prefer the use of self-service channels, making chatbots an ideal solution.Providing users with intuitive, intelligent AI solutions also offers an element of empowerment and inclusivity – allowing people to access information and services in a way that is easily accessible.

Resident understanding

Underpinning better service, whether through a chatbot or a different channel, is the ability to understand more about each resident – things like their preferences, needs and any ongoing issues they might have.

Having this information at hand, and using it to manage the engagement with the resident, can be essential in ensuring they receive the support they need. This can help deliver a much more personalised service and reduce workload pressures.

This, in turn, can help ensure queries are resolved faster and more accurately, ultimately leading to informed and engaged residents that feel valued, heard and empowered. This is particularly important for vulnerable residents who might need an extra layer of support and assistance. It also helps prevent potential problems and crises before they can occur.

Proactive resident engagement

AI has the potential to identify and predict resident issues early on, thus allowing proactive action to be taken to resolve them. Engaging residents once they have made a complaint about an issue is too late when looking to form lasting relationships. Tackling issues before they arise is a secret superpower that can be unlocked by utilising AI – so that customers remain satisfied and happy with the services they’re utilising. Furthermore, many residents have complex needs and may not feel confident about complaining or even feel it is in their best interest to stay quiet. As a result, issues can build up to a point where resolution would be a costly and stressful process for both parties.

Contacting residents early on when it comes to providing assistance, will help make them feel supported and avoid any minor issues turning into larger problems. In addition, Housing Association teams are freed up to help the most vulnerable of customers, focusing their time on those who need it the most.

Maintenance

The maintenance and servicing of properties and assets of a Housing Association can be aided by AI and automation in many ways. Artificial Intelligence can automatically identify when asset servicing is required, engage the resident to schedule the timing and then coordinate with the team to complete the necessary work. This significantly cuts down on manual admin activity, unsuccessful property visits, resident frustration, and regulatory issues.

AI also has the capability to predict when an asset is likely to fail and maintenance is required. As a result, the responsibility for identifying these issues is taken away from the resident and the lifespan of the asset is extended. Moving the Housing Association from a break/fix approach to predict/prevent instead can be a powerful move not only on the business side of things, but also when it comes to enhancing the customer experience.

In conclusion..

These are just some of the many ways in which AI and automation can help the Social Housing sector. Streamlining operations, improving customer experience, saving time and cutting costs are all much needed enhancements by businesses across all industries these days. With the help of powerful intelligent solutions, Housing Associations can expand on their activities and provide much better services to their customers, whilst reaping all the rewards of working smarter, not harder.

How Can Your Housing Organisation Benefit from AI?

Get in touch with our team to explore our vast portfolio of custom built AI solutions that are guaranteed to propel your business forward in the digital era.