Field Service Management: The Backbone of Modern Social Housing

The social housing sector is currently navigating its most intensive period of regulatory reform in a generation, which means the expectations for service delivery have never been higher. To help providers navigate this "Age of Intelligent Housing Operations," Plentific has released a comprehensive new guide: The Essential Tech Stack for Social Housing.

The guide outlines a complete digital blueprint, with four essential systems that will be critical for success in the decade to come. One of these systems is Field Service Management (FSM), and here’s why…

The Operational Divide in Field Services

A widening gap is emerging between housing providers who can deliver consistent, scalable services and those struggling under compounding regulatory pressures. The Housing Ombudsman has frequently highlighted failures stemming from poor coordination of operatives, lost follow-on works, and a lack of clear ownership within internal teams. For many, the root cause is a reliance on manual processes and fragmented tools that create duplicate, disconnected or incomplete data sets that lead to more problems downstream. In an era where statutory timelines for hazard investigations are non-negotiable, continuing with outdated systems is an existential business risk.

Total Control through a Single Platform

The guide identifies FSM as a critical system for planning, scheduling, and executing work within residents' homes. By implementing a sophisticated FSM system, providers can transition from reactive, manual work to a systems-led, data-driven model. This transformation is built on several core pillars:

• Dynamic Scheduling and Route Optimisation: Leveraging a real-time global optimisation engine ensures the right job is assigned to the right operative based on skills and location. This has been proven to result in a 30-40% reduction in total travel time, cutting costs and maximising workforce utilisation.

• Empowering the Frontline: Operatives gain full access to job details, risk notes, and property history via a mobile app - even when working offline. This mobile-first approach allows for real-time data capture at the source, eliminating the errors associated with manual post-processing.

• Real-time Communication: Connectivity between office teams, operatives, and residents is vital for reducing missed appointments. Instant updates ensure that when a job is completed or delayed, the resident is informed immediately, improving trust and transparency.

• Stock and Materials Management: Real-time visibility of stock levels and usage helps avoid the delays of multiple visits. By knowing exactly what is available, providers can significantly improve their first-time fix rate, which currently stands at 91% across Plentific’s global users.

Evidencing Compliance and Safety

Beyond efficiency, FSM is the primary tool for regulatory assurance. It allows providers to sufficiently evidence attendance and work completion, record mandatory health and safety checks via embedded prompts - ensuring checks are recorded and not left to memory - and prioritise high-risk cases involving vulnerable residents.

When every work order is tracked from start to finish within a central system, boards can confidently demonstrate compliance with the Decent Homes Standard and other safety legislation. This level of "Connected Intelligence" ensures that data is not just a by-product of work, but a governance asset that supports audit-readiness and risk management.

Unlocking the Full Tech Stack

Field Service Management is the foundation for delivering safe, high-quality homes at scale. By optimising internal teams and unifying field data, housing providers can meet rising resident expectations.

However, FSM is only one piece of the puzzle. Our latest guide, The Essential Tech Stack for Social Housing, explores the other three critical systems required to build a future-proof operation. Download the full guide today to see our recommended tech stack - based on our experience of supporting 1.6million properties - for the decade ahead.