"Borough IT's Competent Person's System is the foundation of FENSA. In every member survey undertaken by FENSA our clients have highlighted this system as being a major benefit attached to working with FENSA." - Graham Hinett, CEO, FENSA

How Borough IT created the most successful regulatory scheme in the UK

FENSA, the Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme, was set up by the Glass & Glazing Federation at the request of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). The organisation was tasked with providing a means by which registered glaziers could self-certify their installations, ensuring compliancy with current Building Regulations.

FENSA processes over one million transactions per year. Therefore, the organisation required a bespoke, high-volume competent person's scheme system (CPS) with the ability to hold extensive information and provide comprehensive functionality, including: details of registered companies; householder, inspector and Local Authority records; management of automated communications and finances; and technical support. It also needed to find a way to ensure that every job logged with the system can be sent to the relevant insurer – the current system of 'double logging' was extremely time-consuming and errors were commonplace.

Finally, the solution needed to be accessible 24 x 7; offer full operational support; be scalable, so that the cost to FENSA did not increase as the organisation's membership increased; and capable of adapting to future demands, so that the organisation would not be left with an ineffective or obsolete system in a couple of years time.

The solution

BiT designed a modular CPS for FENSA. The system provided a comprehensive range of automated capabilities and functions, which allowed the organisation to run all of its processes centrally.

As with any project, Borough IT (BiT) adopted a consultative approach, with BiT's Technical Architects taking the time to understand fully the business needs of FENSA and its member companies.

BiT delivered the FENSA CPS in impressive time; the system went live just four months after its conception. In addition, during the implementation of the technology Borough IT kept the system up and running so that FENSA experienced no down time.

FENSAonline has proved itself an unmitigated success. More than 9,000 companies are registered on the system, while more than 4 million window installations have been registered. FENSA, is recognised as the most successful regulatory scheme in the UK. In the time that it has been up and running, the scheme has saved FENSA over £200,000 a year in running costs alone.

Features of the FENSA CPS

• A new and agile back-end structure, secured on BiT servers, ensures the system is available 24 x 7.
• A powerful communications and registration system makes it as easy for FENSA's members to log jobs. A number of communication methods can be used, including: online, via the web (using any browser) or email; fax; and letters. All logging communication is tracked, so no matter what communication method has been used to log a job, the system will always be able to locate it.
• A flexible and comprehensive payment system means that any form of payment from members can be processed, including electronic transfer.
• The system logs the results of every inspection due to an automatic integration module that records and tracks every customer interaction with FENSA or it's suppliers.
• A new communications module means that members are kept up to date with industry regulations, news and membership details. The module features a login messenger and a facility to leave notes on the system. Local Authorities are kept informed with jobs undertaken within their boundaries via an automated weekly electronic mail, complying with the Building Regulations.
• Certificates are automatically issued to every house, confirming where work has been carried out by a competent person and is logged with the Local Authority.
• The system also allows FENSA to run management reports, allowing FENSA's administrators to call up statistics from every module of the system, ensuring the scheme is running accurately and effectively.
• Once a job is logged, the insurance-related details associated with the job are automatically registered with the insurance company. This process tags the relevant insurance to the installation which is critical to ensure compliance and to protect the customer.
• The system is also compliant with ISO security standards.

Benefits to FENSA

FENSA's CPS is the most successful regulatory scheme in the UK. The system has been so successful that it has saved FENSA the equivalent of two full time members of staff; enabling the organisation to reallocate resource where it's really needed.

One of the most important benefits to FENSA is the transparency with which FENSA can now view its membership and financial information. Prior to the system's development and implementation it was difficult to track the status of an organisation. Making sure memberships were up to date was always a challenge before, now every member's records are easily viewed so that FENSA knows when memberships need to be renewed.

All online entries are registered in real-time; while numerous error-checking functions ensure all data is accurate, and information on companies and electricians complies with the Building Regulations.

Processes have been streamlined. Job notification to certificate delivery for a non inspected job now only takes between three and nine working days, regardless of the method of input.

FENSAonline has met all of FENSA's requirements. The user-friendly system provides comprehensive and efficient functionality for the organisation's members and administrators alike.

The organisation also receives excellent telephone support from BiT's highly skilled, Prince2-accredited IT Technical Architects, who are always available to handle any questions or queries, no matter how simple or complex.