We came across this blog on Linked In recently and thought it would be worth sharing with our Members.

Communication is key – advice on how to ensure your TMO communications hit the spot!

The sweeping reforms introduced through the Social Housing Regulation Act mean communication with residents has never been more important.

Like all social housing providers, TMOs must engage with tenants to communicate how they are working to enhance services, increase satisfaction and use customer feedback to drive improvements.

Successful communication and engagement has a direct correlation to satisfaction levels, but for those without the expertise of an internal communications team, the job ahead can seem daunting.

The task of compiling publications like newsletters and Annual Reports often falls to busy Estate Managers or housing staff.

Kirsten Foster, Director of Ocean Edge Communications, has over 20 years’ experience helping TMOs and local councils successfully engage with residents. She shares some top tips and best practice below to help TMOs communicate with residents effectively.

• Always be open and honest – tenant satisfaction is a reflection of how tenants perceive the quality of the service they receive, so it is essential that TMOs communicate in a transparent, honest and human way – even when things go wrong. Tenants need to understand how landlords are working to put something right, and know their feedback is being listened to. If a target hasn’t been met, customers need to know why, along with what’s being done to resolve the situation and ensure future improvement. This will help to develop a culture of trust and respect amongst customers.
• Word it right – every piece of communication must be reader -friendly. That means adopting designs and formats that are accessible, inclusive, and written in jargon-free, Plain English. What’s the point in publicising a lengthy Complaints Policy or Tenant Engagement strategy if the documents are too convoluted and unlikely to be of any use to the intended audience? Keep it clear, concise and simple.
• Ask the audience – asking a group of tenants for feedback before publishing a document is a great way to ensure the design and wording of a document hits the spot and is relevant for the end-user.
• Increase your reach – use multiple channels to engage with a wider audience; from social media posts, to estate noticeboards, resident newsletters and e-bulletins. Remember that not everyone has IT skills or access to the internet so a mix of online and printed hard copies is ideal.
• A picture tells a thousand words – using infographics can bring boring, complex information to life through colour and images. This is especially useful to present information and statistics in Annual Reports that can be understood at a glance.

For more advice on producing effective communications including newsletters, Continuation Ballots, Annual Reports or more, please get in touch with Kirsten for a chat. Email: [email protected] or call 023 8000 1153 / 07766 001290.