December 04, 2015
Why Your Facility Needs A CMMS For The Holiday Season
The holiday season is here, and along with it comes the crazy frenzy of consumer mayhem, or, as we like to call it, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. While those two shopping "holidays" have officially passed us by, there is still time remaining before Christmas arrives, so manufacturers and facility managers can't rest on their laurels just yet!
For many businesses, the holiday season is the most pivotal time of the year. Billions of dollars are spent between Thanksgiving and Christmas as shoppers seek to lavish their loved ones with the perfect gift. November through the end of December are akin to Super Bowl season for retailers and those of us who provide the goods for sale. If we fumble the ball (by way of equipment malfunction or shutdown), so to speak, it can cost our company a lot more than a shiny gold ring.
Not every company is affected equally, of course. Chocolate and candy companies tend to shift gears during the holidays and experiment with themed goodies to try to increase sales. Candy bar makers swap out traditional candy and chocolate molds for those in the shape of Christmas trees and helpful elves. Even the wrapping gets an overhaul, as confectioners attempt to hypnotize would-be spenders with shiny silver, red, and green foil wrappers.
And it works.
Making sure these molds and wrappers are properly placed is vital to reducing waste and ensuring proper quality control. An increase in production (after all, manufacturers still continue making their normal products as well) means that there will be extra wear and tear on machines, so preventative maintenance is key during this time period. Spot-checking machinery and closely monitoring metrics such as energy usage and output rates are also important to make sure everything is humming along. Spotting a faltering piece of equipment can help prevent a disastrous shutdown.
Of course, candy factories are not the only facilities that have to take extra care during this busy time. Restaurants, hotels, and popular travel hubs also experience extra traffic around the holidays. Making sure that the grounds are clean and damage-free, that HVAC systems and plumbing fixtures are functioning properly, and that entryways are accessible and well-lit are all just a small fraction of what the service industry must take into consideration to keep customers happy and safe.
Staffing is probably the biggest issue for business owners and facility managers must face during these busy months. Employees tend to like to spend Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holidays with loved ones, so keeping track of who is on vacation and who will cover for them is life or death for most organizations, especially since they will normally require extra staffing leading into the New Year.
The best way to manage all of these issues, not just during the holidays but year-round, is by incorporating a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). This handy software is used for more than just scheduling maintenance and issuing job orders. It can also help manage staff, monitor machinery, store important documentation, provide accountability, make reporting a snap, and so much more.
At the end of the day, a CMMS helps keep your business running efficiently, and that means one thing: a bigger bottom line. And that is something we can all give thanks for!