A Day In The Life - Repairs Scheduler

 

I spent the morning with the trade’s schedulers. Their job is the difficult one of organising the repairs work on our 5700 properties. They manage the workloads of plumbers, electricians, builders, gas engineers, decorators, roofers, fencers, and more. They make the difficult decisions for prioritising jobs, trying to fit in the important but not urgent quality of life jobs with emerging emergencies such as when broken sockets with exposed wires could cause a threat to life, or a burst pipe threatens to cause huge amounts of damage and disruption. The team has also been battling to reduce a severe backlog of jobs, caused by the pandemic, that at its peak reached almost 1300 jobs. Through hard work and dedication the team has this number down to 365 jobs.

As I observed them in the office, I witnessed how skilled the trade's schedulers were at multi-tasking, one minute they were fielding calls from their operatives in need of assistance, the next helping colleagues in different departments to make sure that they are able to deliver this vital service to you.

The gas team took a particular call from their engineer on site that caught their attention, as it demanded immediate help from a plumber to restore a working shower for a resident and their family. The plumbing scheduler swiftly sprang into action, meticulously examining the schedules and reaching out to the plumber to determine the estimated completion time of their current job. Their objective was clear: find a prompt and effective solution to resolve this predicament and they delivered admirably.

The team relies on technology to streamline the planning of their jobs, utilising a range of programs like OpenHousing, DRS, Total Mobile, and Gas Tag. These tools play a vital role in guaranteeing that the homes we offer to residents are secure, conducive to good health, and compliant with regulations. 

One particular area where this is of utmost importance is the Gas Team, as they bear the responsibility of conducting yearly boiler inspections. These mandatory safety checks not only ensure the well-being of our properties but, more importantly, safeguard the lives of the people who reside in them.

With the importance of this piece of work in mind it is vital that residents work with us to ensure the programme runs smoothly. We are happy to work with your requirements, we will adjust for your school run or go on the day that works best with your work schedule Monday to Friday, just let us know and we will find a way. On a recent Monday 37% of booked service appointments were not attended by residents. In some of these cases, this was the third missed appointment and unfortunately, their gas had to be capped. This was inconvenient for the resident and for us. The team would rather spend their time fixing problems. So, if you can’t make an appointment, please contact us. Phoning the gas team, calls go straight to the scheduler's shared phone line or alternatively, you can email them.

At Somerset Council, our mission is to provide safe and healthy homes. The schedulers play a pivotal role in maximising the resources we have available to deliver on our mission. Their flexibility and resourcefulness are vital to delivering a service we can be proud of. 

Craig Rossiter