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Writer's pictureFlorian Ferrier

The 5 most underrated maintenance improvements

Updated: Oct 25, 2022



Warning ! The following may seem like a dream... In fact, they are very easy to put together.


It takes:

  1. Passion & Care for your business

  2. Time within your existing team (20%) / Project Outsourcing

  3. Resilience: Rome was not built in a day

  4. Drive and Dynamism from upper management levels



#01 - Change your CMMS


The trigger:


  • Your workplace becomes a museum compared to your everyday life

  • Your CMMS is an obsolete and complicated locked mad machine

  • You think that human behavior is from now on linked to technologies


The reason:


  • WHY ? CMMS are aging badly & “you” need to stay competitive

  • HOW ? Actively monitor technological developments, you can't afford to miss milestones

  • WHAT ? You are looking for a user friendly, mobile, integrable and scalable cloud based “young” CMMS --> Use the faster not the bigger !


The challenge:


  • Company is too big: Start with one site! Drive innovation

  • IT is completely reluctant: Book a demo! Explain integration

  • Managers are locked in the past: Fight or quit for a better company!


The value:


  • MOBILITY: Use it to reduce turnover and attract new employees

  • LEADERSHIP: Engage your employees as one team with a new exciting challenge

  • COMMUNICATE: Facilitate and streamline analytics access for everyone


“If you affect change by starting with the early adopters, the majority won't just go along with it - they'll demand it.”- Simon Sinek.



#02 - Deploy skills management


The trigger:


  • Everyone is involved in anything, firefighting and overworked

  • There is an obvious gap between management and technicians

  • The lack of recognition is a constant complain and creates tensions

  • Your job descriptions are 10 years old, generalist and out of date

  • Employee turnover is incredibly high and recruiting increasingly difficult

  • Your workplace has a terrible way to onboard new employees

  • The main discussion at work always comes down to low pay


The reason:


  • WHY ? Toxic workplace is bad & “you” need to stay competitive

  • HOW ? Actively seek to develop a human and maintenance culture, recognition, training & job frames

  • WHAT ? You seek to write job descriptions, present them and explain them to the team. List the skills required and provide training accordingly ...


The challenge:


  • Company is too small: Contract this service out

  • HR is completely reluctant: Share & explain articles

  • Managers are not moving: Fight or quit for a better company!


The value:


  • ENGAGEMENT:Encourage and have innovative ideas proposed by your team

  • HAPPINESS: Dramatically increase productivity, loyalty & health

  • TRUST: Help employees feel secure & reduce turnover


“A culture is not invented. A culture constantly evolves… which is why it must be nurtured..”- Simon Sinek.



#03 - Film your checklists


The trigger:


  • You rely on people to find information in long & complex OEM manuals

  • Your checklists are not accessible, visuals & very approximate

  • You are repeating the same things over and over on daily basis

  • A lot of rework is occuring, in particular from operators’ cleaning


The reason:


  • WHY ? Knowledge capitalization is gold to stay competitive

  • HOW ? Integrate the importance of knowledge into the whole culture of your company: safety, operation & maintenance

  • WHAT ? Turn your checklists, procedures, guides, user manuals and instructions into step-by-step video. Do a great job the first time, forever!


The challenge:


  • Lack of time Start with the most critical, get buyers

  • Massive work Take the time to start somewhere

  • Poor management drive You don’t need managers for this !


The value:


WORK SAFER & SMARTER: Transform watching videos into gestural and motor skills

MASTER BEST PRACTICES: Making accurate & consistent tasks for everyone

CAPITALIZE ON KNOWLEDGE: Retain the know-how despite employee changes

CAPITALIZE ON KNOWLEDGE: Retain the know-how despite employee changes


The right information in the right place, at the right time!


“The hardest part is starting. Get that out of the way and the journey is much easier.”- Simon Sinek.



#04 - Communicate with your OEMs


The trigger:


  • Your library of O&M manuals spans an entire wall!

  • Your spare parts are not attached to individual asset (BOMs)

  • Your assets use more third-party parts than OEM spare parts


The reason:


  • WHY ? You are not efficient & “you” need to stay competitive

  • HOW ? Actively monitor technological developments, you can't afford to miss milestones

  • WHAT ? Yearly Updated Database: Contacts, assets (make, model, serial number, life expectancy), spare parts (BOMs, criticality, obsolescence, delivery time, cost, shelf life, parts ordered), updated O&M manual, latest service...


The challenge:


OEM is not helping

  • Look at supportive customer service

  • Keep the communication going

  • Keep the OEM # as low as possible


The value:


  • UPDATED: CMMS, tasks, spare parts, pricing, contacts, news, technologies...

  • SURVEILLANCE: Control the obsolescence of your equipment to anticipate surprise

  • DIGITAL: Allowing everyone to have access to all asset information at a glance & anywhere


“Emails get reactions. Phone calls start conversations.”- Simon Sinek.



#05 - Develop Autonomous Maintenance


The trigger:


  • Breakdowns

  • Small Stops

  • Slow Running

  • Defects

  • Accidents

  • Reliability is NOT everybody’s responsibility


The reason:


  • WHY ? You are not reliable & “you” need to stay competitive

  • HOW ? Places responsibility for routine maintenance in the hands of empowered operators

  • WHAT ? Engage a new team project, starting with a critical line, daily cleaning, lubrication and checks, video-based contents, visual maintenance, training...


The challenge:


  • Nobody is interested: Start somewhere, a little something

  • Production is not buying: Use new technologies & tools

  • Maintenance is not buying: Fight or quit for a better company!


The value:


  • Increases operators’ equipment knowledge

  • Gives operators greater ownership

  • Assets well cleaned & lubricated

  • Identifies issues before failures

  • Frees technicians for higher level tasks


“Customers will love a company when the employees love it first.”- Simon Sinek.

→ Production will love a Maintenance Service when the Technicians love it first...


Conclusion


#01 - Change your CMMS -> MOBILITY -> INCLUSION

#02 - Deploy skills management-> SKILLS -> HAPPINESS

#03 - Film your checklists -> KNOWLEDGE -> CONFIDENCE

#04 - Communicate with your OEMs -> UPDATES -> PREPARATION

#05 - Develop Autonomous Maintenance -> TEAMWORK -> EXCELLENCE


“The only way to find out if it will work out, is to do it.”- Simon Sinek.


I hope this article sheds some light on the subject. Do not hesitate to leave your comments and raise questions. Thank you for your time.


This article is based on suggestions and personal studies aimed at generalizing information. Please be respectful in your comments.




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