Author: Jonny Wootten

Tenant Engagement Software and getting workforces back to the office

Post author By Jonny Wootten
Post date 6 October 2020

People brain storming in a meeting

Monday August 3rd, marked an important milestone in the COVID-19 crisis, as people were encouraged to return to the office for the first time. However, many organisations choose to keep their workforces at home. We then saw a series of tiered restrictive systems followed by two full national lockdowns, meaning office working was off the cards once again.

As we look towards the future with cautious optimism businesses are starting to plan their return to the office. Studies indicate people will not return until they are reassured it’s safe to do so. Could tenant engagement software be key to getting people back to the office?

Blended working

A recent survey found that three in five British employees are itching to get back to the office. However, many participants say they would like to work from home more often once the pandemic is over. This indicates that people see the benefits of working from home, but the argument simply isn’t as straight forward as one or the other. Moving forward offices will need to cater for a hybrid workforce.

As occupants cycle between remote and in-office working, its critical landlords build occupant confidence with communication and the right systems in place. Occupants will expect more information, safety processes and clear communication from landlords and building managers. Buildings will need to adapt operations to ensure a safe, clean working environment for occupants.

Alongside operational challenges businesses will need to engage workforces remotely, finding ways to build company culture despite this new way of working.

Evolution of the office

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the evolution of the office. As a result, technology is playing important role in keeping productivity high and workforces happy and safe.

Asset-owners need to understand people’s priorities have changed as a result of the pandemic and adapt quickly to remain competitive. They need to position the office as a connected, safe and inclusive environment for occupants who are in the office or at home, and rebuild their trust.

By offering tenant engagement software that connects occupants to staff a the touch of a button, has contact free hot desk and meeting-room booking systems and social clubs and forums which encourage peer-to-peer relationships, asset-owners can reassure businesses and support occupants in these uncertain times.

Spike’s Tenant Engagement Software, Spike Workplace, combines tenant engagement and building management functionality. The software keeps occupants engaged whilst improving building efficiencies.

SPIKE WORKPLACE AND THE NEW WAY OF WORKING

In response to the ongoing pandemic, Spike Global has just launched its new Spike Workplace application. The software helps companies and landlords promote a connected culture while the majority of office-based employees are working from home. The software will help companies and landlords adapt to a ‘blended’ way of working moving forward. Where we see employees cycle between remote and in-office working.

Spike’s workplace portal builds and manages buzzing, supportive communities where users can form meaningful connections. Companies can nurture the office culture virtually through social clubs, forums and events, keep occupants engaged with up-to-date news and articles. Importantly, employers can ensure staff are as settled and supported as possible by offering preventative health and well-being initiatives and support forums. Spike have also partnered with well-being provider Antidote, to offer further well-being services directly from their portal.

Long-term social engagement to create a sense of wellbeing and identity is a key element of what the software provides.

To find out more about our Workplace portal, complete the enquiry form below and a consultant will be touch shortly.

Case Study

Fizzy Living – Case Study

Post author By Jonny Wootten
Post date 4 August 2020

Objective at start of 2020

To increase resident engagement and community outreach, to create a larger sense of community across their developments.

Fizzy Living worked hard alongside Spike Community Engagement Team in the first quarter of 2020 to strengthen their Community Strategy across all seven of their buildings. This strategy was then translated into monthly tactical Engagement Plans. These plans offered insights into key dates, content themes, club and forum ideas, events and seasonal hooks. The content was chosen specifically for their residents. The team then met with Fizzy Living at the end of each month to discuss results and suggest improvements. This measured approach resulted in the following:

Registered users – 72% across all seven buildings
App usage – an average of 21% growth per month over a four month period across seven buildings
Social engagement (forums and clubs) – an average growth of 35% increase in engagement across a four month period (this four month period was also across the Covid-19 pandemic)

Testimonial – “Fizzy Living’s resident app was rolled out in 2018 to our portfolio of seven Build-to-rent schemes across London. Since its launch we have gained an average of 70% usage of the app across buildings. The app provides our residents with the ability to build a strong sense of community.
The App also allows our residents the benefit of being able to easily report repairs & maintenance issues, which helps Fizzy to track and improve response times through the streamlining of this process. We are also able to share communications across all buildings for events or announcements, in a quick and efficient manner. “Harry Downes, Managing Director, Fizzy Living

Insight

Resident Engagement – 5 Tips to Strengthen yours

Post author By Jonny Wootten
Post date 31 July 2020
2 Comments on Resident Engagement – 5 Tips to Strengthen yours

As Spike’s Community Manager, I’ve pulled together five simple things PRS operators, property managers, asset managers, developers and home builders should consider when putting together a resident engagement plan. These actions will boost engagement levels and ultimately help you nurture content, loyal residents who want to occupy your spaces for longer.

COVID-19 has disrupted every aspect of our lives. For many this change has provoked a priority shift and attitude change. In order to stay competitive, businesses must adapt to these changes and support their residents through these uncertain times.

Resident Engagement Tips

1. Think beyond traditional face-to-face events.

Six months ago events were likely a large part of your resident engagement strategy. Even with restrictions lifting, residents and staff will be cautious of mass gatherings. Despite restrictions we’ve seen some fantastic innovation with community engagement initiatives. These examples prove it’s still possible to rally together as a community, even from a safe social distance. Moda Living for example hosted a pizza night for their residents, which was launched through their Resident App, My Moda. Moda partnered with a local Italian restaurant to deliver a pizza to each resident who’d signed up, as a treat from Moda. This small act of kindness supported their local community and made residents feel less alone and supported. In the midst of lockdown this was a real boost for their community.

2. Establish open lines of communication between your staff and residents.

On-site teams play an important role in nurturing your residential community, even if they’re not onsite all the time. Residents need to feel comfortable in approaching staff about problems and/or worries, and feel issues are dealt with quickly and efficiently. After all, happy people make happy spaces and feelings of dissatisfaction can be very disruptive.

Some of our client’s have chosen to set up ‘I’m happy’ and ‘I’m not happy’ forums in their Resident Apps. Residents can then post issues or praise accordingly. Although this might sound risky it gives operators the right to reply to any complaints as a result, and keeps the problem contained. Moreover, it offers residents complete transparency which then translates into trust and loyalty.

3. Empower residents to socialise outside of organised activities.

Although organised activities and initiatives are important, there will be residents who prefer to socialise with neighbours on their own terms and in their own time. It’s important to give your resident’s choice in how they interact. Since the start of lockdown in March we’ve seen an incredible 700% rise in social interactions across our resident portals. These interactions include comments, likes and messages on social forums and clubs. We’re now seeing these digital interactions transforming into face-to-face friendships. What is even more encouraging, for instance, is that residents are now creating these forums themselves, creating micro-communities. We’ve seen everything from charity bake-sale forums to poker clubs being created as a result.

4. Listen to your residents.

Many make the mistake of assuming they know what their residents want, and create a strategy around these assumptions. As a result these efforts are often wasted. Invest in really getting to know your residents. This can be done in a number of ways; Fizzy Living created a service where residents can reach out to their buildings managers to book an hour slot to discuss their life at Fizzy. Building managers then come away with actionable insights to implement moving forward and residents feel heard. Another simple way to do this is by tracking and analysing data from your resident portal, identifying popular subjects, events, discussions and pain-points.

5. Plan, Track, Analyse, Plan

Despite the ever-changing landscape it’s still important to plan ahead when it comes to resident engagement. Our in-house Community Engagement Team put together a monthly engagement plan with our clients to map out key activities. Following this, the teams meet at the end of the month to analyse data, spot trends and make changes accordingly. This approach is instrumental in the success of portals. As a result this allows our client’s so stay one step ahead.

To find out more about how Spike could help improve your resident engagement, retention and reputation, get in touch and a member of the team will be in touch shortly.

Insight

Community Engagement Growth Across Spike

Post author By Jonny Wootten
Post date 10 June 2020

Since February – the last month prior to lockdown – engagement on Spike Living saw over a sevenfold increase in the volume of posts, shares and interactions (March; 712%, April; 680%), covering community outreach, social forums, events and bookings, from a cross-section of our portals.

Our Community Engagement team have been working with clients to ensure their residents are supported throughout these uncertain times and to ensure they still feel a part of a thriving community, albeit a socially distanced community. We’ve seen everything from balcony workouts to pizza parties, from wellness workshops to charity bake sales organised and advertised through our portals. As the data shows these initiatives have been extremely well received.

As leaders we need to be considering resident and staff mental health, happiness and wellbeing. Long-term social engagement to create a sense of wellbeing and identity is key to this happiness. Spike Living delivers exact that. End users feel invested, valued and better connected to their homes or work places.

We form long-term partnerships with our client’s to help them move into this new age of community management. At Spike we offer more than just technology solutions, we work with our clients to improve their community engagement strategies to achieve their KPIs. We make it our business to understand how communities interact and we share these insights with our clients.

Want to find out more about Spike could do for your business? Get in touch and a member of the team will get back to you.

Insight

Spike to Host Community Webinar with UKAA

Post author By Jonny Wootten
Post date 19 May 2020

Building on & Maintaining community post Covid-19

Spike Global is teaming up with the UKAA to host a webinar on Wednesday 27th May, at 10 am. The webinar brings together operators, industry experts and tech providers to discuss the future of community building.

The webinar will be addressing how the BTR and wider real-estate industry can continue to place community at the centre of their developments, maintaining engagement levels with residents.

>> Register here to attend

We will be exploring:

Stats that show community is more important than ever before and what these really mean.
How the industry can continue to deliver in this important area, as we start to emerge from isolation.
How did operators fair during lockdown and what changes need to be made moving forward?
What parts of community are important to residents and what really adds value to their experience, how can developments continue to be pro-active in this area?

We’ll look at data from reviews, industry trends and examples of how operators are implementing changes to prioritise community.

Sound interesting? Registration is free, simply click here to secure your place.

Joining us on the panel we have:

Kirstie Lane from Spike to chair the discussion
James Dearsley from Unissu
Hannah Marsh from HomeViews
Jeremy Heath-Smith from Spike
Harry Downes from Fizzy Living
Rob Tincknell from Areli Real Estate, and ex CEO of Battersea Power Station

Insight

Why Mental Health Needs to be Top of your Organisation’s Priority List

Post author By Jonny Wootten
Post date 11 May 2020

Covid-19 has fundamentally changed the way we live our lives, across the globe. In six short months the disease has shut borders, grounded planes, closed schools and cancelled thousands of events, large and small.

With the easing of lockdown on the horizon, the trauma and stress of the last few months has not been forgotten, yet we’ll soon be expected to re-enter our cities, get back on public transport and start living some elements of pre-lockdown life. Without the certainty of a vaccine anxieties will naturally be high and people’s mental health will be strained after months of isolation.

Businesses, developers and operators need clear, concise, communication strategies to ensure staff and/or residents feel safe and supported. Businesses will need to provide initiatives to support people’s mental health and provide an easily accessed area where people can find information and reach out for help. How businesses act during these uncertain times will be remembered, and we all need to work together to ensure the safe re-opening of society.

As leaders, we need to be considering our resident’s mental health, happiness, and wellbeing. Jeremy, CEO of Spike Global comments: “Long-term social engagement to create a sense of wellbeing and identity is key to residents’ happiness. End-users feel invested, valued and better connected to their homes or workplace.”

He also adds “Many businesses claim to have a ‘people first’ approach to business. These values will be tested over the coming weeks and months, and organisations need to ensure they are actively supporting their staff and residents through these uncertain times, ensuring they are comfortable navigating through the new normal.”

Throughout-lockdown Spike software has been invaluable to users, keeping people connected, engaged and informed. Spike has helped businesses start and manage digital mental health initiatives, help forums, fundraisers, virtual get-togethers and much more. Spike was even named one of Property Week’s Top 5 Tools to get the industry through the crisis. Spike are now helping our clients with re-opening strategies and communication plans.

What plans do you have in place?

Insight

Spike Named as One of Property Week’s Top 5 Covid-19 Tools

Post author By Jonny Wootten
Post date 1 April 2020

Staying connected during lock-down is extremely important for people’s mental and physical health. Spike is so happy to be able to play a part in keeping communities together through isolation.

Spike are honoured to be named one of Property Week’s Top 5 Tools to help the industry through the Covid-19 Crisis. Being named number one for community. Our software allows residents to continue to socialise through our portals, keeping residents connected to their buildings and communities.

It’s been heart-warming seeing our clients and residents adapt to the ‘new normal’. We’ve seen everything from people offering help and to neighbours, to group video work-outs and fundraising organised via our portals.

Our software has also allowed front-of-house staff to work from home. Spike Living keeps staff connected to buildings and their residents needs, via our building management system, with minimal disruption to residents.

Fizzy Living, a build-to-rent provider in London, uses Spike across seven developments, and are also mentioned in the article.

“We have a strong community at Fizzy and we are communicating with residents through the app throughout the day,” says Mandy Ghumman, head of sales and marketing at Fizzy Living. “We provide reading materials, free online classes, working-from-home tips and any other interesting guidance that we find online.”

Clients include, Moda Living, Battersea Power Station, Vertus, Pocket Living, Apt, Ballymore, JLL, CA Management, and Renaker.

Read the full article here.

Case Study

Spike App Launches at Deansgate Square West Tower

Post author By Jonny Wootten
Post date 27 March 2020

We are very excited to announce the launch of the Deansgate Square West Tower, Spike Living Portal. Following the success of the app launching in their South Tower earlier this year, with 95% of the residents actively using the app to book amenities, manage deliveries, interact with neighbours and much more.

Deansgate Square takes contemporary city centre living to a whole new level. Marrying together luxury living with unprecedented private on-site amenities, set in an iconic location at the heart of Manchester.