CDHU builds a robust platform and raises the bar on its service through Microsoft technologies

The São Paulo State Housing and Urban Development Company (CDHU), an agency whose main mission is the eradication of the housing deficit, opted for Microsoft cloud technologies to centralize its entire CRM process and develop a robust service channel that allows it to monitor calls, manage financial processes, and serve the population effectively.

With decentralized systems, CDHU realized the need to modernize its system, improve monitoring of open tickets, avoid rework, reduce paper use, unify data, and standardize service.

First step toward digital transformation

"The main motivation was to have a centralized channel of citizen service information with integration of our systems. We sought replacement or integration of these systems, reporting, and process traceability," explains Claudia Prieto Contento, advisor to the CDHU Housing Service Board. 

The first step was taken in 2016, with the implementation of Dynamics 365 Customer Service as the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) for CDHU. Dynamics 365 brings together a series of intelligent business applications that provide insights to professionals to achieve operational excellence and create more engaging customer experiences. In the same period, CDHU also acquired Power BI, Microsoft's business intelligence tool. 

According to Jaime Mesquita, CDHU's superintendent of Systems and Information, Dynamics 365 was chosen for meeting internal demands and for agility in implementation. "The key issue was cloud availability. There was no need to install or configure anything," he explains. 

The CRM centralized the registration of occurrences that generate service protocols for borrowers, integrated each person’s portfolio data, in addition to billing and payment control for borrowers, and also addied five new services related to customer service. 

Centralized service in Dynamics 365

In 2017, the experience was deepened with the implementation of a call center, built into Dynamics 365 – becoming the primary contact channel with the population. 

In parallel, new integrations were developed with other internal systems that added more information to enrich the service and the issuance of contracts. "We were able to integrate with our legacy systems, and by centralizing the information, we allowed multiple areas to access the same database. This brought agility to the process and generation of monitored data," says Jaime. 

During this time, with Power BI available, dashboards were built to meet the needs of different areas to promote better service management. 

Moving from paper to digital: A new enrollment and analytics dynamic

In 2019, the government of the state of São Paulo started the SP No Paper program, with the mission of reducing, and even eliminating, paper processing in the state public sphere, fostering de-bureaucratization actions and the adoption of digital processes. The process incorporated the financing work of housing units for the low-income population. 

CDHU registers interested parties, who undergo approval and draw units by location; after having been accredited, there is a qualification stage, proof of documentation, and definition of financial conditions so that these people can then have access to housing and financing. 

Registration used to be face-to-face, slow, and costly. To optimize this procedure, it has been incorporated into the CRM. "The interested party can install the application on their cellphone and complete a simple form, which is already sent by the tool itself and recorded in CRM, generating a protocol. We were able to facilitate the process for stakeholders and reduce the cost to CDHU. Then we evolved into a website link, enabling one more option," explains Jaime. 

The CRM also incorporated the housing allowance operation, which CDHU provides to families who lost their housing due to an incident, such as a natural disaster or construction project, and receive the allowance for a period until it is reallocated. A CDHU team makes contact with the families and the CRM operates both in the signing up of the families and in the presentation of housing unit offers in different locations. 

CDHU also integrated the services with Poupatempo, a facility that aggregates several services of the state of São Paulo, bringing another possibility of serving the population. 

More innovation with Power Apps and Microsoft 365

Also in 2019, CDHU implemented Power Apps for teams that gather information in communities, a survey that helps CDHU create housing projects and identify the needs of the various populations throughout the state so that its proposals serve its audience. 

"Our goal is increasingly to provide an experience based on modern technologies. Azure and its data services, such as SQL Server connected to Power BI and Dynamics 365, provide us with integration into both internal and citizen care solutions," explains Jaime. 

In 2020, even in light of the pandemic, the CRM added a chat service so that citizens could be served remotely. In parallel, CDHU implemented Microsoft Teams to mobilize its employees and SharePoint as an intranet service. "With the pandemic, Teams was critical to keeping up our work. SharePoint also upgraded the ease of searching for information," says Jaime. Outlook also integrates with CDHU’s operation as an enterprise email tool.

National award and significant figures

During this period, CDHU achieved a series of operational improvements: a high availability system that integrated with legacy systems, was scalable with rapid implementation, and centralized information that provided online access and mobility for work, and an entire ecosystem that also facilitated call monitoring and reporting. 

CRM won the ABC award in 2018 and Power Apps in 2021. The awards recognize innovative projects nationally. "The entire company today uses the tool, systems are integrated, and information is centralized, all monitored, which gave transparency to CDHU's work," Claudia says. 

Marcelo Hercolin, Director of Housing Services at CDHU, celebrates the partnership that, through technology, has provided efficiency and productivity for management. "It's a very important time. With Dynamics 365, CDHU is able to expand and facilitate the relationship with our borrowers," he says. 

Since the implementation of the solutions, the platform recorded more than 2.92 million occurrences, involving 399,000 contracts, 37,856 new housing units, and 180,000 new citizens registered in the period. 

"We were able to implement a number of improvements in numerous operations. We integrated systems that de-bureaucratize and greatly assist the lives of our borrowers and collaborators, thus establishing a new reality with both feet in the future," he concludes.