The Impact of Proactive Maintenance on Reducing Downtime and Repair Costs

In the retail industry, the success of a business relies on a multitude of factors, including the efficient functioning of the store's infrastructure and equipment. Unplanned downtime, particularly in critical systems, can lead to lost sales, unhappy customers, and a compromised reputation.  

Traditional 'reactive' maintenance approaches, where problems are addressed only after they occur, often lead to unnecessary expenses and disruptions. To overcome these challenges, many retailers are now moving towards a proactive maintenance plan. That's where Ticked Off Managed Services can play a pivotal role.  

Definition and Types of Proactive Maintenance 

So, what exactly is proactive maintenance? Simply put, proactive maintenance is a maintenance strategy where we keep a close eye on our assets ahead of breakages.  

We aim to identify maintenance needs before any hiccups occur, instead of waiting for something to go wrong. It's the opposite of reactive maintenance, which involves dealing with problems only when they occur, leading to costly unplanned downtime.  

Let's explore some commonly used types of proactive maintenance strategies:  

1. Preventive Maintenance (PM): This is all about performing regular maintenance checks. By servicing and replacing components regularly, we can stop equipment failures before they happen.
   
   
2. Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM): This type of maintenance uses condition monitoring equipment to track how our assets are doing in real-time. This allows us to schedule maintenance activities based on the actual state of the equipment. 
   
   
3. Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM): RCM focuses on identifying critical assets and studying their failure modes. This proactive strategy aims to minimize the impact of failures by concentrating maintenance efforts on essential components. 
   
   
4. Total Productive Maintenance (TPM): TPM encourages everyone in the organization to participate in maintenance activities. This approach fosters a proactive culture, leading to improved equipment performance. It can be challenging to do, but the rewards are powerful.  

These are just a few forms of proactive maintenance. Each strategy has its advantages and disadvantages, so it's important to select the one that best fits your business.  

Reactive Maintenance Drawbacks 

The flip side of preventive maintenance is reactive maintenance, which often leads to significant issues with equipment and facilities, including:  

1. Increased downtime: Unexpected breakdowns are synonymous with the reactive approach. These incidents can disrupt operations, leading to productivity losses. 
    
   Higher maintenance costs: Emergency maintenance can be pricey. Repairing or replacing damaged equipment often costs more than planned maintenance activities. 
   
   
2. Decreased asset lifespan: Without routine maintenance, wear and tear can quickly reduce equipment performance. This can lead to frequent breakdowns and premature replacements. 
   
   
3. Safety risks: A reactive strategy can sometimes overlook critical safety issues. Equipment failures can cause accidents, posing risks to staff and customers, and potentially leading to costly penalties.
   
   
4. Strained customer relations: Nothing irks customers more than delays in service. This can damage your company's reputation and customer relationships. 
   
   
5. Missed opportunities for improvement: When we're always busy putting out fires, we may miss the chance to identify the root cause and implement preventive measures.  

According to the Marshall Institute, you can expect to pay 2-5 times more for reactive maintenance than you would for proactive maintenance. This means that the costs associated with waiting for a system to fail before addressing the issue - such as downtime, repair costs, and lost revenue - can quickly dwarf what would have been spent on regular, proactive maintenance.   

Proactive Maintenance Advantages 

Here's what proactive maintenance can bring to the table:  

1. Preventing downtime: Regular checks and scheduled maintenance prevent unexpected breakdowns. This means your operations keep running smoothly with fewer interruptions. 
   
   
2. Cost savings: Planning your maintenance needs helps identify potential issues early. As a result, you can schedule repairs during convenient times and negotiate better prices for parts. 
   
   
3. Equipment longevity: Regular maintenance can prolong the lifespan of your equipment. This reduces the need for premature replacements and keeps your equipment running at its best.
   
   
4. Enhanced safety: By conducting regular safety inspections and addressing potential risks promptly, a proactive approach promotes a safer environment for employees and customers.
   
   
5. Improved operational efficiency: By identifying energy-saving opportunities and implementing efficiency measures, proactive maintenance can help lower energy consumption. 
   
   
6. Data-backed decisions: With insights from asset performance data, you can make informed decisions that optimize your maintenance schedule and resource allocation. 
   
   
7. Seamless operations: Proactive maintenance activities ensure minimal impact on daily operations, allowing your business to operate without disruptions. 
   
   
8. Continuous improvement: Proactive maintenance also provides the opportunity to collect feedback, learn from past experiences, and refine maintenance strategies for better results.  

In essence, a proactive maintenance strategy aims to identify issues before they cause problems. By performing regular maintenance, you can prevent costly unplanned downtime and ensure equipment performance remains at its peak. As you can see, proactive maintenance plans offer many opportunities to improve your business and grow your brand.   

Learning, Adapting, and Improving: Ongoing Proactive Maintenance 

Proactive maintenance isn't a "set it and forget it" strategy, although you can automate much of it. It's typically an ongoing process, requiring regular review and adaptation.  

That's why your weekly or monthly schedule should include a review of your maintenance activities. This review will help you see what's working, what isn't, and where you can improve.  

Using a CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) like Ticked Off, you can quickly and easily track maintenance activities, identify any issues, and implement changes. Ongoing improvement is just one of the advantages of proactive maintenance that set it apart from reactive maintenance.  

Another thing to keep in mind is that maintenance needs can change over time. Equipment performance can vary, and as your assets age, they may require more frequent maintenance or replacement.  

That's why it's so important to keep up with routine maintenance checks and to use your CMMS to monitor asset performance. This will help you spot any changes in equipment health and adjust your maintenance schedule accordingly. 

Save on Proactive Maintenance with Ticked Off's Managed Services  

Ticked Off helps businesses save even more with a comprehensive managed services solution designed to aid retailers in their transition from a reactive to a proactive maintenance approach. 

Our Managed Services platform provides businesses with access to contractors across Australia and New Zealand, effectively reducing or eliminating many time-intensive and costly administration processes like missed phone calls, spreadsheets, multiple invoices, warranty management, and even multiple invoices.  

It's challenging to find facilities management teams with experience in all of the trades required to maintain a nationwide operation. Ticked Off managed services, with access to a nationwide network of experienced, reliable contractors, remove the guesswork out of repair and maintenance.  

Every aspect of your maintenance program is streamlined to significantly reduce the risk of costly downtime, while also saving you money in reduced management costs. There is a free demo available, so you can discover how Ticked Off can extend the uptime and life of your assets with no risk.