Author: MaintenX

If you are the owner or manager of a commercial facility, you should always be looking to not only maintain the level of success that your facility enjoys, but also make constant improvements. As we begin a new year, now is a good time to take stock of your facility and plan out your goals for 2021 and what you hope to accomplish in your facility. There are two main goals you should set for yourself, with the details being specific to your facility and its needs.

 

Upgrading equipment and systems

 

Even if equipment and facility systems, such as water and HVAC systems, seem to be running well now, there is always room for improvement. As such, it is always a good idea to consider upgrades to facility parts in order to help business processes run more efficiently. When trying to assess what areas need upgrading the most, consider the parts of the business that seem to drag the most or look at the oldest pieces of equipment. These should be prioritized and replacements or upgrades made first, which will also help prevent breakdowns in the future.

 

Establishing a better preventative maintenance plan

 

For both new and old equipment, you should always have a preventative maintenance plan in place for ensuring that everything is in proper working order. If you don’t have such a plan, this should be a top priority for you and if you already do have one, it’s worth re-evaluating to see if it is working out for you. Equipment and systems only work well if they are well maintained, so preventive maintenance will go a long way towards achieving this. Emergency repairs are sometimes still inevitable, so be sure to have a plan in event of breakdown and how to remedy it as quickly as possible.

 

At MaintenX, we aim to be your facility maintenance partners and help you stay on the right track in 2021. We have many years of experience in both installations of equipment, preventive maintenance, and many more aspects of facility maintenance that are sure to help you achieve your goals and be successful in the new year. To learn more about our services and how we can help your facility today, please call us at (855) 751-0075.

 

If you are new to the field of facility maintenance, it can be overwhelming to learn the ropes of management while also doing your best to keep your facility running successfully. Many new facility maintenance managers make rookie mistakes that can be costly in the long run, so it is important to be aware of major pitfalls in order to avoid mistakes and grow to be the best facility manager that you can be.

 

Plan today to prevent problems tomorrow.

 

While there will inevitably be situations where you need to think on your feet, it is far better to prepare for as much as possible in advance. A failure to plan is a common mistake many new managers make; they think they can act off the cuff, which may sound appealing until you are in an emergency situation. Instead, you should make plans today to prevent emergencies from happening. A large part of this involves setting up preventative maintenance plans for all equipment and facility systems, having contingency plans in place for disasters and breakdowns, and knowing who to contact to perform repairs if need be.

 

Use every tool at your disposal.

 

As a facility maintenance manager, you have many tools at your disposal to help you in your job. Between your equipment, team of employees, and online resources, you should always be aware of your options and use what you need when the situation calls for it. Don’t be afraid to implement new technologies to help processes run more smoothly, and understand that sometimes you may need to call for outside help for particularly complex maintenance tasks or for help in establishing proper preventative maintenance plans.

 

Being a successful facilities maintenance manager is sometimes difficult, but can be very rewarding. If you feel overwhelmed in your new position, remember that we at MaintenX are here to help you with any facility maintenance tasks, including planning, and would be happy to help guide you as we have many companies across the country. To learn more about the maintenance services we offer, please call us any time at (855) 751-0075.

 

As a facility owner or manager, employee safety should be something that you are always prioritizing. As a leader, this is not simply an option, but a responsibility that you have to your workers and should be at the heart of every decision that you make for improving and fixing parts of the facility. Besides simply being a humanitarian goal, there are a number of business reasons to update safety protocols at your facility for the betterment of everyone in your company.

 

Protection and certification

 

Firstly, having the most up to date safety protocols will help protect you and your company from incidents that might be costly to you. Lawsuits and workers’ compensation claims are sometimes inevitable, but if they can be avoided by preventing the issues that cause them, you will be spared from potentially massive costs. You will also be protected from external safety audits if all of your protocols are the most up to date and avoid fines that could result from audit failures. Having safety protocols that are up to the highest standards may help you gain certifications in workplace safety and environmental consciousness, which may also save you money in interest rates and at the very least will look appealing to customers and potential new employees. 

 

Increasing efficiency and trust 

 

Updating facility safety protocols can also help increase efficiency when it comes to business processes. You may currently be running processes that are safe, but could be executed better while still maintaining the necessary level of safety. If this is the case, assessing your current practices and improving them will help you in the long run. This will save money in the form of time investment costs, as well as allow you to complete projects and activities quicker. Finally, being as safe as possible and being transparent about it will look good in the eyes of upper management and shareholders and therefore be profitable from all angles.

 

Ultimately, the pursuit of safety for all in your facility is a goal that you should always be working towards. We at MaintenX are experts in all areas of facility maintenance and if there are any modifications, installations, or renovations that are needed in your facility that could increase employee safety, we can be your go-to team. To learn more about the services that we offer, please call us any time at (855) 751-0075.

 

While emergency repairs on equipment and facility systems are sometimes necessary, it’s better to avoid them entirely. Thankfully, this is possible through preventive maintenance. This style of maintenance involves performing regular checks and small fixes over time in order to prevent larger issues and equipment breakdown from happening in the future. You may think that this is too demanding, but even if you don’t have the staff in-house to accomplish such a maintenance plan, we at MaintenX are here to help. 

 

We have expertise in all aspects of facility maintenance. 

 

MaintenX has been involved in the facility maintenance field for over 40 years and in that time has perfected what it means to be experts in both repairs and preventative maintenance. Using that experience, we can help your facility devise the right preventative maintenance strategy for all of your equipment.

 

We are driven by technology.

 

The tools used to complete maintenance tasks are important and we use only the best at MaintenX. We are always seeking to push the cutting edge of technology, which allows us to complete jobs faster than the competition. Staying on top of the newest technology also allows us to innovate how maintenance is performed and offer upgrades to help your facility be more efficient overall. 

 

We operate swiftly and consistently.

 

Finally, at MaintenX, we are dedicated to customer service and aim to see all of your maintenance projects completed swiftly and consistently. Both of these attributes are important, especially when it comes to preventive maintenance. Your facility should have someone they can count on to ensure that all equipment is in working order and this alone makes MaintenX services well worth investing in.

 

We’ve served many companies, both large and small, over the years and would be happy to do the same for you and your facility. To learn more about our preventative maintenance services, please feel free to call us any time at (855) 751-0075.

 

If you are a facility owner or manager, there are a number of goals that you should always be working towards. No matter what other projects you may be considering, there are a few basic priorities that should be present in your schedule. Let’s explore the maintenance goals that will help your facility be the best it can be in 2021 and beyond.

 

Providing a safe environment

 

The top goal for any facility manager should be to create a healthy and safe environment for both employees and customers. This means assessing risks to health and safety and taking care of situations that arise that may threaten them, such as spills on the floor or mold growth. Keeping a safe facility also means correcting issues with the building and equipment that might cause greater issues down the line, such as a leaking roof or faulty machinery that could break down and put operators at risk. 

 

Make improvements

 

As a facility manager, you also have an obligation to ensure that the facility is running as efficiently as possible. Therefore, making semi-regular upgrades to systems and equipment, even those that aren’t necessarily in need of repair, is a worthy goal to have as it will increase productivity and prevent issues with eventual breakdown. It is also a good idea to make aesthetic improvements a goal, such as painting the facility, as this will increase morale for employees and create a better image for the company in the eyes of customers.

 

Communicate openly

 

Not all facility maintenance goals are physical in nature. In order to help operations run smoothly, improving communication between you as a facility manager and your employees will only help in the long run. It is also important to communicate openly with upper management about potential issues and budgetary concerns, as this will allow you to better plan your next steps over the course of the year.

 

Being a facility manager is a tough job, but thankfully you don’t have to go at it alone. At MaintenX, we offer a wide variety of facility maintenance services to improve, fix, upgrade, and clean all areas of your facility, all efficiently and at a low cost. To learn more about our services and how we can assist you in your 2021 facility maintenance goals today, please call us at (855) 751-0075.

 

Both the inside and outside appearances of your facility go a long way towards setting the tone of how customers and employees see your business. A facility that looks run-down and ill-maintained will set a negative tone for potential customers, and employees may be tempted to not take their job seriously if the company doesn’t take their facility care seriously. When looking to make your facility look new, consider a fresh coat of paint. If you are looking to repaint your facility, either outdoors or interior, here are some tips for accomplishing the task as efficiently as possible. 

 

Plan out your painting.

 

The first thing that you should do before even beginning your facility repainting project is plan out exactly what you want to accomplish and what resources you will need to make it happen. How much do you want to paint, interior or exterior or both? Do you want to do everything at once or in stages? What color paint do you want to use and how high-quality do you want to go? These are all questions worth asking. Budget should also be a consideration when you are planning the time table for the repainting and what materials you want to use.

 

Execute the painting effectively.

 

Once you know exactly what you want to accomplish in your facility repainting, the next stages are the hows. Do you have the personnel to accomplish the repainting in a timely manner or would you need to make hires in order to complete the project? If time is no concern, you likely will have personnel to paint within your facility, but repainting should never be stretched out over too long of a time. If you don’t have the manpower to repaint all that you want in a relatively short time frame, it may be a good idea to hire professionals from outside your facility to paint for you. This will not only ensure the job is done correctly, but also quickly and efficiently.

 

At MaintenX, we specialize in performing all different kinds of facility maintenance tasks and projects including repainting. With our many years of experience, we would be happy to help you plan your facility repainting project and see it through to the end, no matter the scope or logistics. To learn more about our painting and other facility management services, please call us any time at (855) 751-0075.

 

Successfully operating a facility doesn’t only mean having a skillful facility manager. In order for the building to be kept in proper order, a top-tier facility maintenance staff is necessary as well. The facility maintenance staff handles most of the day to day tasks and activities so ensuring that you have a team that is capable of completing them correctly is paramount. If you are looking to hire new facility maintenance staff soon, here are some tips for hiring the best personnel you can and narrowing down a potentially long list of applicants.

 

Be thorough in your interview process.

 

One mistake that many facilities make is that they try to rush the interview and hiring process in an effort to fill a position quickly. This can, unfortunately, lead to poor hiring choices that don’t work out and cost the company unnecessary time and money. Instead, you should develop an interview that addresses all potential concerns and lays out the exact job you are hiring for. You should also check for references and recommendation letters from applicants and follow up with them to make sure they are quality. A little bit of time and effort spent during the hiring process can save you majorly in both the short and long term.

 

Look for the right things.

 

An applicant may seem to be impressive in his or her resume, but does that make them truly qualified for the facility maintenance staff position you are hiring for? Simply having a long resume doesn’t make someone qualified and you should instead look to see that the experience they do have is relevant for the work you intend for them to do. You should also check for long-term experience in the maintenance field and specific skills that they might have for future projects you might be planning. Finally, you should pay attention in the interview to gauge if a person would fit into your company culture, an often overlooked but important aspect of day to day dealings.

 

Hiring the best facility maintenance staff may seem daunting, but it pays off many times over when done correctly. When in doubt, you can always count on the facility maintenance experts at MaintenX. We have been in the industry for a long time and in that time worked with companies both large and small in all aspects of facility maintenance. To learn about our services and how we can work with your company today, please call us any time at (855) 751-0075.

 

When most people think of an office or facility being “eco-friendly,” then often think about the reduction of energy usage or using equipment that is designed to be energy-efficient. While this is certainly a good thing, it is not the only way in which a company can do better for the environment. As a business owner or manager, there are a number of changes that you can make that will help your office be eco-friendly beyond simple energy reduction.

 

Reducing waste by going digital

 

One of the best ways to help your company be more eco-friendly is to reduce the amount of physical waste that it generates. While some facility processes may not allow for the complete elimination of waste product generation, there are undoubtedly other areas of the office that could benefit from waste reduction practices. One of the most notable ways is to go completely digital when it comes to printing out paper products and spreading notes. Implementing workflows and digital record keeping will reduce or eliminate your paper usage and therefore waste that is an inevitable result of having too much paper around.

 

Switching the products and equipment that you use

 

Some paper and physical products are always going to be necessary, such as toilet paper and tissues, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t areas to improve when it comes to these products. Many paper products today are made using recycled materials, so these are the products you want to purchase if being eco-friendly is a priority for you. If it is possible to use new equipment instead of wasteful products, such as hand dryers in restrooms, these are worth considering as well. Finally, any products that you have that can be recycled, such as paper towels if you opt for them, should be recycled, which usually involves acquiring the proper receptacles and processes.

 

These are but a few ways to help your office become more eco-friendly and all are good practices to get into. If there are any facility upgrades that might be helpful to you in the pursuit of environmentalism, we at MaintenX are here to help. To learn more about how we can help your facility be the best it can be, call us today at (855) 751-0075.

 

Many facility managers have a tendency to rely on manual organizational tools to oversee inventory, operations, and maintenance. While these systems may be familiar, they are rarely the most efficient ways to manage a facility. If you are one of these people, you likely have hangups about switching to computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) due to some of the myths you may have heard about their effectiveness and usage. Here are some of the most common myths about CMMS and why using such software may be more of a benefit than you think.

 

“CMMS don’t work the way I need them to.”

 

While it certainly is true that computerized maintenance management systems have a poor historical record of being effective at what they are designed to do, the reality is that they have, across the board, made massive improvements in recent years. As software technology has improved, so has the accuracy of CMMS. Many are tailored to specific industries. Another common myth, that CMMS are unfriendly to small business, isn’t truly the case anymore as some systems are designed to work specifically with companies of a smaller size.

 

“CMMS are too expensive for my company.”

 

Just as technical upgrades have been made to CMMS, the cost overall for these systems has gone down. The software itself is easier to produce and requires less stress than ever before, which has brought the average cost down to a much more reasonable level. Moreover, the time and energy you will save in the long term makes CMMS appealing and more financially sound when you consider the lifespan you will get out of one.

 

“CMMS are too hard to operate.”

 

Finally, CMMS updates have placed a focus on user interfaces and ease of usage. As such, it is no longer the case that only the tech-savvy can navigate these kinds of systems. Day to day dashboards, report generations, and many other aspects of the software have all improved to allow anyone to be able to access their functions, making them useful for managers of all technical abilities.

 

Computerized maintenance management systems have made massive improvements over recent years and have become a viable option for facility managers from all types of companies. At MaintenX, we believe in evolving with technology and embrace the improvements it can bring to helping a facility run as smoothly as possible. To learn more about how we use technology to accomplish all kinds of facility maintenance tasks, please call us any time at (855) 751-0075.

 

Preventative maintenance is an essential part of managing a facility and, more accurately, the various pieces of equipment that are in it. This kind of maintenance involves making regular checks on equipment and facility systems, such as the HVAC system, during scheduled times in order to ensure that everything is in working order. Performing maintenance when everything is working properly will help prevent issues from arising at inconvenient times and save costs on emergency repairs. Some facilities have core issues that are limiting their preventative maintenance plans and these issues are ones that you want to correct so as to not fall into the same traps.

 

Being inconsistent

 

The first and most common mistake that facilities make is being inconsistent in performing preventive maintenance. When you set out to create a preventative maintenance plan, you want to schedule check ups at regular intervals and stick to those dates. Rescheduling and pushing back maintenance checks could easily lead to certain tasks never getting done, which completely defeats the purpose of preventive maintenance. After all, the goal should be to check regularly and prevent issues, not wait until they arise.

 

Performing unnecessary maintenance

 

Another core issue that might hinder your preventive maintenance plan is performing the wrong kind of maintenance. Just because someone is checking a piece of equipment and signing off on it, doesn’t mean that they are looking at the right parts or doing a thorough job of inspecting it. Being consistent is important, but being smart about doing the right tasks will be more effective and save cost in the long run.

 

Working with the wrong team

 

Finally, many facilities will fall into both of the above issues, and more, by working with the wrong maintenance professionals. If you are a facility that has your own maintenance staff, make sure that they are trained properly on how to handle the equipment and systems you have at your facility. If you are outsourcing your preventative maintenance, make sure that the company you’re working with is qualified, consistent, and will work with you to recommend the best maintenance plans for you and your facility.

 

We at MaintenX have many years of experience in all areas of facility maintenance and can make all the necessary recommendations to help you set up and stick to an effective preventative maintenance plan. To learn more about our services and how we can assist your facility today, please call us at (855) 751-0075.