Emergency maintenance can end up causing facilities a lot of grief and costing a lot of money. In fact, according to Facilities Net, “the cost of emergency breakdowns is in the billions annually.” What’s more, “most maintenance departments operate at 10-40 percent efficiency” and “nearly 70 percent of equipment failures are self-induced.”

In order to avoid these less than desirable circumstances, it’s important that organizations are proactive when it comes to facility maintenance.

Here are some ways to develop a proactive approach to maintenance within your own organization and thereby reduce overall facility maintenance expenses.

Prioritize Preventative Maintenance

Many facilities managers spend a sizable portion of their budgets on emergency repair costs. By focusing on preventative maintenance, these expenditures can be reduced dramatically.

Here are some of the substantial benefits and cost savings that can be realized by implementing a preventative maintenance routine with your own facility equipment.

1. Impact to Operations

Better maintenance means less downtime and fewer interruptions to day-to-day operations.

2. Reduced Repair Expenses

Preventative maintenance has an associated expense, but it’s far less expensive to maintain a piece of equipment than it is to have to make unplanned repairs. In fact, according to DPSI, “the cost of a breakdown is anywhere from four to 15 times the cost of maintenance.” This is particularly true if equipment fails off-hours or on a holiday, when repair companies charge a premium.

3. Reduced Consumption of Perishables and Chemicals

When equipment isn’t properly maintained, frequent failure can lead to a loss of chemicals or other perishables like cleaning and polishing pads, which can negatively affect your facility’s bottom line.

At the end of the day, not only will preventative maintenance save your organization money down the line, it will reduce the risk of system or component failure.

Focus on the Cause, Not the Symptoms

Make sure you financially address the causes of distress associated with facility maintenance, not the symptoms. Using your budgetary resources in this way will not only reduce the rate of deterioration, it can also stretch the time interval between corrective repairs.

Use a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS)

To keep track of your preventative maintenance needs, you may want to use monitoring software to track your facilities’ assets and systems and help automate routine maintenance tasks.

A CMMS can store preventative maintenance procedures and schedules, generate a parts list and track equipment repair history, downtime, inventory, work orders, and personnel. It also generates data that can help facility maintenance professionals make informed decisions about both equipment and overall facility maintenance.

Conclusion

Ultimately, being proactive about your facility maintenance needs will reduce the risk of system or component failure, keep essential operations running smoothly, keep employees and property safe, and save your organization money.

So why not take some time to evaluate your facility’s performance and consider transitioning from a reactive to a proactive maintenance plan?