Housing Association uses text-Connect™ to reduce rent arrears with text messaging

A Scottish Housing association has selected Text-Connect™ to help reduce rent arrears among it's tenants.

Tenants are sent a SMS text message if they are about to slip into arrears. Text messages serve as a powerful reminder and prompt tenants into action and have proved an effective way of encouraging tenants to contact the Association to arrange a rent review meeting.

To maximise efficiency our client sends regular batches of messages to groups of tenants using the Text-Connect 'mail merge' function to personalise each message to each recipient. A simple CSV / MS Excel text file is created from the Associations financial management software and uploaded to their Text-Connect™ account. Once uploaded the merged text shot is set up using a pre defined 'message template' and sent using just a few key strokes.

Tenants are able to reply to the reminder text from their phone and reply messages are routed as an email to the Associations Arrears team for processing. The arrears team quickly draft and send 'Ad Hoc' SMS replies to individual tenants from the Text-Connect™ web interface.

If needed the Association can confirm the delivery of the reminder message to the tenants phone using Text-Connects' reporting functions. Messages are routed through high quality UK mobile networks to assure speed and reliable delivery.

Text-Connects' web based design makes it fast and simple to implement and the arrears team were "up and running" very quickly. Virtually no training was required due to Text-Connects intuitive design and on screen help. No software needed to be installed and the system is accessible from any computer with a web connection making the system ideal to share in an office environment.

Using computer based text messaging as part of a wider Arrears management program brings many benefits to both the association and tenant:

• Text messaging offers the Association large cost savings over posted reminder letters or phone calls.
• Reminder texts are discrete, personal and act as a reminder every time the tenant checks their mobile 'inbox'.
• Text-Connect allows the Association to comply with Government good practice guidance in "Improving the Effectiveness of Rent Arrears Management".
• The corresponding reduction in arrears saves Associations money.
• Pay back period for Text-Connect is ultra quick.

Our client selected the Text-Connect™ '2 way' "Business Package".