The Housemark Data and Analytics Summit 2024 was a day filled with insightful discussions on leveraging data for improved decision-making and operational efficiency in the housing sector.

Leaders and data experts gathered to share their unique journeys and reveal innovative ways data is transforming housing. From artificial intelligence to geospatial analytics, each session offered attendees practical insights and strategies for a data-driven future in housing.

Here are some takeaways from a few of the seminars and breakout sessions:

Colin Sales, CEO, 3C Consulting part of the Housemark Hub

His big break came when working for Alan (now Lord) Sugar at Amstrad. While there, Colin learned that “information is the keyword in IT”. He says: “People often want consultancy on technology, but information is the most important bit.”

Colin shared the 12 fundamentals of digital transformation. Key points here included:

  • “We live busy lives – make sure the channel works for your customer”
  • “Automate wherever possible to liberate people to help those customers who really need it”
  • “If you build it, they will come – they won’t. Not unless you are meeting a need well and promote this”
  • “Culture change eats technology change for breakfast!”

Colin has a slightly different take on describing the importance of data, calling it “the air we breathe”. He ended with a plea not to “reinvent the wheel” by sharing the success of East Lothian HA where 90% of tenants use the ‘My Home’ app and there is 65% customer engagement due to a really effective culture change plan.

Gary Randle, Sales Director, Cadcorp, and Alistair Stewart, Business Intelligence Team Leader, Great Places Housing Group

Gary Randle and Alistair Stewart led a joint session showcasing the power of geospatial and business intelligence tools to unlock data’s full potential in housing. Gary, with over two decades in GIS, highlighted how mapping and spatial analysis can provide crucial insights – from identifying property risks to optimising service delivery routes. “Location is at the heart of everything we do,” he shared, demonstrating how Cadcorp’s GIS tools enable housing providers to visualise data geographically, supporting data-driven decision-making.

Alistair Stewart built on this with a focus on democratising data within organisations. He explained how Great Places empowers its teams by making data accessible and actionable through user-friendly tools like Power BI. “Data isn’t just for analysts; it’s for everyone,” Alistair noted, showcasing how real-time data visualisation fosters informed decision-making across the organisation.

Together, Gary and Alistair’s session highlighted the combined value of location intelligence and accessible data tools, demonstrating how these approaches can boost efficiency, promote transparency, and foster a data-driven culture within housing.

Samir Sharma, CEO, datazuum 

Samir trained as a charity auctioneer at Christie’s in New York in 2003. The highlight was raising $330,000 from a rare white truffle auction in Macau in 2007. But he fell into data earlier in 2002, where he had the opportunity to work on a project creating new revenue streams using data analysis and was hooked from then onwards. Samir says his passion for data stems from “thinking about outcomes you want to achieve and using data to help achieve that”.

Samir is clear that “data is an enabler, not an end in itself”. A data strategy must be connected to what an organisation wants to achieve. Analysis shows that only 6% of data strategies manage this. In addition to failing to reflect overall organisation goals, another common failing is not having the operating model to deliver the strategy, or in his words “the operating model is how you make your data strategy real”. An unwanted result of this situation is increased CEO scepticism. To counter this, in addition to having a robust data strategy, data teams need to “have the right people in place to show and drive value in what the team does”. All of course, delivering key business outcomes.

Pete Daykin, CEO, Wordnerds

Pete Daykin captivated the audience with insights into the power of language in data analysis. A leader in AI and linguistics, Pete explored how Wordnerds leverages natural language processing to transform unstructured text into valuable insights.

He emphasised that “understanding what customers say is only part of the story; understanding how they say it is the key.” By dissecting language patterns, Wordnerds helps housing providers uncover trends in tenant satisfaction, complaints, and service needs, turning words into actionable data. Pete’s session highlighted the potential to bridge communication gaps with AI, helping housing providers respond effectively to tenant needs and enhance overall engagement.

Leon Gordon, CEO, Onyx Data

Leon kicked-off his session by asking what do the Apollo moon landing, launch of the internet, and human genome sequencing have in common? Answer: data. The former Wycombe Wanderers youth football professional was always a self-confessed computer geek. Although the football didn’t work out, it helped grow Leon’s passion for data in analysing and improving performance.

His aim is to help housing providers learn how to use data to “unleash power of your organisations”. AI is central to this. Leon talked about how the use of  AI has helped the housing sector cut maintenance costs by 10-40% decreased downtime by 30-50% and extended the lifetime of properties by 20-40%.

Although he hates the phrase, he agrees that ‘data is the new oil’. It is a commodity that is around us in abundance. Companies such as Netflix and Tesla have been able to use data insights to dramatically increase their revenues. In both instances this took time, but they showed the importance of having a strategy: knowing what you want to achieve and why.

Final Takeaway

The sessions at the Housemark Data and Analytics Summit 2024 showcased the housing sector’s readiness to embrace data as a driving force for growth and innovation.

By harnessing the full power of data – whether through AI, geospatial analysis, or tenant sentiment tracking—housing providers are positioned to drive meaningful change, improve efficiencies, and better serve communities.

As we move forward, the lessons shared at this summit will undoubtedly serve as a foundation for further advancements in the sector’s data journey.