If you’re still using a paper-based maintenance reporting system with your IBM Maximo asset management system, you’re costing yourself a lot more than money. If your maintenance technicians are still manually entering operational data into IBM Maximo, you’re stealing productivity… from yourself.
Some of the problems with using paper-based checklists and manual data entry include:
- Lack of operational visibility
- Inflexible data collection and sharing systems
- Multiple information silos
- Reduced wrench time
- Increased backlogs
- Greater equipment downtime
Is This How You Envisioned Your Maintenance Department Would Operate?
Maintenance is a tough job requiring a specific set of skills. Industrial plants and manufacturing facilities are filled with millions, even billions of dollars of complex equipment needing consistent, professional upkeep to remain running in tip-top condition. Every moment machinery is idle costs a plant valuable revenues and eats up profits. It also endangers customer contracts and relationships.
Plants employ maintenance staffs to prevent, or at least forestall, downtime as much as possible. The IBM Maximo asset management system is designed to help maintenance teams digitize at least a portion of their operational data, and it does a good job, making it a worthy investment for asset-intensive plants and facilities.
But IBM Maximo can’t do everything. It has limitations. These limitations become apparent when a maintenance staff uses paper-based data collection and reporting. We’ve discussed those in the opening section, but they’re worth going into greater detail here.
Lack of operational visibility: Paper forms and manual entry create a critical delay in getting data to decision makers. Information may be hours or days old, giving an incomplete picture of the plant’s true operational status.
Inflexible data collection and sharing systems: Paper forms are static and hard to change to reflect evolving business needs.
Multiple information silos: Paper makes it difficult to share crucial information across business units and departments. Thus, data remains often hidden from others who may need it or benefit from it.
Reduced wrench time: Every moment technicians spend manually entering data into IBM Maximo is time they’re not inspecting, repairing or upgrading equipment.
Increased backlogs: Because work isn’t getting done on time, work orders begin piling up, creating a growing maintenance backlog.
Greater equipment downtime: Eventually, backlogs reach such a point that machinery begins to break down because needed maintenance has been delayed. This results in lost production and revenues.
No maintenance manager plans to have this type of occurrence at their plant. But, thanks to paper-based reporting and manual data entry, that's, unfortunately, the everyday situation at far too many facilities.
There’s a better way. There’s a way to boost visibility, increase wrench time, cut backlogs and keep equipment – and production – going. The best news is you can accomplish all this and get more value from your IBM Maximo system at the same time.
The Power of Combining Mobility with Your IBM Maximo System
Digital transformation and mobile technology have revolutionized plant maintenance. The age of paper forms and manual data entry is over… if you want it. You and your team no longer have to slog clipboards and binders to each job site. Instead, all maintenance reporting functions can be done using mobile technology.
How is this possible? Frontline workers armed with consumer-grade smartphones, tablets or wearables can perform their duties and effortlessly enter data into prepackaged mobile applications. All data collected is then seamlessly and automatically entered into IBM Maximo.
Decision makers can follow operator round or work order progress in real time via their smartphone or desktop computer. They can collaborate with the technician via push notifications or two-way video conferencing to get more information or issue instructions. When necessary, they take can corrective action in mere minutes rather than hours or days, creating and issuing a work order to start repairs or address a safety situation.
Mobile frontline worker applications and connected worker platforms offer many advantages, including:
- Better collaboration
- Real-time reporting
- Reduced operational costs
- Increased productivity
- Efficient data collection
The right mobile solution, paired with IBM Maximo, enables your maintenance department to:
- Get real-time visibility into maintenance operations status, no matter the asset’s geographical location
- Minimize paper-based documentation, allowing employees to move freely with a mobile device in hand and remain productive
- Engage with a user-friendly interface that can be easily accessible by a diverse workforce – from a shop floor technician to a C-suite executive
- Generate and track work orders
- Track equipment performance and provide key data before costly breakdowns
- Monitor equipment location, helping to speed fulfillment of maintenance work orders
- Trigger safety notifications when equipment is operating beyond a safety compliance threshold
- Work even where internet access is limited or non-existent
Ultimately, your maintenance operation can move from reactive repairs to more efficient proactive maintenance.
Sound Like a Better Way to Run a Plant Maintenance Department? Want to Learn More?
Innovapptive, a digital transformation leader, specializes in mobile frontline worker solutions that integrate seamlessly with IBM Maximo. These solutions improve data accuracy, transform reactive processes, increase technician productivity, cut downtime and raise safety and regulatory compliance. They’ll enable your organization to realize IBM Maximo's potential. View our video on IBM Maximo work order management, then schedule a free demo of a world-class mobile solution today. You can also call 888-464-6668 to speak to one of our industry experts.
