A major part of maintenance and facility management is work order processing. When a staff member identifies a need or completes a maintenance task, they must be able to effectively communicate that to the rest of the facility. If they are unable to do so, your preventative maintenance strategies will not work. Services may be completed and not logged; other service requests go unfulfilled; equipment and supplies orders are not made on time; your entire maintenance program goes awry with this system.
Preventing this system of disorder will go a long way toward creating an effective maintenance strategy for your essential systems. It should cover every step, from the submission of a work order request to follow up upon the completion of each service. When you implement an organized system, the entire facility runs more smoothly. Here are a few tips to get this process right:
Prioritize work orders.
Poorly run maintenance programs will simply complete maintenance tasks in order of submission. However, it should be obvious that a major HVAC repair takes precedence in the summer over an isolated plumbing leak or non-hazardous electrical short. Seeing the bigger picture is essential in creating a seamless work order processing system, which leads us to our next point.
Convert to digital.
By now your maintenance management system should be completely converted to digital software. Instead of leaving a disorderly paper trail, a digital system will help you keep track of all work orders past and present, and will ensure that anyone with access to the software or platform can find what they’re looking for. MaintenX uses an advanced work-order management system that helps us keep track of services and projects for every technician across the country!
Ensure accountability for tracking work orders.
To make a digital work order processing system effective, it must be used by every member of your team. Ensure that your maintenance staff is updating the system when they complete maintenance tasks, and that your staff is quickly submitting work orders for services as soon as a problem is identified.
Manage your inventory.
Work order management should include a section to keep track of replacement parts, materials, supplies, and other essential inventory. This should be updated regularly with service order requests to avoid downtime or unnecessary hindrances in your day-to-day operations.
With these four tips, you should be able to easily implement a work order management system for your maintenance team. To learn more about maintenance options and work order procedures, contact your local MaintenX team today!
