While many housing associations choose to outsource their repairs and maintenance tasks, Ongo opts to handle these services internally. As a result, the potential advantages of using remote visual assistance are even more significant for Ongo, given the potential for both cost and time savings.
Hostcomm’s RVX Remote Visual Assistance service uses native browser video functionality and Augmented Reality (AR) to provide visual assistance and data capture in a variety of different use cases. In Ongo’s case, the solution is primarily used to remotely capture detailed information through customer mobile devices that can be used to triage and provide field maintenance engineer’s with a detailed pre-visit overview.
Ongo’s overall vision is simply to create and sustain truly vibrant communities. To Ongo, a truly vibrant community is one where its tenants and local people feel safe, secure and happy in their homes and neighbourhoods. Where children grow up with aspirations and opportunities. Where diversity is respected and celebrated, and where more vulnerable people are looked after and cared for. The obstacles Ongo is encountering are widespread among housing associations, and the ability to provide top-notch service has been compromised due to economic shifts since the 2020 pandemic. Additionally, the growing emphasis on reducing carbon footprints is particularly significant for organisations involved in property maintenance.
One of the most pressing issues for both Ongo and their customers is the escalating cost of living crisis. Recently, the expenses associated with travel and employing field engineers have surged. The three main issues which instigated the search for a solution were as follows:
- The number of maintenance callouts has increased putting significant time pressure on the field maintenance team .
- The limited availability of qualified field staff in the local region compelled Ongo to explore options on a national scale.
- The cost of living crisis has caused an upward trend with Ongo’s operational overheads, such as vehicle fuel and labour.
Remote Visual Assistance is a technology that allows experts to see what a user or a remote worker sees in real-time, usually through a smartphone or tablet camera. This shared visual context allows experts to guide users, highlight points of interest, and offer insights without being physically present using a comprehensive array of guidance and data capture tools.
Ongo uses most of the features available, however the live pointer and annotation tools are of particular benefit to them, said Daniel Hart, Ongo’s Solutions Specialist :
“The ability to pinpoint issues and direct the tenant to the correct area for example on boilers has helped a great amount. And the ability to take recordings and photos have helped triage and reduce engineer visits.”
Ongo has seen a reduction in costs as a result of implementing RVX. With tens of thousands of calls per year it’s easy to see the potential.
“If a tenant’s case is identified and triaged 1st time with an advisor and we can go and fix a repair 1st time then this will save us over £50 per call."
In conclusion, remote visual assistance is proving to be a game-changer in the energy services sector. From spotting opportunities to saving money and time, its benefits are multifaceted. Companies that leverage this technology will undoubtedly position themselves as leaders in both efficiency and customer satisfaction.
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“Reduced time to fix issues, reduced call outs for initial assessments. It has helped identify damp and mould cases. Overall, it has reduced costs to the business and help to reduce the amount of time our vehicles are on the road therefore reducing our carbon footprint.”“The system is very easy to learn and to use. The new system is updated frequently, and we get notification of new functions.” - Daniel Hart Maintenance & Repair Solutions