Must-Ask Questions about Your Maintenance Operations
Maintenance managers are busy, and it can be hard to find time to sit back and take a closer look at your operations. But taking the time for a little reflection can have a big impact on the future of your department. Luckily, we’ve complied a list of 10 must-ask questions about your maintenance operations. When you take the time to review your maintenance goals and workflows, you’ll probably find some things that you can do to improve, as well as identify new ways to improve your team’s productivity and efficiency. Nine Questions to Ask Yourself Start this process by asking yourself these nine questions… What’s making you nervous at work? What changes have you noticed and how will they impact your maintenance team? What resources might help you successfully navigate these changes? What are your organization’s plans for adding or replacing assets? Do you have new employees who would benefit from some training? Could other team members use a refresher in certain areas? Do you have new service requestors who need help on the best way to fill out work order requests? Do you need new or different reports for you or your boss? Is your CMMS software fully updated with any security patches or other updates from the software developer? One More Question to Ask Your Team or Service Customers After you’ve spent a little time working through the first nine questions, there’s one more question to ask your maintenance team and/or your service customers… Does anyone have questions or ideas for doing things better? The answers you get might surprise you, and they may feel a bit overwhelming. Remember you don’t have to do everything yourself. Pick up the phone and ask for help when you need it. Brainstorm with other maintenance managers for advice on how they handle things and involve your team members whenever possible. Your CMMS vendor also likely has some effective and affordable services to expedite your path to improvement. Look for services like MPulse Reset, which helps our customers reconfigure workflows and benchmarks, and then determines where adjustments to your CMMS software can help. Good maintenance managers know that plans are fluid, and they need to adapt to changes in their organization. Spend the time to reflect on these 10 questions and help your organization protect its investments and maximize maintenance productivity. Contact us.
CMMS Helps Facility Managers Move from Reactive to Proactive Maintenance
Facility managers know when someone has a problem, or something breaks down, their phone number is the one they dial. And some days, that phone never stops ringing. Many facility maintenance teams work the same way they always have—answer the phone, and then fix whatever broke. This reactive system serves a purpose, but it’s not efficient for the maintenance team or users. And it has significant consequences. Moving from reactive to proactive maintenance can keep those phone calls at bay while making better use of the maintenance team’s time and resources. It can feel challenging—almost impossible—to start a proactive maintenance program while you’re putting out fires all the time. But that’s where CMMS software can help. Schedule Preventive Maintenance Tasks A proactive approach starts with preventive maintenance. CMMS software will generate a schedule of PM tasks, making it simpler to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Properly maintained assets perform more efficiently, use less energy, and fail less often—extending their usable life. Preventive maintenance schedules and inspections generated from CMMS software help spot issues before they occur. Regular preventive maintenance tracking programs also ensure equipment is properly calibrated and lubricated when they need to be. Maintenance intervals can be scheduled based on asset or part condition, which triggers a work order just before the point when system inefficiencies or failures begin to occur. Facility managers can also schedule preventive maintenance work for off hours by tracking equipment use time. When a maintenance team establishes and regularly performs PM tasks that contribute to the upkeep of assets, an organization may be able to sidestep serious problems that arise as a result of neglect as well as delay more expensive maintenance. Reduce Costs & Downtime When you use CMMS software for maintenance scheduling, you’ll reduce emergency maintenance issues and unexpected production stoppages. This, in turn, cuts overtime costs for emergency repairs and reduces production losses. CMMS software also helps accurately estimate labor hours for PM tasks, making sure staffing levels match the workload and decreasing overtime costs. This type of labor cost analysis can determine when it’s more efficient to add more staff members instead of paying current employees more overtime. Preventive maintenance software is cost effective and beneficial for organizations of all sizes—lowering costs, improving reliability, and helping with compliance reporting. Find out how MPulse CMMS software can help your facility maintenance team move from reactive to a proactive. Contact us.
Should I Repair It or Replace It?
There comes a time in every asset’s lifecycle when a maintenance manager asks the same question: Should I repair it or replace it? The answer depends on several factors unique to your situation and your organization. If a breakdown has halted production, you’ll likely answer this question differently than if it’s an older piece of equipment at the end of its lifecycle. Either way, however, it’s important to make this decision based on facts, rather than assumptions. What You Need to Know The best decisions are informed decisions. When you’re asking if you should repair or replace an asset, you need to know some key information, such as… Maintenance and operating costs to date Impact on operations or production Safety issues Expected remaining service life Current resell market value Disposal costs Warranty or vendor service contract Efficiency How to Decide This information is the basis for data-driven decision making, which simply means you’re making a decision based on hard data rather than assumptions or guesses. [related-content] Every organization has different criteria for replacement versus repair. For example, one MPulse customer forecasts asset replacement when the cost of maintenance to date reaches 75% of the replacement cost. Another customer has different criteria for equipment based on its value to the production process, replacing assets that are vital to operations sooner than assets that have less of an impact. And some maintenance operations still run assets until they break down and aren’t repairable anymore. Making this decision is a lot easier when you have accurate information to go on. That’s where CMMS software comes in. Why CMMS Software Makes It Easier With each purchase and every work order, CMMS software documents… Labor costs Parts costs Energy costs Purchase price and date Life expectancy Warranty information Replacement costs Other custom data By running a few simple reports, you’ll know which assets cost the least amount of money to maintain and repair. You also can calculate when the increased efficiencies of newer models will pay off in the long run. CMMS data changes the way you make decisions because you have all the information at your fingertips to determine the total cost of ownership. Want to know when it’s time to repair or replace an asset? Contact us. We’re here to help.
Avoid Sticker Shock with CMMS
MPulse allows customers to avoid sticker shock with our CMMS. Two of the most powerful benefits of CMMS software are information and the insight that information provides about your maintenance operations. Most of our customers discover a few surprises after they implement MPulse Maintenance Software. A common one is when you start to look closely at the numbers for the first time. More often than not, we hear the same thing, “We’re spending HOW much on that asset?” That’s the moment you see the true value of CMMS software and its ability to improve your maintenance operations. Make Decisions Based on Hard Evidence CMMS software changes the game. It’s the best tool a maintenance manager has for gathering, analyzing, and reporting data about your equipment and your team. And by using that data, you can make decisions based on hard evidence, instead of perceptions or assumptions. We call this approach “data-driven management,” which simply means you’re making management decisions backed by reliable data instead of assumptions or guesses. [related-content] Together, CMMS software and data-driven management give you the picture you need to accurately assess how your department is functioning and where you might make changes to improve. With good data to work from, your organization can make good decisions, which will improve its ability to compete effectively and efficiently. Answer the Questions that Matter to You—and Your Boss With CMMS software, our customers find they can answer a lot of questions, like… Is it more cost effective to repair that forklift or replace it? Should I hire another staff member to reduce overtime costs? What are our biggest repair parts expenditures? We can help you set up your MPulse CMMS software to answer the questions that matter to you and your boss. Best of all, the cumulative nature of CMMS data means you can ask different questions in the future—ones you might not even think about today. It’s easy to miss key information when you’re making decisions based on assumptions or guesses. While you may be surprised how much you are spending on certain assets, knowledge is power. Suddenly you see your maintenance operations in a different light, and you can make the changes you need to make it more productive and efficient. Learn more about how MPulse can help you answer your maintenance questions. Leave a comment or contact us.
Improve Relationships Between Operators and the Maintenance Team
The relationship between your maintenance team and the people who operate the equipment they maintain does not necessarily fall into standard professional definitions. It’s crucial to improve relationships between operators and the maintenance team. While it holds some elements of a customer service relationship (the operator needs the maintenance team’s services), it’s also a partnership as one position directly affects the other, and vice versa. The operator-maintenance relationship doesn’t get a lot of attention in many organizations—and that’s to the detriment of both parties. A good working relationship between maintenance and operations personnel benefits everyone, including the organization as a whole. Who’s at Fault? The operator-maintenance relationship heavily influences key areas of any business, including… Prevention of breakdowns PM scheduling to minimize interruptions Prioritizing work based on value to the organization [related-content] Because these responsibilities directly affect productivity, there’s a tendency to want to assign blame when things go wrong. Is the breakdown due to misuse or abuse? Missed PMs? Carelessness? Neglect? Assigning the blame for downtime will cause pointless disagreements and arguments. It’s important to break away from this pattern and refocus on the best ways to prevent failure in the future. How Can We Prevent Failure? The employees who are mostly likely to trigger downtime events are often in the best position to prevent it in the future—no matter why the failure occurred. As the main users, operators have firsthand knowledge about how an asset is functioning. They also can be the source of asset breakdowns or provide insight as to why it happened. Operators often can diagnose their own machine, and they likely can prevent future downtime events. The maintenance team also holds valuable knowledge that can prevent breakdowns—like technical skills, part availability, PM schedules, and historic documentation. Working together to prevent future failures is essential. MPulse customers have found success by promoting… Training between maintenance and operators on the best ways to perform basic functions like start-up or shutdown Providing tools that promote communication—such as service requesting, PM scheduling, and automatic notification features found in CMMS software Building stronger relationships by promoting interaction outside of stressful situations, like participating in joint meetings or even sharing a lunchroom Improving the relationship between operators and maintenance starts with mutual respect and communication. You can help by ensuring all parties understand each person’s role and appreciate the benefits they bring to the organization. How have you improved the relationship between your operators and maintenance techs? Leave a comment or contact us.
Maintenance Team Recognition is Long Overdue
Last month, Thomas, a young maintenance tech at a local school district, saved someone’s life. Literally. He was in the right place at the right time with the right training (in CPR). He got a lot of local recognition, all of which was well deserved. And as the news spread about his heroics, more stories emerged about everyday things that Thomas did that also deserved recognition—the smaller, but still important, ways that he makes his workplace a safer and more efficient place. It was refreshing. Maintenance techs know when things go wrong, the maintenance department often gets the blame. But the maintenance teams often don’t get the credit they deserve when things go well. Recognizing the contributions of the maintenance professionals is long overdue. So, how do we change that? It’s Time to Raise Awareness Maintenance often gets overlooked until there is a failure. To combat that problem, maintenance professionals themselves need to raise the level of awareness of what they provide to the organization. We can’t wait for others to notice. We need to advocate for ourselves. [related-content] Tell your story. Look for opportunities to share your projects, goals, accomplishments, challenges, and results. Make sure the people in positions of influence understand what your department does and the benefit your team brings to the organization. Do you want other people to understand the real value of your maintenance personnel? Start by asking what they’re worth when a breakdown has your production line at a standstill. As one MPulse Facebook follower said, “Maintenance is like an insurance policy. You don’t know why you pay for it until you wreck your car.” It’s Time to Reach Out to Others No one understands maintenance like other maintenance professionals. So, we need to work together. Join or start a chapter of a professional association (like the Association for Maintenance Professionals or the International Facility Management Association) in your area. Find out what’s going on at other plants or facilities. Get your staff involved in service clubs and organizations. Encourage your team members to give back to their communities. These outreach activities are great ways to promote what maintenance technicians do and how much people rely on them. Maintenance professionals often complain they don’t get the respect they deserve. So, let’s change that, starting in your own organization. Leave a comment or contact us to share how you make sure your maintenance team gets the credit they deserve.
Attract Younger Employees to the Maintenance Field
Maintenance is an aging field. With many long-time employees retiring at a rapid rate, finding younger people to fill positions is one of the biggest challenges facing today’s maintenance managers. So, we asked our customers what they’re doing to attract younger employees to the maintenance field. They gave us three great suggestions. Embrace New Technology The younger generations have spent their entire lives surrounded by technology, and these employees have a greater understanding of its capabilities. As such, these workers will not only embrace new technology in the workplace, but they will also expect it. While much of the resistance to new technology common in older generations is nonexistent with these team members, it’s replaced by expectations that the company will keep its technology up to date for these workers to do their jobs. That includes everything from tools to mobile technology to CMMS software to Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices. Value Maintenance Work Younger employees are looking for meaningful work where they feel like they make a difference. Employers need to emphasize the contributions of the maintenance team, making sure everyone understands the important role they play in the organization. Employers need to raise the level of awareness of their maintenance program. Look for opportunities to share their projects, goals, accomplishments, and results. Don’t be afraid to self-promote wherever you can, both internally and also in the local media or national trade press. Invest in Your People It’s hard to pick up all the skills maintenance workers typically need on the job. So, our customers recommend working closely with local high schools and colleges to find people with the right aptitude, even if they don’t have the skills right away. Employers should create a professional growth/training program for the maintenance staff. Professional growth programs are a great recruiting tool. Work with management to provide compensation for tuition, books, and fees. Reward strong work performance with additional opportunities for education. It’s tough to find the right people for maintenance positions. Thinking outside the box can give you the advantage you need. How has your organization tried to attract younger people to the maintenance field? What’s worked? What hasn’t? Leave a comment or contact us.
People Skills in the Maintenance Profession
Maintenance professionals are known for their technical skills—it’s at the top of the list for any job posting. But another skillset might be almost as important. For employees who spend a lot of time with machinery and equipment, people skills contribute significantly to success in the maintenance field. Why Do Maintenance Professionals Need People Skills? People skills are related to interpersonal communication—including the ability to actively listen, explain issues in a way someone else can understand, build trust, show patience, make suggestions, work with others, and display empathy. [related-content] Sooner or later, everyone needs the maintenance team—from the operator on the phone calling about an emergency breakdown, to the vendor working on a warranty job, to the manager asking for an update on a repair. These are a maintenance team’s “customers,” whether they are people paying for services (like building tenants) or internal departments that need something done (that’s everyone, from accounting to production to the executive team). And people skills are key to working with customers. Sometimes these interactions are challenging, because maintenance professionals often work in highly stressful situations where they need to discuss unpleasant information. They also typically need to explain details to other people who might not have the same technical background, as well as educate users about the assets in their care. So, it’s important that maintenance professionals prepare by developing—and refining—people skills to work in this demanding environment. How Can I Help My Team Develop People Skills? Some people are naturally good at people skills. And others need training. Just like you train your people to repair equipment, you need to make sure they have the training and support to develop these “soft” skills. It’s also vital to give your team the tools they need to make communication effective. For example, CMMS software enables maintenance teams to improve customer service by streamlining communication and increasing access to information. Those two things make it easier for your maintenance team to provide quick response times and detailed answers to questions and/or problems. Technical skills will always be a priority for maintenance technicians. But don’t overlook the importance of people skills as well. What’s your experience? What have you found that works? Leave a comment or contact us.
CMMS Helps Improve Capital Planning
Capital planning is an extension of two other key elements of maintenance management—creating and monitoring budgets. Like any budgeting process, accurate information significantly improves the ability to plan. And CMMS software gathers maintenance information with every work order, inventory item, or subcontracted repair—making it a treasure trove of data when you need it. With CMMS data, you’re basing your plan on hard numbers instead assumptions. That’s how CMMS software makes capital planning easier and more accurate, helping your organization stay efficient and competitive. What’s Capital Planning? Capital planning typically includes physical assets like equipment and machinery, but can also include product expansions, research & development, property, and other major capital expenditures. While creating a capital plan usually involves multiple departments, maintenance will likely be a big part of the process because you work closely with an organization’s key assets. And that’s where CMMS software becomes essential. How Does CMMS Software Help? The first step to developing a solid capital plan is knowing what you have. You can use CMMS software to create an asset list and gather data on each of those assets. This data includes key information like purchase date, life-to-date (LTD) maintenance expenses, and other key financial details. Often CMMS data can spot potential trouble, which helps with long-term planning. For example, if your CMMS reports indicate an increasing number of emergency repairs to a key asset, it’s time to take a closer look and what’s really going on. That includes determining if it’s better to replace it, rather than repairing it. This information also helps you prioritize your organization’s capital expenditures, so you know what you should focus on first—and what can wait until later. How Can I Use My CMMS Data? CMMS data helps you verify and justify capital expenditures as well as prepare for them. The process creates better visibility into your maintenance operations, as well as the documentation to back up your plan. That’s important when you need to explain your decisions. Capital planning with CMMS software is another example of data-driven management, which means your decisions are backed by reliable data. Technological advances like CMMS software help make more and more detailed, relevant maintenance data available. You can use that to your advantage. What challenges do you face with capital planning? Contact us. We want to know.
Quick and Easy Budgeting with CMMS
Many maintenance departments create annual budgets based on prior expenses. It’s a simple process—pull all the expenditures, check to see if something unusual happened during that time, and increase the budgeted amount by other planned expenses you see coming. But CMMS data goes far beyond just showing expenses. You’ll also find valuable insights into how your department is functioning, and what you can do to improve. And that information can make your budget process easier and much more accurate. Creating Your Maintenance Budget A maintenance budget includes employee salaries and benefits, as well as direct costs such as parts, equipment replacement, vendor services, and special projects. Every maintenance manager knows that it’s hard to create a realistic budget without historical information. CMMS software tells you exactly what you’ve spent in the past, so you have a strong foundation for budget forecasting. Preventive maintenance schedules make it easy to estimate labor and inventory costs for key assets. Historical data about labor costs, special projects, and staff training are other areas where CMMS software can help you accurately estimated future costs. Unplanned maintenance is more unpredictable, of course. But again, CMMS data can provide information about emergency repairs on assets and what it took to get them running again, giving you a better idea about what to expect. Analyzing a Maintenance Budget Maintenance costs affect any organization’s bottom line in two ways: the money spent and the prevention of additional expenditures via preventive/predictive maintenance. That’s why CMMS software is vital to controlling maintenance costs—and determining where the department can improve. Real-world examples of what MPulse customers have found when they created their budgets from MPulse data include… The cost of overtime labor made it more efficient to hire another person than continue to pay overtime or outsource the work. Too much overstocked inventory was sitting on shelves, quickly becoming unusable. Expedited shipping fees were costing more than stocking certain parts. Some equipment was costing more to maintain than it was to replace. Employee productivity was improving after specific training classes. Some work was less expensive to outsource, so employees could focus on their core tasks. Next time, we’ll talk about a related topic—tracking your maintenance budget with CMMS software. In the meantime, contact us with your specific questions about how MPulse can make your maintenance budgeting process much easier.