Facility Maintenance Technology
By: Martha Grindle
Declining maintenance and operations budgets pose one of the most daunting challenges in history for America's educational operations professionals - how to provide quality educational facilities, services and learning environments while facing a tremendous financial crisis.
You have known for years that technology can help you streamline business processes, increase efficiency and improve accountability. But despite these benefits, traditional business and operations management technology offerings are often too expensive and have been out of reach for many educational institutions. The challenges may seem overwhelming, but Web-native technology can help you do more than merely survive this financial crisis.
The Internet makes this needed technology more affordable by reducing your Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for software, while providing you with more power and ease of use. While owning and operating traditional "desktop" or "installed" software systems leaves you with seemingly endless costs - such as software upgrades, licenses, servers, IT support, data backup and more - Web-native applications eliminate these hassles and reduce your TCO 60 to 90-percent. You do not have to install and maintain the software or back up your data, and you receive all of the software upgrades automatically online. This makes the technology you need to succeed affordable and worry free.
"Using Internet technology to manage our business is invaluable," said Terry Taylor, Director of Operations and Maintenance at Gresham-Barlow School District 10Jt, an 11,700-student district in Oregon . "We're investing in applications that meet our current and future needs while eliminating the high costs of operating server-based systems."
Taylor added, "A single Web site front-end solution is so valuable to us because having one sign-in for users makes it easy to manage. Last year, we had three separate stand-alone systems not accessed by our customers. Today, we are working over the Web in a productive environment. We now have the tools to run this multi-million-dollar business with the certainty that our valuable information is safe and secure."
Web-native applications offer unprecedented ease of implementation. All you need to start streamlining business and facility operations with Web-native technology is your Web browser and access to the Internet. And since Internet technology is already available on your computer, you can typically start using next generation Web-native applications in less than a day rather than weeks or months.
"Web-native technology has become a valuable tool in centralizing our maintenance operations in the district," said George Skeeters, Director of Facilities at Christian Academy of Louisville in Kentucky . "The ease of operation allows us to organize, schedule and assign our workflow with maximum efficiency."
In these times of budget shortfalls, Web-native solutions are an increasingly attractive option because they have the proven ability to help you maximize your limited resources and shrinking budgets. The technology is highly cost-effective because it typically generates productivity and efficiency gains of 15 percent or more by streamlining operations processes, which in turn helps you extend the life of your facilities, improve customer satisfaction, reduce operations costs and relieve facility capital budgets.
"The Web-native applications we installed have made the largest impact on our department," said Carl Larson, Plant Operations Supervisor at Snoqualmie Valley School District #410, a 5,000 student district in Washington State . "They have increased our efficiency and helped manage our shrinking budgets. We have been using Web-native technology for the past four and half years. In that time, we have gone from a very reactive maintenance department to a pro-active department. Our Web-native applications have provided the tools necessary to proceed in that direction."
Web-native operations management applications can also help you improve accountability by tracking and managing the valuable data required to justify budgets, staffing requirements and other operations needs. The information you need for decision-making is readily available when you need it, which helps you reduce risk and justify resources. And this data makes your operations team look great by showcasing their accomplishments and efficiency.
According to Larson, "The combination of a Web-native work-order system and a Web-native preventive maintenance scheduling system has allowed us to keep a complete inventory tracking system on all our equipment, including HVAC, Custodial, Maintenance and Grounds. We are able to track the maintenance cost on each piece of equipment along with the cost of maintaining our facilities by the square foot or full-time enrollment. We are building a new elementary school to open next year. When asked to provide information on the operations cost of the new facility, by using the data that we had been gathering through these systems, I had the information at my fingertips."
Additionally, Larson said, "A Web-native capital planning system has allowed us to develop a five-year plan and schedule out all of our capital, deferred maintenance and general fund projects in advance. We have been tracking our costs for these projects and planning our budgets accordingly. Previously, we were using an Excel spreadsheet to try and do the same thing. There is no comparison between spreadsheet information and data-based programming. It's easy to run reports and retrieve the information you need when you need it."
Additionally, Web-native technology can also help you improve communication with your internal customers and within your operations team as well. Your internal clients - such as teachers and principals, faculty and staff, and custodians - can submit requests from a Web browser and receive status updates via e-mail. Your operations staff can then receive these requests online - anytime, anywhere from any computer via the Web. By routing requests and work online, Web-native technology enables your operations team to respond more quickly to the needs of their internal customers. This helps you improve service levels and increase customer satisfaction, while also improving efficiency and productivity.
According to Terry Taylor, this has been a major benefit of Web-native technology for Gresham-Barlow School District .
"We receive work requests via the Internet from all school sites, versus the e-mail/voicemail system of yesteryear," he said. "Additionally, we are now able to schedule and manage preventive maintenance online. We submit and manage capital requests in the same manner. Site Administrators can now submit safety, capital and 'like to have' improvements for their schools online, and we can process and evaluate requests in a timely open manner. This improves overall confidence in our total operation at the District Office, O/M and school level. We are also using a Web-native facility scheduling system in a joint-use facility to manage building use and related invoicing."
The Internet is changing the world and revolutionizing the business of managing educational operations. As you face the challenges of shrinking budgets and limited resources, capitalizing on the benefits of cost-effective, Web-native solutions to increase efficiency is essential.
Web-native applications provide you with a lower total cost of system ownership, while offering superior reliability, security and performance. Additionally, Web-native technology is easy to use, as well as affordable for both small and large educational institutions. Start saving money, increasing efficiency and improving services today with Web-native operations management solutions.
Martha Grindle is the marketing manager for SchoolDude.com.
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Product Roundup
Smart Maintenance from Smartware Group
Smartware Group is a company dedicated to quality software, training, and support. They have been creating software for more than a decade and have more than 2,000 users of their flagship maintenance software, Smart Maintenance. Smart Maintenance is being used by many schools and churches as a simple, effective and affordable program for handling preventive maintenance scheduling, work order management, maintenance requests and predictive maintenance analysis. It can help a school keep its maintenance department organized, while controlling costs, reducing equipment failure and safeguarding your buildings. They also offer handheld technology, Smart Maintenance On-the-Go, which is an easy-to-use mobile version of their desktop software that allows one to quickly access and update information at their fingertips via a PDA.
www.smartwaregroup.com
Maintenance Connection
Maintenance Connection provides Facility Maintenance and Asset Management Software for organizations worldwide. Their unique blend of technology and personalized service is a critical component of their client satisfaction. Their attention to service is evident in the people they hire, the systems they develop and the way they interact with their clients. Headquartered in the greater Sacramento Valley in California , Maintenance Connection was founded by individuals who knew both maintenance and technology. They have developed a team that is dedicated to delivering the most advanced, easy-to-use software to the maintenance industry.
www.maintenanceconnection.com
SchoolDude
Save time and money by streamlining the work order process from request to completion with MaintenanceDirect - SchoolDude 's Web-native work order management system . MaintenanceDirect improves internal efficiency by managing and automating the approval, routing and assignment of work requests. Requesters can submit work requests online and receive e-mail updates as requests are assigned and completed, which improves communication and customer service. Your maintenance team can receive and complete work online, including tracking labor hours and purchases related to work orders. Additionally, you can associate budget codes, projects and equipment with work orders, as well as easily schedule resources with the interactive calendar. MaintenanceDirect also makes is simple to generate reports on work order status, costs, budgets and more. And your mobile workers can receive and complete work in the filed via wireless/mobile device with MDWireless (optional, sold separately).
www.schooldude.com
MainBoss Maintenance Software
MainBoss Maintenance Software helps you manage all aspects of your maintenance operations, including work orders, equipment management, inventory control and preventive maintenance scheduling. A proactive preventive maintenance program can reduce operating costs at your school by detecting problems before they require costly repairs. Regular maintenance on equipment helps everything operate at peak efficiency, thereby reducing energy costs. Preventive maintenance also adds to school safety...and if problems do occur, MainBoss's records can be used as evidence that proper maintenance procedures have been followed. In addition, MainBoss provides you with the information you need to make optimal management decisions. Supervise your working inventory so you always have the spare parts you need. Track your work orders to make sure nothing ever falls through the cracks. MainBoss is an easy-to-use software package for all your maintenance needs.
www.mainboss.com
MPulse Software
MPulse Targeted CMMS/EAMS solutions facilitate improved productivity, efficiency and utilization of assets for manufacturers, distribution facilities, school districts, medical facilities and many other users throughout the U.S. and beyond. MPulse field-proven software combines powerful user tools with its unique, user-friendly interface to provide best-in-class performance and utility. From WorkFlow Targeted Solutions for solving specific departmental needs to an MPulse Enterprise asset management system covering plants throughout the world, MPulse provides a balance of features, usability, implementation, training and ongoing support. MPulse options include Hosting, PDA support, E-mail reporting and notification, and enhanced Web installation and support. www.mpulsesoftware.com
