If your work or business involves mobile assets you should READ THIS.
Most parents have to tell their kids to eat their vegetables.
If you’ve got kids I’m sure you find yourself doing this — probably all the time.
I am.
My kids know they should eat them. And they usually do… but only after a bit of grumbling.
Now, you and I both know beans and broccoli aren’t always their first choice at dinner. I get it. There’s always nicer stuff on the plate.
Or in the fridge.
And why am I telling you this?
Well, here’s something that struck me years ago.
It’s funny how kids’ attitudes to vegetables at dinner time resemble a regular topic in my work.
And that topic is:
Maintenance.
Yep, maintenance.
Now, you know that mobile assets — cars, trucks, machinery — cost money to buy and keep.
And you also know that not maintaining them makes them even more expensive. Not just in repairs — but also in down-time and resale value.
Worst of all, vehicles, plant, and machinery that aren’t properly maintained can be safety hazards.
And I know you’ll agree that’s a cost nobody should face.
I know, maintenance can be a grumble. And like fuel, which I discussed last week, finding cheaper maintenance isn’t always possible.
And in the case of maintaining your mobile assets, cheap doesn’t always equal smart.
Cheaper solutions can become expensive problems later on.
So how do you address the unavoidable costs of maintenance?
The answer, once again, is in your data.
Here’s an important point:
Maintenance information shouldn’t just remind you when scheduled servicing and other manufacturer-specified care is due to be done. Maintenance and repair data should also tell you this:
A powerful cost-saving story.
And you get that story by asking questions — especially why questions.
– If a repair occurred — or scheduled maintenance is happening too often — why?
– Was the asset used correctly? If not, why?
– Was it used in a manner it wasn’t designed for? If so, why?
– What environment was it in when it broke? Was it more severe than the manufacturer allows? If so, why?
– Was the operator trained as needed? If not, why?
– Are any pre-start procedures being followed? If not, why?
– Was there an accident? An incident or near-miss? Why?
There are plenty of others. Have a think about these examples I’ve listed. They’re real food for thought.
So I want you to keep this in mind:
Correct maintenance that’s necessary for safe and efficient operation is good. Excessive maintenance and repairs are not — these problems creep up within fleets, and they can be avoided.
And – here’s the important bit — getting to their root cause by asking why can help avoid a lot of trouble, cost, and danger.
Many of my clients use Uniqco Fleet Data Analytics to discover and manage their true maintenance costs. And the true reasons behind any technical problems. Especially ones that are operator-based.
It helps them get the Return on Investment (ROI) they need.
You can benefit from it, too. Get in touch and I can show you how.
See you next week for a new topic: telematics.
Stay safe.
Grant Andrews
Managing Director
Uniqco
