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Business owners tend to think that hiring contractors will save them money as opposed to having full-time employees. There are pros and cons to both options.

Contractors run businesses of their own. If you think you’ll get them cheap, think again; the savings that most people think of when they talk about hiring contractors is in taxes, payroll, retirement, healthcare – administrative costs and employee benefits. You avoid those with contractors, but does this really save money in the long run?

Having full-time workers may cost extra, but what about the consistency that you get from having a loyal, dependable workforce? Having your own employees means they are vested in the company and there to help you succeed, whereas someone who is contracted will do only what you paid them for and be on their way.

Ask yourself what you really need out of your employees. If what you need is quick and doesn’t require much thought or skill then contracting is the way to go, but if you need someone to be there when the going gets tough and work through obstacles, then maybe a full time employee is worth it in the long run. 

Preventative maintenance is too often overlooked. People tend to think of it as an unnecessary expense, but it’s not. An easy way to look at maintenance is to think in terms of offense and defense. Staying on the offense keeps you in the game and scoring, but always being on defense leaves other companies more likely to score, or in a business sense, make money.

Preventative maintenance can save money. You invest a little time and money into keeping your equipment running and it is less likely to break down. With less downtime and less costly repairs, the company saves money and resources. This plan of action can also extend the life of equipment. The only downside to this approach is higher operating costs. 

Corrective maintenance also has its advantages and disadvantages. When taking a corrective approach there is less planning, as you wait for something to go wrong before you decide on a course of action. Less upfront costs to worry about. This process is much less complicated to understand and manage since there is nothing to do but react when problems arise. Disadvantages to this approach include unpredictability and long downtime. Long-term, this approach can be costly because if small things break and aren’t fixed it can lead to larger and more costly repairs down the road. 

For whatever approach, MaintenX is here to help. 

You might be wondering what centralized or decentralized maintenance management means. Unless you have built a business or are currently running one, you may not have heard these terms before. If you are looking at building a business or going into management, then it may be worth your while to take a look at the types of management.

Centralized management is better suited for smaller companies. All of the decisions and management come from just a few people at the head of the business. This can make it a little easier when the amount of people being managed is small – that way there aren’t too many hands in the candy bowl and less confusion results. Changes made in the company tend to be more consistent and easier to follow for employees. On the downside, this type of management can mean that it takes longer to make changes because the few people responsible may already have a lot going on. Sometimes having extra people whose main focus is to manage makes things happen in a timelier fashion, but if the business is small then it usually isn’t necessary.

Decentralized management fits bigger business. The higher-ups have the resources to hire middle to low management, and this may make change and maintenance happen faster. With extra faces around to help you, you’re sure put fires out quickly. Typically, these types of managers have a strong rapport with staff and will listen to suggestions and ideas that they bring to the table. Sometimes this type of management can get a little confusing when managers have conflicting ideas. This could be a downfall for this type of management as it can leave employees frustrated and not knowing what exactly to do. 

Both types of management have their pros and cons, but there is a place for each of them. If you are looking for ways to manage your maintenance then contact MaintenX today, we are here to help.

Training your maintenance staff properly is very important in keeping your business running smoothly. Staff must know what you expect of them and how to do it. Developing a training system can be quite complex, so you need to go in with the right strategy. 

Develop clear goals

Employees work better when they know exactly what is expected of them. The point of training employees is to ensure they have all the knowledge and tools to be successful at their job. Making sure the employee understands what their day will entail gives them confidence in completing their tasks. Many employers have new employees shadow seasoned employees for a few days so that they can see what being an employee at your facility is like. This gives new hires a chance to ask questions and watch someone else do what they are soon going to be expected to do. Sometimes this even weeds out people who may not be as interested as they thought they would be in the position they are seeking. 

Understand where training is needed

Sometimes the areas of need for training aren’t obvious. Take some time to talk to employees to see what areas of their job could be improved, and which are the most important. Observing employees can also identify areas that need improvement. Another opportunity to learn where training is needed is to ask employees for their input. A questionnaire can be a simple way to receive suggestions from staff in areas where they think training can be improved.

Invest in consistent training

Employees are always trained as new hires but having training throughout the year can help renew motivation and relearn rusty skills. Mandatory training days a few times yearly ensures employees are up to date. This also gives employees a chance to ask questions or give feedback. Keeping employees informed and on task is not only an investment in their career but in your business as well. 

Florida has changed the law on vaping indoors in the workplace. As of July 1, 2019, the use of e-cigarettes in the workplace is no longer allowed under the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act. (FCIAA) Although vaping is safer than smoking cigarettes, there is still much research yet to be done about its health effects. 

But aside from your employees, what does this mean for your facility? Much like smoking cigarettes, vaping can leave a residue on walls and surfaces. Employees may also spill the contents of the vapor cartridges onto surfaces, contaminating them with nicotine. Resale value declines when it is known that buildings or equipment have been exposed to sources of nicotine. 

Not only will your facility stay cleaner, but employees stay healthier! Employees who do not use nicotine products no longer have to be exposed to vaping going on around them. This is a huge win not only for a cleaner facility but for cleaner air for those who do not partake in these activities. 

It is no secret that in Florida the weather can change at a moment’s notice. One minute it is 90 degrees and sunny, then the next minute the clouds and thunder roll in. Sometimes these storms are over in 20 minutes, but other times they turn into much more. 

Hurricane season began June 1 and ends the 30th of November. Businesses must plan for inclement weather; how will you keep in touch with your employees should business need to close for a few days? What happens if there is damage to equipment? Can you operate or will you need to shut down for repairs? Recovery after a devastating storm is just as important to plan for as the days leading up to the storm. All employees should be clear on what is expected of them prior to, during, and after a storm. Having a way to communicate with employees is important. Do you have a call list, an email list or an app that can keep lines of communication open? Is there anything at the office that must be removed prior to closure? Do you have a backup system for all sensitive information in case of severe damage to your office?

In the event that business cannot operate, you will need a plan of action. Look into if employees can work from home or if there is a space you can occupy while your office gets back on track. It is also a good idea to take a look at your insurance policies and find out what is covered should you have water damage. What will be replaced by insurance and what will you need to pay out of pocket to replace?

There are a lot of variables when it comes to severe weather. The best course of action is to plan well before hurricane season to keep recovery times at minimum. 

In order to formalize maintenance request processes at your facility, you will need some sort of task manager that is easy to use and accessible to everyone. Having software like this will allow anyone to put in a request for something to be fixed, examined, or considered. Emails can get deleted or forgotten, post-it notes are misplaced, work orders fall on deaf ears and so on. 

Using a task manager system streamlines and organizes maintenance requests. If an employee notices something isn’t working properly, they can promptly go to the task manager and report it. The person who fixes the equipment is notified and can see all tasks assigned, allowing the maintenance to be done in a timely manner. Administrators can see what has been completed and what there is left to be done. 

A task manager can also show you where all your maintenance time was spent, as you can see the list of projects for the day and how long they took to complete. This can save time and money knowing exactly how much time and manpower is needed to keep the facility running optimally. Having this sort of system in place keeps equipment running smoothly and efficiently since it is easy for anyone to request – a must-have system for any business. 

If you’re still using paper to manage your maintenance, chances are you have lost some important data by now. Paper is easily lost or damaged, and it takes up a lot of space; your office is most likely full of binders, shelves, and filing cabinets. You could really do without the clutter, as well as the time it takes to find a particular sheet. In this day and age, you can do almost anything with on a computer, phone or tablet. Using paper is an inefficient use of space, time, and money.

Using a CMMS (computerized maintenance management system) will save you time and money – it makes filing, organizing, and searching fast and easy. Extra time is something we all need, and in business extra time means the ability to prioritize.

A CMMS will allow you to input all of your paper data and pick out trends, letting you know when preventive maintenance is necessary and what you are spending on it. Instead of guessing when and how much, you can use data to make strong decisions. If you’re still using paper, take a hard look at software that can make so many aspects of your business easier. 

Want to know more? Call MaintenX today!

Equipment maintenance for a business can be a full-time job, or even a few full-time jobs depending on the size of the company, especially if there are many different kinds of equipment to manage. You may be wondering what CMMS is and how it can help – CMMS stands for Computerized Maintenance Management System. This is a software system that makes managing equipment maintenance easier and more streamlined. With CMMS, all your equipment maintenance data is stored on a computer. This takes all of the guesswork out of tasks and timing by prioritizing and organizing tasks, leading to increased productivity and lower maintenance costs.

To get the most out of your CMMS, you will need to identify the goals of the program. If you’re not using a computerized software system, you have some type of maintenance logbook – taking a look at patterns of maintenance your equipment has needed in order to plan for preventive maintenance will help you start on the right track. You can then schedule all of this in your software system to make it easy and convenient. 

Another problem that CMMS covers is overscheduling preventive maintenance. By using a CMMS, you will be able to look at reports that break downtime and money spent on each system, as well as parts needed and downtime. This ensures you save money and time by having the right information at your fingertips. 

Equipment breakdown can be disastrous for a business that relies on machinery. The loss of time and money due to an unexpected equipment failure is obviously not what any business owner desires, so what are the best ways to avoid such an event?

It may seem simple, but having a maintenance schedule to check all equipment will save you and your business a world of trouble. Using a calendar or an app as reminders are great ways to make sure maintenance does not fall through the cracks. Anything that can fail should be put on the list, so nothing is overlooked. A simple reminder and a check-off list can save vast amounts of time and money. 

While it is true that equipment failure at a business can cause a multitude of problems, important equipment can also break down at home. Setting up reminders to check things like your HVAC filters, vents or ducts can also make life. Whether at home or at work, prevention is key to keeping your equipment operating efficiently and reliably. 

Want to know more about avoiding equipment failures? Call the maintenance experts at MaintenX today!