Out Of Hours Call Handling Service

Vico Homes Limited

Request for Information

Out of Hours Call Handling Service

1. Purpose

This document invites market feedback and supplier information to validate solution options, indicative costs, and delivery approaches for the requirements outlined herein. It is a non-binding request intended to inform a subsequent sourcing strategy and specification development

2. Background & Context

Vico Homes Limited (Vico) was established on 1st April 2025 when Wakefield District Housing (WDH) rebranded to deliver our vision 'to build better futures and vibrant communities'.

We are one of the UK's largest social housing providers, with over 32,000 homes across Yorkshire and our wider operating area across the North of England.

We offer much more than bricks and mortar; our support goes far beyond the front door. We go the extra mile to deliver excellent customer services and provide a home to be proud of.

Our tenants and others contact us outside normal business hours to report:

• Emergency repairs

• Urgent property safety concerns

• Anti social behaviour incidents

• Safeguarding or welfare issues

• Estate or building emergencies

Contacts may also be received relating to

• Vico Homes offices and associated premises

• Lone worker alerts relating to Vico employees

Our goal is to ensure a consistent, safe, and compliant 24/7 service that protects customers and property assets, supports vulnerable residents, and upholds our legal and regulatory responsibilities.

To find out more about us please visit the link below:

Welcome to Vico Homes | Vico Homes

3. Objectives of Market Research

We are seeking information to help us:

• Understand market capabilities for OOH call handling in the housing sector

• Shape the scope and requirements for a future contract

• Identify innovative approaches for supporting vulnerable customers

• Test integration options with our MRI/Capita housing management systems (HMS) and Salesforce (CRM)

• Understand pricing models and operational structures

• Identify potential efficiencies, improvements, and service innovations

4. Summary of Requirements

We require a service to operate between the hours 8pm to 8am, seven days per week

Services may include:

4.1 Emergency & Urgent Repairs

• Receiving and triaging emergency repairs

• Using diagnostic tools to classify repair types

• Recording repairs in our HMS

• Contacting Vico Homes own workforce or on call contractors

4.2 Colleague/Tenant Safety & Welfare

• Dealing with vulnerable or distressed residents

• Handling situations involving domestic abuse or safeguarding

• Welfare checks

• Crisis escalation procedures

• Orbis colleague lone worker safety alerts

4.3 Anti Social Behaviour (ASB)

• Taking urgent ASB reports

• Understanding thresholds for emergency response

• Escalation to duty officers (if required)

4.4 Estate Services & Building Safety

• Fire alarm activations

• Lift breakdowns

• Major leaks, flooding, or structural risk

• Building security breaches

5. Supplier Response Questions

Please provide a response to the following questions:

5.1 Technology, Housing System Integration & Data Management

• List the housing management/systems you currently integrate with, if any (e.g. Capita, Dynamics, Salesforce etc.).

• Describe API or data exchange capabilities.

• Explain how emergency repairs will be issued to contractors/on call staff

• Explain how emergency repair logs or ASB reports are sent back to us.

5.2 Performance

• Provide standard KPIs for OOH services in the industry, including:

o Call answer time

o Abandonment rate

o First contact resolution (FCR)

5.3 Implementation & Onboarding

• Provide a standard mobilisation timeline.

• Describe the resources required from us.

• What does a typical testing/transition period look like?

5.4 Commercials & Pricing Structure

• Outline your pricing approach (e.g., per call, fixed monthly fee, hybrid).

• Identify key cost drivers in your model.

• Provide example cost ranges based on typical housing association volumes.

• State any contractual minimums (hours, volume, contract length, onboarding fees).

5.5 Routes to Market

• Provide the names and details of any public procurrent frameworks on which you are a listed provider

5.6 Information You Need from Us

• Please list any information required from us as part of the specification to allow you to provide accurate pricing and service proposals in a future tender process