If you had to make a list of the top ten hotel maintenance tasks that should be done above all others, what you list? Would your list be proactive as in preventive maintenance, reactive as handling the days fires, or simple whatever comes to mind? Before deciding, take a look at how the 80/20 rule for maintenance may change your mind.
The 80/20 Rule for Hotel Maintenance
The 80/20 rule for maintenance should be considered a target for a well run Hotel. It means that 80 percent of your maintenance activities should be proactive in nature and only 20 percent should be doing unplanned maintenance items. Why is this general rule of thumb important? Unplanned maintenance is usually more expensive than planned work orders as it normally involves more expensive repairs of assets and additional labor expenses.
For example, If no one inspects the HVAC units using a CMMS regularly for debris or corrosion there is a good chance that they will not last as long and stop working at the least desirable time. Major repair or replacement costs of an HVAC unit will crush profitability.
The 80/20 Rule for Hotel Management
The 80/20 rule has another meaning. It means that 80 percent of your work will be on 20% of your assets or 80% of your costs come from 20% of hotel assets. For example, 80% of carpet wear occurs in only 20% of the carpet surface. Why - because this is where the traffic is. The point is focus your efforts on where you will get 80% of your results.
The Top 10 Hotel Preventive Maintenance Areas
Now that the 80/20 target is in focus, the following is our list of the top 10 hotel preventive maintenance areas for hotels:
- HVAC; 40-60% of the total operating costs of a hotel are energy related. HVAC is also expensive to replace or have emergency work done on.
- Lighting; Make sure lighting is with energy efficient bulbs, install motion sensors to turn off lights when no one is there.
- Kitchen; Full kitchens can account for 50% of the utility costs. Inspect all equipment for operating efficiency and problems.
- Boilers, chillers and other high dollar assets; Inspect for leaks, odd sounds, malfunctioning meters, valves, joints and so on. These items are very expensive to replace and downtime equals bad guest experiences.
- Plumbing; Water leaks can add 20-50% more to hotel utility costs, can cause floor, wall and corrosion damage.
- Lobby; The lobby gets more traffic than any other area. Inspections and care of carpets, tiles, furniture, odors.
- Rooms; Rooms are where guest satisfaction is either won or lost. Carpets, HVAC controls, smells, air vents, doors and all equipment in working order.
- Common Areas; Elevators, business centers, fitness areas, pools, loose railings. Why wait for an accident to happen.
- Parking Lots; This is often the first place guests form an impression of a hotel. Fix potholes, clean storm drains, make sure lighting works.
- Other Energy Drains; Each hotel and resort is different. This might be a special attraction or specialized equipment that uses a lot of energy (water, electric or gas).
Hotel 80/20 Maintenance Management With a CMMS
Even in a smaller hotel, the list above can be a lot to keep track of. Relying on a paper based work order system or a PC based to-do list is juts not practical in today's word. If a hotel does not plan and track its maintenance than they run the risk forgetting a critical inspection or preventive maintenance tasks.
The solution for hotels is Computerized Maintenance Management System software (CMMS). A CMMS solution automates the work order process and gives management the tools they need to pro actively schedule maintenance as well as track the results. Using a CMMS will enable hotel maintenance management to schedule all work request and work orders ensuring that the proper priority is placed on each task.
Tell us what your top 10 list would be. If you liked this article you may also enjoy reading:
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Just like meeting a person for the first time, it takes hotel travelers less than 60 seconds to form an initial impression of a hotel or resort. Travelers may first take notice of the parking, signage, decor, carpet, or even the smell. Although each visitor is keyed to something different, each first impression is influenced by maintenance management.
The Maintenance Gauntlet
The First Maintenance Test - Arrival
How can a hotel make sure that travelers enter the premises with a positive attitude? A 5 star hotel on the inside can seem like a campsite if lights are missing from the neon signs, the parking lot is gutted with potholes or the smell once the doors are opened is like a bait shop. Some hotels make use of a morning or nighttime walk through to identify problems. The problem with a walk through is that staff are accustomed to the hotel smells, oblivious to signage unless it is spitting flames and generally do not notice something that is the same as the day before.
The Lobby Maintenance Test
Once travelers step inside the hotel or resort, the second set of maintenance test begins. Common items for travelers to notice include the decor, carpet, condition of lobby furniture, hotel shine and bathrooms. Stained carpets, leaking fixtures in the bathrooms, smelly or rusting furniture etc. can either negate a good first impression or convince travelers they are going to have a bad stay.
The Room Maintenance Test
Room maintenance is where a hotel or resort can permanently lose a customer. Room cleanliness is crucial to an enjoyable stay at a hotel. Room factors may include, bedspreads, carpet, bathroom/shower area, security and smell. Hotel cleaning staff may be responsible for neatness and bathroom soap scum but room maintenance involves everyone. For example, are the A/C vents clean? Do they shows signs of dust or rust? If A/C is provided with a room unit, how often is it inspected to be in working order? The same principle applies to game units, IPod docking stations, kitchen equipment or windows. Hotel rooms with assets that do not work will leave a bad impression.
The General Facilities Test
The last of the major maintenance tests are how well are the hotel facilities maintained. This covers assets such as common areas, boilers, chillers, elevators, fitness centers, business centers, pool, spas and safety equipment. Loose railings, broken fixtures, visible water damage and so on are more than just a negative image factor, they also present major liability issues.
How a CMMS Picks up the Hotel and Resort Maintenance Gauntlet
How can hotel management perform maintenance in so many areas and still keep a handle on expenses? One solution is a hotel CMMS designed to schedule, record and track all maintenance activity at a property. When implemented, a CMMS will schedule regular inspections of assets in all of the maintenance areas described above. For example, web-based CMMS software can schedule inspections on parking areas once a month or on room A/C units once a week.
Inspection results are transmitted back to management via handheld devices enabling minor repairs to be scheduled before they become major expenses or liability magnets. The early identification of problems also allows hotel management to schedule the work orders at low traffic or during regular hours. This avoids unplanned overtimes hours and minimizes traveler inconvenience.
Preventive maintenance with a CMMS is handled in much the same way as inspections. The CMMS schedules all work orders and records the results. This gives hotel facility two very important advantages. The first advantage is that maintenance is proactive which will keep assets in better working condition which makes equipment last longer and run more efficiently. Proactive maintenance practices save money on labor, parts, replacements and energy. For example, some hotels have door sensors that automatically shut off the A/C when the door is open. Making sure these are in working order can save a lot in utility bills.
The second major advantage is that by recording all asset detail and maintenance history, hotel and resort facility managers can have a very accurate record of an asset's lifecycle. This can be useful for capital budgeting as well as showing proper care was performed to reduce liability claims from accidents.
The Test of Time
A CMMS solution is a long term investment that can also have a positive impact in the short term by lowering operating expenses and reducing the likelihood of major unplanned repairs. Well run hotels have well run facilities maintenance. These hotels stay in business over the years because travelers know they are well kept and return for multiple stays. It makes sense to use a CMMS when hotel management understands it costs less to get a client to return than to get a new client.
Tell us where your first impressions of a hotel or resort are formed. If you liked this article, you may also enjoy reading:
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Readers of our blog will know that we are in Florida and have paid a fair amount of attention to the Gulf Oil Spill. The Gulf oil spill disaster started on April 20, 2010 with an explosion on Deepwater Horizon oil rig. It has been a hundred days since the catastrophe began. Looking back, we must all ask ourselves what was learned from this asset management nightmare.
The Effect of Maintenance Gone Wrong
There is no doubts at this point that the disaster was caused by a combination of under managed operations, poor maintenance policies, and a heavy dose of gambling on the part of BP that the money saved from not maintaining all the proper safety devices to prevent the gas bubble blowout, was worth the risk of life and environmental damage that an oil spill could cause.
100 Day Lowlights and Facts About the Gulf Oil Spill
- Day 6 - safety device that was supposed to stop the flow of oil fails.
- Day 19 - The first tar balls are reported on Dauphin Island.
- Day 29 - Almost 20% of fishing in the Gulf is stopped and oil hits the marshlands in Louisiana.
- Day 43 - Oil hits the Alabama coast and almost 1/3 of federal waters in the Gulf are closed to fishing
- Day 67 - BP shares hit a 14 year low on the New York Stock Market.
- Day 79 - Every State surrounding the Gulf of Mexico has reported tar balls on their beaches.
- Day 99 - Tony Hayward is relieved of CEO duties from BP and replaced with Bob Dudley.
- Day 100 - The Governor of Florida reports that 640 miles of shoreline is oiled.
"Approximately 640 miles of Gulf Coast shoreline is currently oiled: 100 miles in Florida, 362 miles in Louisiana, 108 miles in Mississippi and 70 miles in Alabama... About 1.84 million gallons of total dispersant have been applied: 1.07 million on the surface and 771,000 subsea. "
Source: thegovmonitor.com
- Day 100 - The impact on tourism is expected to last up to 3 years, a negative $23 Billion impact, if the oil does not move our way. The University of Florida issued a report stating that the oil is likely to head to Florida with a wind, hurricane or current change.
- Day 100 - BP's costs are estimated to be over $3 billion and rising.
What Have We Learned About Maintenance Management?
The most important thing that we have learned is that we have all been reminded that maintenance management is not an option for industry. This is not new as the world has already seen its share of maintenance related tragedies when cutbacks are made to save a few dollars. We have also seen how fast an executive can lose his job (99 days) and how maintenance management really is "Pay me now or pay me a lot more later".
It would be difficult for any business leader not to recognize that BP should have made sure that proper maintenance procedures were enforced. Sadly, history has shown us that someone is bound to make the same mistakes again because of the false belief that this could not possibly happen to them. Still, we hope this does not occur again.
Finally, we learned that maintenance management is more than just making sure work requests are being handled or work orders are completed. It is a discipline using skilled professionals dedicated to ensuring that assets are in optimal operational condition in order to obtain their maximum value. Good asset maintenance with an EAM/CMMS is the difference between a marginal bottom line and a great financial performance in a company.
What does the Future for The Gulf States look like.
Industries that have been impacted by the Gulf oil spill such as hospitality, fishing, and oil will eventually recover. Less certain is the environmental impact of the oil spill as it is just too early to tell the true damage done. For those businesses facing a revenue shortfall as a result of the catastrophe, it is important that they take this opportunity to revisit their operations and look for areas of productivity and energy efficiencies that can be garnered both now and when business returns to normal.
Marinas, hotels and lodges near the affected areas can also use this time to make sure their assets are protected from potential oil damage is the winds change. One method of doing this is to use an EAM/CMMS system to schedule the regular inspection of assets to identify early signs of oil issues. A slow period is the perfect time to organize the maintenance management function.
As for the Oil industry, now would be a good time to check maintenance management procedures and tools to make that you do not end up as the next headline.
Share with us your thoughts on how best to handle adjusting to lower tourism.
Below is a list of all our prior posts on the Gulf Oil Spill. We hope that you have enjoyed reading them:
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I know a lot of people are concerned about the cleanup and containment efforts from the Gulf Oil Spill but you would have to be pretty naive to trust BP's assessment of the potential impact from toxins either in the water or in the air. Maybe it is time to really think about how this catastrophe may effect our water, air and other natural resources here in Florida. Once a clearer picture of the potential damage has been drawn, we will discuss some of the ways businesses, as well as individuals, can act now to help prepare themselves using an EAM/CMMS system.
The Reality Check
Crude oil contains several Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that are known to cause health issues. Theses toxins can be distributed either by air, direct contact or ingestion (contaminated water supplies or food such as fish). In addition, the chemical dispersants BP has been using, Corexit 9500 and Sea Brat 4, contain propylene glycol, 2-butoxyethanol and dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate both of which are very toxic to wildlife and the food chain.
"Crude oil contains a mixture of volatile hydrocarbon compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that typically include benzene, toluene, and xylene, which are known for their carcinogenic effects. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) have caused tumors in laboratory animals when they breathed these substances. Symptoms of exposure to these petroleum compounds include dizziness, headaches, nausea, and rapid heart beat. Kerosene exposure, a component of the dispersants being used in the Gulf, causes similar symptoms."
Source: Wikipedia
"In a report written by Anita George-Ares and James R. Clark for Exxon Biomedical Sciences, Inc. titled Acute Aquatic Toxicity of Three Corexit Products: An Overview Corexit 9500 was found to be one of the most toxic dispersal agents ever developed. Even worse, according to this report, with higher water temperatures, like those now occurring in the Gulf of Mexico, its toxicity grows."
Source: The European Union Times
Between the actual spill and the dispersal agents the effects on Gulf residents may linger for several years. The same is true for the entire Gulf ecosystem including coral reefs, fish and wildlife populations.
Water Quality Issues
Visual images of the oil slicks have dominated internet pictures for the last month and much more oil has been found below the surface in giant plumes whose existence is adamantly being denied by BP (What a shocking surprise). The real question is can the Gulf Oil Spill find its way into the water supplies used by business and individuals?
"PAHs can cause a persistent environmental hazard if the oil penetrates substrates or is not removed from beaches"
Source: National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration
Regardless of whether the oil is on the surface or lurking out of eyesight, oil or oil residues may under the right environmental conditions:
- Clog or contaminate membranes and cooling systems of water desalination plants. Tampa, home to one of the largest desalination plants in the USA has tentative plans to close its valves should a threat appear imminent.
- Infiltrate any number of underwater caves and potentially contaminate groundwater. There are a lot of homes in Florida that draw upon well water as well as one huge spring water company.
- Pollute all waterways. There is a potential that strong winds can disperse water droplets over a much wider area having the effective impact that acid rain had on northeastern States for many years.
Air Quality Concerns
When oil rises through the ocean and is exposed to air it emits toxic gasses. These gasses can travel hundreds of miles with the right combination of temperature and wind strength as well as several other climatic factors. These gasses may not be detectable by smell and in fact despite the EPA giving an all clear on June 15th, 2010 there has been over 75 cases of people being treated for illness from fumes.
"The crude oil and natural gases erupting from the bottom of the sea, hitting the surface of the water and eventually finding its way to land are complex chemicals. When exposed to air they create volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) and hydrocarbons in the form of gases. When these chemicals are burned from the surface of the water, they create nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, acidic aerosols and solid particulate matter soot. These emissions are chemical poisons."
Source: AFP
The danger from the air is difficult to detect. It took years to see the human health consequences from the Exxon Valdez oil spill and hopefully Gulf Oil spill cleanup crews will be better prepared.
What Can Businesses and Individuals do to Prepare?
Although this is a business oriented blog, some of the alternatives listed below may also be applicable for households. What is common for both businesses and individuals is that inspecting air and water equipment as well performing preventive maintenance on these same assets may reduce the risks. Perhaps even more important for businesses such as hotels and resorts on the Gulf is that regular scheduled inspections and preventive maintenance using an EAM/CMMS system may reduce claims from guest or staff developing illnesses. Our suggestions are:
- Inspect/test water supplies for contamination. Any water used from Gulf sources for industry should be tested. Businesses can schedule inspections using a CMMS. Results are then reported online to management for immediate action. Remember, water contamination can come from the air (seaside pools).
- Have a good supply of bottled water on hand.
- Clean, check air filters, air handlers regularly. Residue buildup can cause airflow obstruction raising energy costs, improper filters may not catch contaminants (HEPA filters should stop Benzene and other VOCs). These tasks can be added to the CMMS preventive maintenance schedule.
- Pay attention to new instances of persistenct coughing, dizziness and headaches.
- If working with the any of the cleanup crews make sure you are wearing protective gloves, masks and any other equipment deemed necessary.
- If you are planning on closing down operations for the short term use an enterprise asset management tool to document each asset's condition, description and location as well as documenting the steps necessary to properly shut down and start up equipment.
Exactly what the impact of the Gulf Oil spill will be on our health and environment cannot be determined. It is certain however, that there will be a consequence to all of us for the asset maintenance approach BP took (cheapness, greed, callous disregard etc.). Will it be dispersed at low enough levels to not cause harm? We all hope so. In the meantime, share with us how your business will prepare.
Helpful links and related stories:
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Preventive maintenance for Hotels has become more important than ever before as a result of shrinking profit margins, aging assets and increasing pressure from consumers to demonstrate green concerns. To be a successful hotel, property managers must successfully navigate theses challenges in the most cost effective manner possible. Hotels that make use of an EAM/CMMS preventive maintenance programs have a definitive competitive edge because they are able to take reduce unnecessary capital expenditures, lower labor costs as well as increase energy efficiencies. Hotels not yet making use of modern EAM/CMMS solutions have no choice but to change the way they care for their assets or operate at a deficit.
CMMS for Aging Assets
It is a given that as assets age they require additional maintenance attention. Assets that are not part of a preventive maintenance program will show greater signs of wear and tear resulting in either their early replacement or major repair costs. In addition, poorly maintained equipment is far less energy efficient because they require more energy to accomplish the same desired results. A drop in energy efficiency will increase utility bills, which can be substantial with equipment such as boilers, chillers and HVAC units. But it is not just the big assets that can increase utility bills. Hotels with kitchens, in-house laundry or even multiple spas need their equipment running at optimal performance levels to save energy dollars.
Hotel CMMS software is designed to make sure all hotel assets can easily be scheduled for preventive maintenance as well as inspections. It works by creating a centralized, computerized data bank of information on Hotels assets. The advantage of a CMMS solution is that by setting up this database, all maintenance activities from work requests through work order completion can be scheduled, tracked and reported on far more efficiently than a manual system. The reporting function is critical as it provides Hotel management with a historical record of the frequency and costs of repair allowing them to make better capital replacement decisions.
EAM/CMMS for Shrinking Profit Margins
Labor costs have an immediate impact on Hotel financial health. The fastest way to post operating losses is to incur needless overtime. Overtime from Hotel maintenance teams occurs most often from emergency maintenance or repair work orders that do not happen during regular operating hours or when the maintenance expert is available. EAM/CMMS software can help avoid overtime. Implementing an EAM/CMMS will increase maintenance and repair scheduling flexibility by shifting maintenance operations to be pro active instead of reactive. Scheduling Hotel inspections and preventive maintenance enables the early identification of problems that can be scheduled during maintenance lulls. By scheduling the repairs in this manner, the amount of time spent performing emergency work is sharply reduced. A good rule of thumb is that planned maintenance should be 80% of the work orders with the remaining 20% allocated for unexpected problems.
There are numerous other financial advantages to implementing an EAM/CMMS. Some of these include:
- Better Capital budgeting as good preventive maintenance practices can lengthen the useful lifecycle of assets including roofs, siding or other high dollar replacement items. Delaying capital replacement increases cash available for other projects or cosmetic improvements.
- Faster response time to customer reported problems. Leaking faucets, jammed doors or other consumer complaints are addressed quicker due to the increased flexibility from scheduling. Consumers will be happier and more likely to return.
- Lower liability from accidents. The historical record of Hotel maintenance kept by the EAM/CMMS can help show that assets have been properly taken care of. This may negate claims of negligence.
When times are tough the smart Hotel administrators get the tools they need to do more with less. The cost of an EAM/CMMS is nominal compared to the efficiencies and savings the software can bring to the Hotel. But the best part is that the savings continue long after the economy recovers.
Tell us how your hotel handles maintenance issues. If you liked this article you may also enjoy:
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Memorial Day is upon and here at Mintek we hope everyone takes a moment to honor those veterans who have served our country. Outside of the Gulf Oil spill disaster it has been a relatively slow news week. But for those that missed the opportunity to read our blogs and voter links as they were published, we have summarized them for you here. Please enjoy them and be sure to check back for new articles during the week. You can find a complete listing on the Mintek Blog.
Our featured article this week was a sarcastic thank you to British Petroleum (BP) for failing to invest in the proper safeguards that would have avoided the gulf oil catastrophe that is taking place.
1. Why BPs Terrible Maintenance Management Can Lead to a Fun Weekend
Author: Stuart Smith
There is no question that the gulf oil spill was an avoidable disaster and that poor/greedy judgment resulted in what is currently a larger oil spill than the Exxon Valdez and continues to grow. Being an optimist, I took a look at a few of the reasons that one can still go to the beaches this weekend and have a good time. Enjoy the article and if you can think of a few new ideas drop me a line.
Key Point: BP would not need to be running from accountability for its actions had it implemented an EAM/CMMS to make sure all maintenance was being done and equipment was working properly.
Read Relevant Articles That We Found Last Week
But wait there is more. We have found several more articles that you might find to be interesting and even put them on our website for you to vote on. The 5 best this week are:
1. Increasing the value of Facilities Management in higher education
Author: Stack
This article was the result of a survey taken of Facility Managers at a recent meeting of APPA (formerly the Association of Physical Plant Administrators. The survey identified 6 majors areas of concern. They are: improving accountability, planning for workforce change, integrating sustainability into total operations, implementing total cost of ownership practices, making facilities a strategic partner with leadership and leading change. The article discusses they issues for each subject.
Key Point: "Facilities represent a significant portion of every budget. Access to pertinent, real time information by decision makers and leaders is an essential premise to accountability".
2. Legislation ensures that federal buildings are operated at peak efficiency
Author: Posted on PlantServices.com
The article discusses the introduction of new legislation aimed at reducing the energy costs in federal buildings that is currently over $17 billion per year. Objectives include increased training on proper facilities maintenance and retrofitting buildings to be more energy efficient.
Key Point: "A recent study by the International Facilities Management Association showed that for every $1.00 spent on facility management training, organizations reported receiving an average of $3.95 in return".
3.Hotel CMMS Will Increase Your Guest Intent-to-Return Rates
Author: Pat Allen
Pat's article points out the benefits that a CMMS system can have for Hotels and Resorts who are looking to increase returning client rates. His article goes on to point the additional benefits for Hotels and Resorts including better costs controls as well as more accurate capital planning.
Key Point: Hotels spend millions of dollars trying to attract new travelers but for a fraction of that amount (invested in a CMMS) they can achieve the same results.
What We Learned This Week
We learned two things this week. The first was that educators as well governments are quickly understanding the change of importance for facilities management. Controlling energy costs is crucial to our economies survival. To do so a greater emphasis must be placed on educating business and business leaders as well as making changes to our buildings infrastructures. Secondly we learned that that some mistakes can not be dismissed or covered up as BP has tried to do because the impact may be catastrophic.
Too read more visit our Vote on Links page.
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Two of the biggest concerns the Lodging Industry faces are construction and rising operating costs. Construction includes the cost of new facilities or the modernization/retrofitting of existing structures as well as the aspect of obtaining financing. Operating costs for this discussion, refers to energy, labor, maintenance, repair and operations. Woven in to industry concerns is the question of how to lower costs and still have a positive impact on the customer's experience.
The good news is that there is always an opportunity to do more with less as well as responding to changing consumer demands for greater green responsibility by making use of Computerized Maintenance Management Software (CMMS).
"The linkage between competitive pricing to create value for the customer and cost reductions to sustain profitability is the fundamental challenge identified here."
Source: Cathy A. Enz, Ph.D., The Center for Hospitality Research
A CMMS solution can help bridge the gap between the need to lower cost and the need to remain competitive with market offerings.
Financial Competitiveness
The reality of the modern economy is that without adequate cost containment measures already depressed margins will not improve and can put you out of business. As with any business, Cash is King and without cash flow, financing for construction carries greater inherent risks making the cost to borrow money skyrocket. You do not need to be a financial genius to realize that demonstration of a well run, cost effective operation goes a long way to securing financing.
A CMMS system is a tool that will help you streamline your lodging's maintenance operations, decrease labor, unplanned repairs and energy expenses. Just as importantly, CMMS maintenance software when properly used to schedule inspections and preventive maintenance will lengthen the useful lifecycle of assets. This will push out the normal asset replacement dates lowering the need for capital expenditures.
The Customer Experience Effect
Implementing a CMMS solution will have a positive impact on the customer experience. Nothing is more frustrating to a weary traveler than to enter a room and find that the A/C doesn't work, the hot water is out or door doesn't lock correctly. A quick resolution to reported problems will alleviate much frustration leaving the customer with peaceful thoughts. The trick is to make sure maintenance staff is available and not have to pay overtime for the unexpected repairs. This may be achieved with a CMMS because scheduling regular preventive maintenance or inspections will identify problems early on and allow their repair to be scheduled long before a breakdown occurs or a complaint is lodged. Lodging managers will find that the amount of reactive maintenance is decreased and replaced by pro active maintenance practices. Overtime costs can be reduced dramatically.
How Does a CMMS Work
A CMMS software program can run from either the vendors IT site (hosted online CMMS) or installed on the lodging's site using its computers. Hosted web-based CMMS programs normally have lower upfront costs than on-site installation. Other advantages of a hosted CMMS include 24/7/365 up times, automatic software updates and faster implementation.
The system works best when great care is given to the set up stage. This is the stage where you get organized defining what your assets are, where they are at, their costs, vendor information and so on. CMMS training is also important for set up in order to learn how use the maintenance modules as well as the mobile handheld devices that enable paperless workflow. When implementation and training are done well, managers will find a wealth of management reports that are available to enhance decision making.
The local facility is not the only group that will benefit from a web-based CMMS. One of the best features of an enterprise CMMS is that when they are implemented across multiple locations, lodging operations executives can compare facilities, determine best practices and set up standard operating procedures. In addition,the CMMS maintenance system will enhance the ability of corporate planners to more accurately project capital expenditures by reviewing work order frequencies as well as maintenance costs.
The Value of a CMMS
The true value of a CMMS maintenance program is the result it provides the users. Each business is unique having different needs and objectives that must be met. For the lodging industry some common needs include streamlining costs, lowering capital expenditures and enhancing the customer experience. Positive results in these three categories will enhance the capability of organizations to survive tough times as well as build the foundation for future success. Implementing a good CMMS program is a must for the lodging industry.
Tell us how you manage costs without sacrificing customer experience.
If you liked this article you will also enjoy
i think a paragraph needs to be added after how does a cmms work... Web-based CMMS solutions also offer the benefit of having corporate or enterprise wide benefits. They are easier to scale across multiple sites and can help improve the use of standard operating procedures (SOPs). something like that
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If you want a EAM & CMMS system, but can't afford to implement one this budget year; then this contest is perfect for you. We are offering a chance to win a FREE EAM & CMMS software suite. Contest includes a 1-year site license, 10 web/mobile licenses and support, as well as, training and implementation.
If your final four picks bombed like mine did, you probable focused your attention to all the April Fools day articles that inundated the internet. However, we hope everyone had the opportunity to read our blogs and check out our website, but just in case you did not have the time to see our blogs and voter links as they were published, we have summarized them for you here. Please enjoy them and be sure to check back for new articles during the week. You can find a complete listing on the Mintek Blog.
The most popular article of the week was an April 1 blog. The remainder of this weeks articles examined the impact an EAM can have in the collection and storage of maintenance history, increasing maintenance efficiencies and capital planning.
1. DOE Recanting CMMS Recommendation
Author: Stuart Smith
Short April Fools piece explaining a fictitious Department of Energy press release to recant their recommendation companies seeking to reduce energy footprints use a CMMS.
Key Point: One organization's pain is another one's opportunity.
2. Why Cruise Ships Need an EAM to Stay Afloat
Author: Stuart Smith
Cruise ships are like small floating cities. However once at sea, cruise ships must maintain exceptional maintenance vigilance to avoid being stranded or to fight off the corrosive of mother nature. Because of this inspections and preventive maintenance are absolutely critical to cruise ship operations.
Key Point: One of an EAM strongest features is the capture of asset detail and subsequent scheduling of all maintenance activities.
3. Hotel Green is Lean With An EAM
Author: Stuart Smith
Despite an ongoing global recession there are over 4,000 first class or luxury hotels under construction. Many of these hotels are being built to take advantage of consumer awareness and demand to be associated with green products. Green hotels are more expensive than traditional hotels. Subsequently, the larger investment requires better asset management as well as efforts to maximize asset lifecycles.
Key Point: Hotel asset management works well with an EAM because management because it meets the need for correcting minor issues before they become major repairs, the extension of asset lifecycles and better organization of maintenance tasks.
Read Relevant Articles That We Found Last Week
But wait there is more. We have found several more articles that you might find to be interesting and even put them on our website for you to vote on. The 5 best this week are:
1. Maintenance Software--How to Negotiate Successful Contracts with CMMS Vendors
Author: David Berger
Contract negotiation can intimidating or even frustrating but there are some basics premises to go by. These include understanding that both parties wish for mutual gain, deliverables must be explicit and pricing is always negotiable.
Key Point: Your approach to contract negotiations will determine your success.
2. Serving up EAM Integration
Author: Joseph Mendoza
Joseph begins with an excellent overview of the decisions organizations make with regard to choosing multiple vendors for in depth applications or limiting vendors by choosing a generic suite of applications. The article goes on to discuss a couple of bridge gap alternatives for making sure systems such as an EAM are able to be most effective.
Key Point: The point to remember is to make decisions based upon the pain involved.
3. Improve asset management with smarter information tools
Author: Mark T Hoske
Based upon a speech by Mary T. Bunzel, the article discusses how the role of MRO has evolved. Included are examples of MROevolution as well as the need for organizations to redefine the role of maintenance management in order to be competitive in tomorrow workplace.
Key Point: "An effective MRO implementation can help connect silos, help standardize and analyze what's going on, and build-in agility"
4. In the groove: Common myths about mechanical pipe joints
Authors: Gary Trinker
Grooved piping has been use for over 80 years. Over that time several myths have developed over their effectiveness and reliabity. Gary talks about these myths and reinforces the reason why grooved piping remains a mainstay in industry.
Key Point: Grooved piping although not the choice for temperature extreme environments has many uses.
5. Saving the Wind
Authors: Posted in New Energy and Fuel
The article discusses the technology behind capturing and compressing air using deep sea beds or other natural pressurized environments. Scale models have been built and testing is now underway.
Key Point: The compressed air form of wind energy could be in widespread use within 15 years and cost less than other alternatives.
What We Learned This Week
The articles this week point out the growing need for higher level involvement in maintenance management functions. Maintenance management may not be a profit center with a lot of glory, but without the proper tools and management, a company is likely to suffer cash flow decreases a a result of capital items and excessive reactive repair costs. We also learned that despite the many tools available to increase company performance, companies sometimes do not think their plans through well enough.
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Despite the recent years economic downtrend, hotels are still building and finding ways to meet the changing consumer needs. According to Tophotelprojects.com there are over 4,000 first class and luxury hotels under construction with the vast majority located either in North America, Europe or The Middle East. These hotels are also in a race to adjust to the top consumer trends. That trend in is to accommodate the need for travelers to be socially and environmentally conscious.
"Their objectives for vacation periods are changing and so are the demands they are placing on their brand partners. To lead in the category going forward, it is vital that brands fulfill these four imperatives:
- Accept and embrace "green" as the standard way of doing business
- Offer products and services that satisfy Prosumers' desire to live more mindfully
- Master social media in order to engage Prosumers before, during, and after each travel experience
- Embrace the new models of luxury and customer service"
Source: Hotel News Resource
Incorporating a green theme is no longer an option, it is a requirement to attract consumers. A good listing of Green organizations for hoteliers can be found at Green Lodging News.
How Hotels Can Manage The Need For Green
On top of the social constraints being pushed by consumers, hotels still need to manage their assets from conception to retirement. It is important because exceptional management of assets will free capital needed to make consumer changes and remain competitive. The best tool for managing assets in this manner is an Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system. Since the term asset management can be vague, the following describes how an EAM can impact hotel operations.
Building The Knowledge Base For Green Hotels
It is important for hotels to record the maintenance history of all assets. Green designs are still relatively young and there is not always enough historical data to properly manage the hotel assets. Without this history asset lifecycles may be shortened, capital budget planning may err and maintenance management more difficult to schedule. This is a good practice for a number of reasons. The top three reasons are:
- Stored knowledge. Maintenance activities (work orders, preventive maintenance, inspections) when recorded properly describe the detail of what was done, who did it, when it was done, what was needed, the time spent, as well as the cost of materials. Having this information provides a shared database that can be used when training new maintenance personnel. The maintenance workforce average age is over 50. As these workers retire their knowledge of problem resolution will be lost unless it is recorded.
- Capital Analysis. Data collection enables greater predictability of useful lifecycle of an asset. Analysis of the frequency and cost of repair will provide management with the information necessary to make timely asset replacement decisions.
- Reduced Labor Costs. Lowers the learning curve for the next maintenance call, reducing repair time, preventing recreation of the wheel.
Efficiency Impact of Good Asset Management
One of the most important features of an EAM system is the automation of the maintenance tasks from work request through work order completion. The automation of workflow processes is designed to lower reactive firefighting and increase pro-active preventive maintenance through inspections as well as regularly scheduled care. A good rule of thumb is to have reactive repair work no more than 20% of all maintenance requests. Scheduling preventive maintenance and inspections will help accomplish this. In turn, lowering the amount of reactive maintenance has multiple financial impacts including but not limited to:
- Reduced Overtime. Organized maintenance scheduling increases the flexibility of maintenance management to handle emergency repairs with less overtime. Scheduling preventive maintenance also reduces unexpected emergency work orders.
- Efficiency Gain. More can be done with the same amount of staff as work orders can be prioritized by need and location. In addition, the use of handheld devices will allow inspection results to be immediately turned into work orders without delay.
- Turnover is lowered. Most people prefer not to work in an environment where they feel like they are running around with their hair on fire. An EAM will ease the anxiety caused by unnecessary emergency repair work. Lower turnover means less training is required to handle situations.
Financial Impact of an EAM
The third area is the sum of the efficiencies and knowledge base benefits. Increased asset lifecycles, accurate replacement projections will reduce the amount need capital funds. Combined with lower labor costs, hotels have the potential to decrease overall costs significantly. Additional expense savings will be realized through energy expense reductions in equipment such as HVAC and boilers which will operate far more efficiently than with our proper maintenance. In summary, a properly implemented EAM will help free up the capital necessary to pursue the more expensive green hotel/resort ventures and keep them profitable.
Tell us how your hotel will adjust to the green trend.
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Register for your chance to win a Free EAM & CMMS Worth $23,000
If you want a EAM & CMMS system, but can't afford to implement one this budget year; then this contest is perfect for you. We are offering a chance to win a FREE EAM & CMMS software suite. Contest includes a 1-year site license, 10 web/mobile licenses and support, as well as, training and implementation.