22nd February 2012
A new report by cloud computing provider, CloudXL, has given a practical insight into how the development of cloud-based services could likely enhance housing sector practices in the near future – from both an administrative and end-user point of view.
The report, entitled “Clouding over: forecasts of a big change for the housing sector” was published following a number of interviews with senior IT professionals in the housing industry and clients of the newly merged UK-based unified communications and cloud providers.
It examines the impact cloud computing could bring to housing organisations, by exploring the expectations of IT professionals in the sector. Some of the key advantages of cloud highlighted by the report are:
- Employees can work and share information effectively from the office, home, in transit or on a site visit, with instant access to all the documents, software and schedules that they need to do their job.
- Tenants can do all their admin wherever they are, from one account– including paying rent, logging and monitoring maintenance issues, reporting antisocial behaviour, completing surveys and communicating with neighbours.
- Data can be easily shared, combined and used to improve business processes. For example, maintenance logs can be linked to calendars and field workers’ GPS to allocate jobs to the right people as they are logged, with surveys automatically issued on completion. Housing associations would simply subscribe to a service with no need for additional technology or a disruptive integration processes.
- All data would be stored remotely so if one office goes down, users can carry on their work from another location with minimal disruption.
- Technology such as video communication and fall sensors can be networked into homes and managed through the cloud, helping reduce isolation and improve safety and comfort for older and vulnerable people.
- Housing organisations can fulfil commitments to help tenants into work by providing access to learning content and live training seminars through the cloud and allowing software to be rented or provided to boost skills.
Some sector experts expected a gradual move of back office functions to the cloud, others, such as Geoff Weedon - Head of ICT at Swan Housing Association, have high hopes it can transform their business:
“In the not too distant future, we expect to build technologically networked retirement and care villages which can help older people live at home independently and safely," he said, about the technology's use in the sector.
"Sensors to monitor for danger, video-calls with relatives through the TV and interactive entertainment designed for older people - managed through a single, secure network - are all achievable.”
John Massey, CEO of CloudXL, added:
“This report shows conclusively that that cloud computing and the connectivity that makes it possible will have a dramatic impact on the housing sector and the tenants it serves in the near future. This is not about new technologies – it’s about using existing technologies we take for granted to expand the number of people benefiting from cloud computing.”
“Ultimately the way to go for housing associations is to move away from a fixed infrastructure to using IT as a service, delivered through the cloud,” said Rob Curtis, Head of IS Delivery, East Thames Housing Group, an early adopter of cloud services.
“This opens up many new opportunities for delivering better tenant services and increasing flexibility or working, making it easier and cheaper to do business.”
A full copy of the report can be found here
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Tags: applications | social cloud
