Anyone that works in maintenance management knows that life can get very interesting, very quickly. Between balancing budgets, scheduling employees, maintaining parts and inventory, and actually keeping your equipment functional and your operation running, there's a lot to do. We work with maintenance departments every day, and our company was founded, and is run, by former maintenance people, so we put together a list that we think profiles you wonderful keepers of the wrench pretty well. Enjoy!
Sign #1: You Somehow Work 170 Hours in a Week (There's Only 168 Hours in a Week)
Sign number one is pretty much a standard for every maintenance manager we've ever worked with. You come in early, you stay late, and then you stay later, and then you come in earlier. Why do you do this? Because without you, your facility or operation simply won't run as smoothly. You answer calls in the middle of the night, put vacations on hold, and could run your CMMS with your eyes closed. You're pretty much awesome, and we salute you for your dedication.
Sign #2: You Know How Many Bolts are in Your Facility...Seriously
You could probably tell me where they're all at too. There's nothing in your facility that you don't know. Name that equipment? Child's play. Funny sound? Sure, you remember that same sound from 2003 and you remember how you fixed it then. You are your own guru and you could walk your facility with your eyes closed, backward. You've taken the time to learn everything there is to know about where you work, and that's why you're so good at maintaining it.
Sign #3: You Actually Know What CMMS Stands For
Some departments have accounting software, some track production, and others keep up with HR related activity. You? You have your trusted CMMS to work with. A treasure trove of information about your operations that only you and your team seem to value at times, your CMMS is more than your maintenance management system, it's your window into your facility. Whether you need to know the last time an asset or piece of equipment received preventive maintenance, or how many feet of wiring you have in your store room, your maintenance management software is right there to tell you. You understand the value of a CMMS, and have spent time building yours into a valued asset.
Sign #4: You Understand Saving 2% Could Mean Saving Millions
Two percent? Well, that couldn't be very much right? Well, in an operation that pumps out say, $500 million a year in product, 2% waste is equal to around 2.5 million dollars. That seems like a lot to me. As a maintenance manager, you understand that waste is bad, down equipment is bad, and deteriorating assets and buildings are bad. You also understand that you can prevent these issues by performing well-designed preventive maintenance routines, ensuring you have the right tools and parts, and using data and analytics to solve issues before they become problems. You know that a little can mean a lot, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Sign #5: Good Enough is Never Good Enough
We just talked about a little meaning a lot; but how do you save that little? A while back, we discussed continuous improvement for maintenance management, and we believe that's what you're always after as a maintenance manager. You're always trying to learn something new, always developing your skills, and the skills of your team to meet the next challenge, and you're never satisfied with the last accomplishment because you realize that there is always a way to get better and be more efficient. By constantly tweaking, adapting, and updating your maintenance procedures and techniques, you can stay one step ahead of the next potential issue, and make sure your operations continue to run smoothly.
Sign #6: You Don't Always See Eye-to-Eye with Everyone
Before you get mad at us for that statement, just know we mean it as a compliment. Bob Thiel, one of our heads of implementation, was a maintenance manager for over thirty years, and he has some pretty great stories about "disagreements" he had with the people he worked with. Usually the story starts out with a fair amount of yelling and some choice words, but it almost always ends with all parties hammering out a decision that everyone can agree on, and making it work. You know what's best for your operation, and you know how to achieve it, but you also listen to everyone's input and make sure the best decision is made. After all, it's your neck you put on the line every day while running your maintenance department, so you're not always going to agree with everyone...right?
Sign #7: It's Your Name on the Door
You've worked hard to get where you're at, so why shouldn't you be proud to have your name on the door? The office might be a little cramped and there may be some spare parts lying around at times, or rebuilt motors sitting on your keyboard, but it's still yours, and you've earned it. That's why we believe in building maintenance management software that helps you enjoy what you have, and gives you the chance to make your time count. We want to be a part of the success of your operation, the upkeep of your facility, and the peace of mind you feel when you go home at night, knowing your team can handle anything that comes at them. Being a maintenance manager can be tough, and that's why you do it, because you're the right person for the job, and we should know, we get the opportunity to work with people like you every day.
To learn more visit www.somax.com.
