Did you know that a high percentage of cost reduction programmes fail to achieve their targets? With ongoing pressure on Registered Housing Providers to streamline and make changes, many are taking a step back and considering whether they have the right strategy for Repairs & Maintenance in order to make a big step forward. Our Chief Executive Tony Bryan talks us through some of the common mistakes:
Gaining confidence that your strategy for Repairs & Maintenance is achievable and is aligned with your organisational culture, infrastructure and implementation plans is critical to mitigating the risks of an unachievable target. If any elements are not achievable or aligned then you will never progress. Our extensive experience across the sector turns up a number of common mistakes:
- Taking a ‘slash and burn’ approach to Repairs & Maintenance savings targets
- An assumption that new strategies and major cost reduction can be made by minor tweaks
- Determining the Repairs & Maintenance organisational structures before agreeing what the delivery models look like
- A belief that the skills to manage an outsourced service are the same as managing an internal maintenance service
- A failure to link strategies or objectives with the underpinning performance management framework
- An assumption that setting up an in-house team will guarantee VAT and contractor profit savings
- Failing to think outside the box regarding strategic options
We have worked with a broad cross section of organisations to help them shape or help them review their Repairs & Maintenance strategies; considering everything from client-contractor arrangements, in-house versus external models and ensuring that the ‘plans written at a desk’ can be translated into real life delivery. Why not contact us to find out how we can help you?