12 Successful Months Meeting the Challenges of Covid-19

It would have been impossible to predict what would happen over the past 12 months.  Oxford Data Consultancy had to take drastic steps along with most other businesses just to maintain the level of service our customers expect.  This has involved staff working from home, something that was prepared ahead of Boris Johnson announcing the first lockdown.  This has proved so successful that the company continued to grow resulting in the employment of 3 Senior GIS Officers, geographically spread across the UK (along with a further 5 GIS Officers)

The Infographic is a snapshot of just some of ODC’s successes and includes 6 new Managed Service Clients, a range of major data capture projects including a number capturing grounds maintenance. Others include ‘T-Mark’ capture (T=Marks appear on property boundaries to denote ownership and are a massive time saver if held in GIS), Open Spaces and highway extents capture

GIS Managed Service

ODC’s unique GIS Managed Service is now being utilised by almost 30 social housing providers. Initially set up to support housing associations without a GIS it has expanded to include some that have their own GIS but no-one to run it and in some cases, they have their own GIS Officer and ODC support them with their workload. Here are just a few examples of tasks undertaken:

  • Covid Planning maps made available to all MS Clients and other housing providers.
  • 2000+ Lettings Profiles for Trafford Housing Trust to provide more information to potential bidders
  • Site Survey Set up for Your Housing for a full condition survey assessment of all maintainable land and site services.
  • Survey forms completed for Cairn Housing to capture internal floor plans for multi occupancy buildings and the locations of fire doors, escapes etc
  • Over 400 Sales Plans created for Right to buy request on behalf of multiple managed service clients.
  • Converted Phoenix Community Homes over from their Desktop ESRI GIS to a suite of ESRI Arc Online Web Mapping Applications to allow greater access across the business.
  • Created Community Insight Map for Cottsway Housing Association.

Webinars and Shows

  • We set up our own GIS in Housing Webinar with over 100 delegates registering and with various speakers from across the UK contributing to what was a successful event.
  • Also exhibited at 2 virtual shows in the Asset Management show and the Housing Finance show where we have spoken to a number of new potential clients.

Interesting Fact

There haven’t been many benefits from Covid and the restrictions it has placed on businesses. However it is fair to say that the Environment has greatly improved with less travel taking place. At ODCGIS, due to our staff working from home and business meetings being held via Zoom or Teams, emissions have been cut by 9 tonnes of Co2 which is the equivalent of planting 53 trees!

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