3C - Who we are

Established in 2015, 3C Consultants is a leading supplier of technology and data consultancy and data software to the UK and Ireland’s social housing, charity, and care sectors, and we have assisted over 150 organisations to navigate the constantly evolving IT and data landscape.

Our experienced and talented team have decades of industry experience and have helped scores of clients to:

  • Develop system specifications
  • Identify resource requirements
  • Review current provision
  • Carry out strategic service and supplier reviews
  • Manage procurement and implementation
  • Secure data assurance and application audits
  • Improve data governance

At 3C, our purpose is to help organisations in the social housing, local government, care, and charity sectors to harness the latest technology to empower the delivery of social value in the most cost-effective and efficient way.

Meet the 3C team

Colin Sales

Colin Sales

CEO

Colin is the CEO and one of the founders of 3C Consultants. Having successfully run a number of businesses over the last 25 years that have provided support to the social housing sector, he has passion for the sectors purpose and is on a mission to help it to enhance social value through transforming the way it uses data, digital services and technology to better empower staff and engage with customers.

In Colin’s early years in IT he was fortunate to have worked with Alan Sugar in the mid-80’s when Amstrad were one of the first providers of personal computers, and then Steve Jobs in the early 90’s when Steve was developing the NeXTSTEP range of computers. These experiences helped Colin to appreciate what it takes to empower and transform organisations through the use of information and technology.

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Charles Brooks

Director of Consulting and Partner

Charles is our Director of Consulting and one of the partners who formed 3C Consultants in 2015. Charles has been working mainly in the social housing, charity and education sectors for over 30 years, of which the past 18 years has been in management consultancy. Charles has worked for over 100 different organisations in helping them deliver new information technology and transform the way they operate.

Charles is very experienced in guiding Boards and Executive Groups for organisations of all sizes as a critical friend, providing advice, assurance and guidance during challenging operational plans and projects to ensure successful delivery and outcomes. Charles has been involved in all areas of housing from homelessness to care homes and is very passionate about the need to improve housing for all.

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Colin Sales
Audrey Taylor

Audrey Taylor

Director of Business Development

Audrey joined 3C Consultants in June 2022, bringing vast experience in the social housing sector having worked over a combined 23 years for industry giants Aareon, as their Sales and Marketing Director, and at Civica, as their Business Development Director. During this time, she worked with over 200 social housing providers, ranging in scale from large Local Authorities through to small charitable Housing Associations, gaining an invaluable insight into the ever changing requirements of the sector.

Audrey has extensive experience in identifying and assisting in the development of new products and services, working in collaboration with industry partners and user groups as well as suppliers’ R&D teams to improve the products brought to market to enhance the services offered by providers.

Offering an unparalleled insight into how suppliers respond to tenders, Audrey is a specialist in procurement, migration, integration, implementation and support for digital transformation in the social housing sector including IoT, cloud solutions, SaaS and chatbots.

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Nicky Hawkins

Head of Data

Nicky is 3C’s Head of Data, with over 35 years of experience in the social housing and local authority sectors, having worked with over 100 housing organisations. Nicky is passionate about empowering organisations to use the potential of their data within their business, and has extensive experience dealing with data strategies, data governance, data policies and information management. She has led in the successful implementation of ISO 27001, Information Security Management, and has undertaken many data protection roles during her career.

Nicky has a BA (Hons) First Class degree in Maths and Computing, and was awarded the national George Barnard Prize for outstanding performance, by the Statistics Department. She has a wealth of programme and project management experience, and has also been involved in strategic business planning processes, performance management, risk management, business intelligence, and IT strategy and management, all at senior management and executive level.

Nicky Hawkins
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James Holland

James Holland

Data Consultant

James is a dedicated social housing IT professional with almost 20 years’ experience of systems administration and management. James has previously been a director of The JDI Partnership delivering consultancy to the social housing sector.

Skilled in business process re-engineering and the use of IT to deliver business efficiency, James successfully involves users optimising their use of their systems.

He specialises in the development of asset database structures to deliver accurate costing and management reporting so that financial, statutory and regulatory requirements are met. James has particular experience of assisting merging organisations unify their asset and stock condition data.

He has also worked with various housing management systems with extensive experience and knowledge of ActiveH from MIS-AMS.

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Noema Beardsworth

Data Consultant

Noema joined 3C Consultants permanently in Spring 2021 after first working with us as an Associate in 2020, assisting with various successful data projects and building the technical foundation for 3C Data Logic alongside James Holland. She is a data expert in the social housing sector, with extensive in-house experience. Her efforts centre on creating environments that empower people to do valuable work.

Noema's work spans business intelligence, performance, data migration, data quality and systems analysis; with experience working on the full range of systems from QL to Dynamics 365. Over the last two years she has co-developed the people-centred methodology behind 3C Data Logic with Head of Data, Nicky Hawkins, and the Data Services team.

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Pete Bullock

Data Analyst

Pete is an experienced data analyst with extensive experience in sql and data visualisation.

He has worked with multi-billion dollar clients to optimise their data flow which resulted in increased revenue growth. He has also undertaken multiple successful ETL projects to help smaller businesses connect to new digital platforms.

Pete has worked within the social housing sector to help organisations understand their business through use of management software and data visualisation.

Nick Williams

Data Consultant

Nick is a consultant with extensive experience within the housing sector. Having been involved in presenting data at a senior level- to drive process improvement and support and shape key business decisions.

Nick’s knowledge covers a broad range of systems used within the housing sector and provides keen attention to detail, with an innovative approach to working.

Having trained over 400 professionals on complex software, Nick is able to provide both strategic and operational guidance. Nick has a keen understanding of the wider implications of technical solutions within the business.

 

 

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Colin Sales

Claire Bayliss

Associate Consulting Director

Claire is an experienced housing professional having worked in the social housing sector for nearly 30 years, 12 of them as a practitioner and since then on the IT side. She has provided IT consultancy for over 20 years having worked for RSM Robson Rhodes, Tribal Group and Montal IT Consulting prior to working at 3C, helping housing providers use information technology to deliver both business excellence and efficiencies. Whilst at Montal, Claire was the Director of Consulting and successfully grew the consulting division to become one of the most successful parts of Montal’s business. Claire is a graduate with both MCIH and Prince2 qualification.

She has worked with over 100 housing providers delivering a range of services including strategy development; service reviews; options appraisal; business case development; procurement; process review; project management; implementation support; and recruitment.

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Leon Flegg

Associate Consultant

Leon is an experienced Director and VP, well connected in UK social housing, local government and health care sectors, having worked within these for over 20 years, either within the sectors directly or in senior executive roles within software companies supplying into those sectors.

Leon has helped many organisations to digitally transform and has managed extensive procurement exercises, programmes and projects to deliver transformational gain including ERP, Field service management and Contract management systems, understanding how IT is aligned with business objectives to deliver real and measurable return on investment. Leon has also delivered IT strategies for organisations in both public and private sectors. He holds an MBA, is a qualified CIPFA accountant and a Prince2 practitioner.

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Jo Fulford

Associate Data Consultant

Jo has worked with data in the not-for-profit sector for over 25 years and has been working as a consultant supporting organisations with data strategy, data governance and data quality since 2018.

Jo is passionate about helping organisations of all sizes and causes overcome their frustrations with poor quality data so they can deliver their mission efficiently, with reliable information, and with confidence that they are GDPR compliant.

Jo's work is underpinned by her interest and enthusiasm for making improvements, helping people understand the reliance on data to deliver their mission, and then guiding them on the journey to address shortcomings.  Jo is comfortable working with people at all levels and in both technical and non-technical roles. Jo can advise on strategic aspects of data as well as getting involved in day-to-day detail.

Jo is a Certified Data Management Professional (DAMA) and also has formal qualifications in Business Analysis from the BCS.

Scott Crowley

Associate Consultant

Scott has over 20 years experience in IT, the majority of that spent in leadership roles in social housing. Through his extensive strategy and project experience, Scott understands what is required to make a success of a system implementation and how to ensure the business gains from technology-led initiatives.

Having managed upwards of 50 projects, from housing management systems to complex repairs interfaces and from finance systems to asset appraisal tools, he has the practical experience to ensure that projects deliver on business benefits and manage risks and issues effectively, having learnt from prior instances. Scott can add value as a seasoned project manager or by providing project consultancy in a number of areas – including initial setup, scoping and governance, testing strategies and issue resolution / project recovery.

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David White

Financial Administrator

David has been an experienced financial administrator at 3C since 2015, responsible for invoicing, managing customer queries, and all other aspects of financial management.

His career began in procurement at the Royal Navy dockyard, provisioning the fleet during the Falklands War. David has since worked for several industrial companies, including Ferranti, Kenwood, and Lewmar Marine. 

Jake Brooks

Junior Consultant 

 Jake has been a Junior Consultant at 3C since 2023,  where he manages our LinkedIn page and executes successful marketing campaigns. His innovative approach and strategic thinking have significantly boosted our online engagement and presence.

He is currently at the University of Leeds studying for a BA in Geography.

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Our mission

"Empowering people to deliver social value through harnessing technology"

We are committed to helping the social housing sector benefit from every opportunity that technology brings. We aim to engage and empower organisations and their teams to deliver better services and sustainable, positive change.

We believe in:

Trusted, long-term partnerships where we can bring deep expertise to achieve sustainable excellence
Reimagining what’s possible through insight and agile-thinking
Empowering the change-makers in a digital age

We make a difference by empowering landlords to harness technology and achieve digital improvements and sustainable excellence for greater impact. Our deep housing expertise, broad base of consultants and independent status ensures accurate, informed and unbiased advice that can be trusted.

At 3C Consultants, we are committed to:

Enduring partnerships

Engage

Enduring partnerships, utilising our unparalleled expertise for sustainable excellence.

detailed insights and agile thinking

Empower

Empowering change in the digital era.

Empowering change in the digital era

Transform

Envisioning new possibilities through detailed insights and agile thinking.

Our impact is realised by equipping your organisation with the tools to embrace technology, driving digital enhancements and sustainable excellence for meaningful outcomes. Backed by extensive industry knowledge, a diverse pool of expert consultants, and unbiased independence, we offer accurate and reliable guidance upon which you can rely – a trusted critical friend in all aspects of your IT infrastructure.

Our culture and values

Our company culture lies at the heart of the way in which we engage with our clients. How we interact with each other reflects the way we interact with our clients. As a business, we treat our colleagues with respect and provide a supportive environment to enable each person to be the best they can be. It is a culture which allows innovation to flourish and where experience and knowledge are shared.

Our clients can expect this too. We will:

Engage – listening and taking time to understand your business and its challenges
Empower – working collaboratively with you to find the right solutions
Transform – supporting you through change
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Our awards and accreditations

As one of the UK and Ireland’s leading independent providers of specialist IT consulting to the social housing and local government sectors, we are proud that our prominent role has been recognised in:

  The UK Housing Awards Professional Services Partner of the Year 2022: Shortlisted

  The Housing Digital Awards 2023 Most Innovative Consultancy: Nominated

Our consultants also have wide-ranging expertise in ISO 27001 (Information Security Management) to ensure that your business’s assets are comprehensively protected against threats and help you to adopt a best-practice approach to manage your information security.

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Contact us to find out more

If you would like to find out more about how 3C Consultants can help your business, or to tell us about your next project, please get in touch to arrange a free, no-obligation initial consultation.

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Let us help you build the foundations for future business success. Get in touch to discuss your IT and data service requirements, or to request a demo of our 3C Data Logic software. We’d love to hear from you.

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