Busy companies that move fast often view preventative maintenance as time not operating and not making money. In nearly all industries, and especially in construction, this idea falls short. It can, in fact, prove to be a costly mistake. Putting out fires as they happen rather than preventing them means more downtime, and more expensive equipment repairs. The transition from reactive to preventive maintenance isn't as difficult as many imagine.
What is Preventive Maintenance?
Preventive maintenance isn’t about fixing problems. The focus is on preventing them from ever happening. Simple tasks like cleaning, lubrication, minor adjustments, repairs, and part replacements make up your preventive maintenance plan. You can even use preventive maintenance software to help you facilitate your plan so you don’t have to think about it.
How Preventive Maintenance Saves You Money
Let’s take a closer look at the real benefits of adopting a preventive maintenance system.
Reduce Equipment Downtime
The phrase 'time is money' is true. Every time your equipment goes down for maintenance or repairs, you're losing money. The key is thinking about how much time you're committing long term. It's easy to live in the present and keep pushing forward until something fails. The reality is preventive maintenance takes little time and helps you avoid the longer downtime of repairing neglected equipment.
Increased Operational Efficiency
A well-maintained piece of equipment will operate at optimal efficiency. When your equipment is running efficiently, it uses less energy and fewer resources. It also gets the job done faster. This adds up over time, saving you time and money.
Mitigate the Risk of Expensive Reactive Maintenance
Reactive maintenance is very expensive. When something breaks unexpectedly, you take on the cost of your maintenance crew (which can include overtime pay), the cost of extra time it takes to diagnose the problem, the cost of parts, and lost time working for the day. In worst-case scenarios, a break down can bring a project to a halt for multiple days.
Increased Equipment Life
Preventive maintenance increases the life of your equipment. When everything is up to date, well oiled, and maintained, you maximize the lifespan of your equipment. You get the most out of your investment and delay the significant cost of new equipment.
Better Customer Service
Your customers are putting their trust in your ability to provide the services they paid for and to get the job done on time. No client wants to hear their project will be delayed because of your equipment failure. When you provide consistent quality on-time service, you get happy customers, better reviews, and more referrals. It all adds up to more sales and growth for your company.
