Air & water risk assessments Air conditioning Building Management Systems Boiler systems Carpentry Catering equipment maintenance Cleaning services Communications
Housing services
Data cabling Decoration Defined LV electrical maintenance Drainage Electrical testing Emergency power Energy management Fabric alterations Fire alarm systems Floor coverings Glazing HV electrical maintenance Heating Installations lighting systems Mechanical services operation Mechanical services maintenance Office moves Partitioning Plastering, dry lining & studwork Plumbing services Public health service maintenance Refrigeration Refurbishment Security Security systems maintenance Shop/unit fit out Specialist electrical testing Statutory inspections Thermal imaging Ventilation Voice systems Waste management water hygiene/treatment
people like you
are an integral part of our business
“A joiner was at my house within an hour of me reporting a problem with my kitchen door. I couldn't believe how quickly and well the job was done� Evelyn Ashcroft - Crosby
Who we are
Our people
For over 20 years Integral Housing Division has been a national specialist in planned and responsive maintenance and gas repairs and annual service for social housing and we maintain in excess of 80,000 homes for various Local Authorities and Housing Associations.
Satisfying our customers depends entirely upon our people and to ensure that both we and our clients can be confident that all Integral personnel are fully competent and qualified for their roles, we have established effective policies and procedures to ensure that we recruit and develop a workforce that meets our client’s needs.
Being part of Britain's biggest independent specialist in property maintenance means that we have nationwide resources to meet your every need. We have fully equipped mobile maintenance technicians in every postcode area. Every community is unique, so our service is tailored to fit your needs and is available to you 365 days a year, with every contract customised to what our customers and their residents require. Our dedicated local teams take time to build relationships with residents and customers alike. We also understand the scale and sensitivity of demands made on Local Authorities & Housing Associations and this experience enables us to offer a complete service, knowing that quality, trust and dependability cannot be compromised.
We recognise the importance of meeting our social responsibilities and addressing the training needs of a locally sourced workforce and therefore participate in Government initiatives which promote training for school leavers. We recruit craft apprentices and train them in disciplines relevant to our business, thereby enabling them to meet our requirements for skilled operatives. We ensure that local people are employed within our organisation wherever possible and actively look to ensure that we offer support to local training initiatives.
people like you are an integral part of our business
Who we serve
Customers
Our clients include Local Authorities and Housing Associations:
Customer consultation is at the heart of any successful business. A project is likely to fail if the customer views are not considered and valued. Integral works daily within customers homes and has built an enviable reputation within the market for exceptional customer care and appreciation. The core value to our delivery is the understanding that we are working within peoples homes and as such offer a high degree of respect for not only the building fabric but also to the way our works affect and impact on people.
Brent Housing Partnership Riverside Group English Churches Housing Association Eden Housing Association Fusion 21 Peaks and Plains Housing Trust Origin Housing Two Castles Housing Association Impact Housing Hyde Homes Cheshire East Council Rugby Borough Council Alliance Procurement Northern Housing Consortium Procure Plus As a national company we handle in excess of 250,000 individual responsive repairs per annum.
We regularly consult with our clients and their residents on the service we deliver in a wide variety of ways. This ensures the continuous development of our service and ensures the focus always remains on the customer and improving the service they receive from Integral. If you have any comments or suggestions or would like to be invited to future events, please contact us in any of the following ways: • • • •
0800 1833949 (Free phone) 0330 1239019 (charged at local rates for mobile users) Email – yourviews@integral.co.uk Visit our website and post a comment at www.integralhousing.co.uk
people like you are an integral part of our business
Resident Involvement We realise the importance of involving residents in the decision making process and welcome the opportunity to attend resident focus groups and annual residents meetings. Our involvement with resident groups has helped in achieving greater access opportunities and has been beneficial in providing an insight into the processes and procedures involved in delivering a successful maintenance delivery and service programme completion within schedule. Initiatives have included:
• A presentation delivered to residents groups explaining the importance of annual gas servicing. • A suggestion scheme for residents – a card is left at the time of the annual gas service asking how we can improve our service. A regular draw takes place and the best suggestion received wins a £25 High Street gift voucher. • Office tours, a chance for residents to experience first hand a typical day in our call centre. • £100 monthly prize draw for access on the first visit for annual servicing. We feel the more residents know about our organisation and the service we provide help form a relationship of trust and understanding.
“
We ensure that local people are employed within our organisation wherever possible
”
Gas Service and Maintenance Integral has built an enviable national reputation in the delivery of gas service and maintenance contracts. We have developed many innovative and technologically advanced methods to ensure not only legislative compliance but also a cost effective and efficient service delivery for all our clients and importantly their residents. Gas servicing is a key area for audit commission inspections and can be used as a gauge of an organisations efficiency and effectiveness. Integrals systems have been developed to be both adaptable and user friendly. Our management systems supply all key monitoring and report data to allow our clients to directly review the efficiency of the delivery and level of compliance. Our operatives are tracked in real time to allow appointments to be measured and monitored. Operative productivity is measured and maximised helping both affordability and the achievement of full compliance. We are well versed in the collaborative working principle which is driving a shift in procurement from competitive tendering towards a collaborative approach and have worked hard to develop
techniques/training to deliver major benefits in cost and quality in line with the collaborative working agenda. This approach has proven to be effective in particular to gas responsive and service type contracts, in terms of reduced management costs, reduced whole life costs, health and safety and environmental performance. Significant initial delivery improvements have been implemented by:
• All Landlords Gas Safety Records (LGSR) are produced electronically via engineers Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) and are available to view in real time through an integrated link or email in PDF format the following day. • Real time operative and appointment tracking managed by “Global Live”. • The operative arranging a secondary appointment prior to leaving the dwelling, should additional works be required. Operatives will ensure no secondary repairs are necessary prior to closing the current repair. • LGSR expiry dates are integrated within Integrals operating system. The annual service date will be visible to the call handler every time a repair is placed on the system helping to reduce out standing LGSR tests. Our target would be to undertake all LGSR’s prior to their anniversary date. • LGSR test appointments being confirmed via letter and subsequently by telephone prior to the operatives visit will reduce abortive visits and associated costs. They will report to the call centre any preventative maintenance required • All appointment letters stamped with “Appointment Enclosed” to highlight the importance of the contents.
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If we can sort out a problem in a more efficient and energy saving way, it will benefit everyone
”
Versatility Due to the diverse nature of services Integral can provide we have developed a reputation for delivering a cost efficient solution to many of our clients needs. A number of schemes completed recently in the North West have involved working in sheltered housing complexes with residents in situ. As CDM regulations applied a number of skill sets were required including:
• • • • • •
Domestic gas engineers Commercial gas engineers Electricians Plasterers Joiners Painters
We have also worked closely with a number of clients to develop alternative heating provision and recently completed a scheme of electric boiler installations as replacement for gas. Courses are currently being undertaken to improve our capability for providing air source, ground source and photo voltaic installations with the intention of developing a workforce dedicated to advancement of more energy efficient heating solutions.
people like you are an integral part of our business
Innovation At Integral we pride ourselves at being at the forefront of new innovations and technology and by including the workforce in the development process have produced a number of innovative solutions to service delivery. Recent developments have included:
• A gas service warning leaflet to be left with residents on no access • Appointment enclosed stamp - has been proven to increase access • Fridge magnets left to remind residents of next years service visit
EDEN HOMES AND COMMUNITIES
As a tenant of Eden Hou sing Association, your annual gas serv ice is now due An appointment has
been made for you:
at:
EDEN
on: If this is not convenient, please contact our gas engineers immediatel y on our hone number: 0800 183 3949 to arranfreep ge another appointment.
AND
HOME S COMM UN
don’t u the danderestim nger o ate f gas
It is a legal requiremen t that this service is carried out to protec t your safety PLEASE DO NOT IGNO RE THIS CARD as failure to allow acces s to your property could result in Legal action being taken against you.
Pleas e applia make an ap nces checke pointment to ge d for FR EE on t your hous our fre eh ephone old gas numbe r:
0800 183
3949
• A 0800 Free phone number to access our service desk • A 0330 local rate number for mobile phone users to contact us. We regularly review staff suggestions and reward new business ideas via our in house suggestion scheme and working closely with resident groups has further enhanced our understanding of clients and residents needs.
people like you are an integral part of our business
ITIES
Technology The use of a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) helps us make the repair process more efficient. The software that we use on the PDA allows instant communication between the office and the on-site engineers without a phone call. The engineer can view all the job information seconds after the customer has reported a repair and then progresses through the stages of the job until it is complete. Our office based staff can monitor all of these the stages and provide real-time information to the customer.
The recent installation of vehicle trackers to our fleet of vehicles has increased our capability to perform at the highest level.
The PDA'S also:
• • • • •
Improve communication Provide easy access to information Reduce costs Simplify usage Enhance budgetary controls
Our innovative IT solution has meant that our tracking system “Global Live” is linked to our in house software system “Vixensoft” enabling our call centre staff to locate an operative via Global Live and pinpoint his position on a map of the area, the call will then be sent automatically to the operatives PDA. This integration of systems has lead to major advancements in our service delivery, especially in geographically challenging areas.
people like you are an integral part of our business
Your questions If you have any questions for us at Integral there are a variety of ways you can get in touch with us. Information in answer to your questions may be found on our website at www.integral.co.uk or www.integralhousing.co.uk. You can contact our Customer Liaison Team via yourviews@ integral.co.uk Contact us via Free phone 0800 183 3949 or 0330 123 9019 for mobile phone users, charged at local rates Or write to us at: Integral U K Ltd 720 Birchwood Boulevard Birchwood Warrington Cheshire WA3 7QY