Facility Maintenance Software: A Smarter Way to Manage Service Requests
No matter how the role of workplace leader evolves, managing service requests will always be part of the job.
Rather than trying to manage an entire team of service technicians and keeping tabs on dozens of different service tickets for issues across multiple locations, more workplace leaders are implementing facility maintenance software. Not only does it make life easier for a workplace leader or facility manager; it also allows your organization to take a more proactive approach to maintenance. This reduces the need for more expensive repairs and downtime.
Here are four ways facility maintenance software increases efficiency while reducing costs.
Facility maintenance software benefits
On-Demand Maintenance
Most likely, the vast majority of service requests will be submitted when something happens unexpectedly—a conference room projector malfunctions, the copier runs out of ink, or the HVAC system malfunctions, turning an entire section of the building into an igloo. Facility maintenance software can help make any of these situations a little more bearable—for both the employees experiencing the issue and the service technicians fixing it.
Workplace managers can upload attachments to service requests such as step-by-step instructions on how to troubleshoot a problem, a map of the offending asset’s location (if wayfinding isn’t an option) and photos illustrating what the tech needs to look for during repairs. The employee who submitted the request can see the status of the ticket so they know help is on the way.
And facility maintenance software that is mobile-friendly gives service technicians all the necessary resources to resolve an issue and update the ticket from their device.
Scheduled maintenance
Without facility maintenance software, your team may have to rely on Excel spreadsheets, Outlook reminders or, even worse, a printed schedule to know when an asset is due for scheduled maintenance. But if these aren’t regularly updated, there’s a much higher likelihood of missing important tune-ups.
With facility maintenance software, you can create triggers to automatically create a service ticket when it’s time to update the firmware in the projector, replace the copier toner or flush the AC system. Not only does this reduce the cost and hassle of repairing assets that have failed out of the blue, but it also keeps employees happy since everything is running as it should be.
Preventative maintenance
Imagine you’re a manufacturer running two assembly lines, and a key piece of equipment goes down. Not only will it cost thousands of dollars to repair, but one of the components needs to be custom-ordered—and it will take a full week. That’s one week of operating at just 50 percent output. Every organization should, at the very least, abide by the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule. But since these recommendations are based on averages (such as the average weather conditions, average hours of use during the day, etc.), the intervals may not be exactly right for the equipment at your facilities. In addition to scheduled maintenance, facility maintenance software can automatically create service requests for preventative maintenance.
Facility maintenance software can be integrated with other building monitoring systems and when an asset is operating outside a designated threshold (for example, in terms of sound, vibration or temperature), a service request can be generated and a service technician can maintenance the equipment before it officially fails.
Real-time insight
One of the biggest benefits facility maintenance software can offer is extensive visibility into workplace and workforce performance at a micro and macro level. Facility maintenance software allows workplace leaders to see how quickly or slowly each technician completes a request in addition to how effective his or her fix is. They can assign a service technician to jobs based on request type and location as well as which requests he or she is best suited for.
Workplace managers can also identify areas of the facility or particular assets that seem to frequently need service. These details help them determine if there is a larger underlying issue that needs to be resolved. With the data provided by the facility maintenance software on all service requests, they can be confident they’re addressing the full scope of the problem, not just putting a bandage on a gaping wound.
Facility maintenance software can definitely be a blessing for workplace leaders. But it can certainly be a gift for employees not on the facilities team, too. When you recognize the benefits to workplace efficiency and employee happiness facility maintenance software can offer, investing in the solution is almost a no-brainer.
Discover for yourself how powerful iOFFICE’s facility maintenance software is. Request your free demo now!
