Alertacall - Digital Switchover 2025

For housing providers that manage sheltered and supported housing schemes, the Digital Switchover is an opportunity to overhaul their strategy and move away from the traditional view that the technology is there purely as a support tool in place solely for the benefit of the resident. In fact, Digital Switchover could be the catalyst required to take a substantial step forward in offering residents a range of wider benefits, and also help housing providers create efficiency savings. 7 key questions to define your digital vision 1 Is now the time to deploy WiFi on schemes? WiFi supports digital engagement for residents and provides a robust network on to which you could deploy other essential services, e.g. CCTV. What could it mean for your organisation? 2 Does the solution improve housing management efficiency? Find a system which benefits residents but also meets your business requirements, e.g. resident comms, remote working & housing management reports. 3 Is deploying a touchscreen with video- calling important? Would you like the capability for residents to be able to video call each other, receive door entry calls by video, or receive video calls from trusted third parties such as housing provider staff, GP’s and friends. 4 Are there targets for digital engagement? Set clear targets for measuring digital engagement to benchmark your progress and success. Repairs reporting is one obvious place to start. 5 What approach will guarantee a return on investment? WiFi based solutions can be delivered at a fraction of the cost and offer far greater capability - they can be more practical in adding additional services, i.e. CCTV. 6 Are all residents engaging with alarms - should we replace like for like? The profile and needs of those in sheltered accommodation has changed - traditional alarm services are largely not suitable for all (those that refuse or forget to wear, or just don’t engage with them). 7 Is proactive service delivery to help detect changing needs important? What is the preventative data and measures available that a system can offer you. Define the digital vision in older persons accommodation Most social housing providers already have some form of digital agenda. The aims may differ between organisations - but common themes include developing customer portals, encouraging more self service management from residents, streamlining repairs reporting processes, providing WiFi as standard on schemes , and embracing various “Internet Of Things” innovations for the benefit of both residents and staff. This section provides 7 key questions to define your digital vision and looks at alternative digital ready systems. 11 Digital Switchover 2025 3 Developing a plan