How to Optimize Decision-Making in Maintenance Operations?

By following our blog, you stay informed about the most important topics in industrial maintenance. We cover the best techniques and strategies that can help you with your daily tasks and maintenance operations, and this time is no different.

Decision-making in maintenance operations is essential to business success. Failing to plan and act without thinking are behaviors that risk achieving positive results, and you must avoid them at all costs.

Many professionals act arbitrarily and do not understand the needs of their maintenance management or the market. Therefore, deadlines are not met, service quality decreases, the number of accidents increases, and customers become dissatisfied.

With that in mind, we created this article to explain everything you need to know about the topic. We will define concepts, present examples, and share tips to improve your maintenance performance. Pay attention as you read and take full advantage!

The Importance of Decision-Making in Maintenance Operations

Several factors influence the solutions adopted in a company. Labor availability, financial resources, supplied materials, and delivery deadlines are examples. Analyzing all these factors is the responsibility of a professional concerned with the future of maintenance management.

You should also know that the market is increasingly demanding and competitive. Small details and negligence are crucial and can hinder team performance. Therefore, being prepared to overcome obstacles and solve problems as quickly as possible is essential.

Another very important issue is related to workplace safety in industrial environments. In many cases, systems are large and complex, posing risks to operators. Not preserving the integrity of machines creates serious risks. In this sense, maintenance ensures equipment functionality and prevents downtime and accidents.

All actions performed must follow a quality standard, considering the established plan, business aims, and the intention to reduce the number of unexpected stoppages.

Tips to Optimize Decision-Making in Maintenance

Now it’s time for you to discover the best ways to improve decision-making in maintenance operations. Follow along:

Monitor the Market

Consumers are volatile and unpredictable. What is desired and widely adopted today may become obsolete in a short time. New technologies emerge when least expected. Inadequate methodologies hinder productivity increases in maintenance and reduce workplace safety.

For these reasons, staying aware of changes is essential. Participate in discussion forums, read magazines, newspapers, and blogs on the subject, and build strong relationships with influential professionals in your field.

Plan Activities

Equipment availability is a crucial factor for operational continuity. When a machine stops working, you must deploy technicians and resources to fix it. If this happens frequently, it’s time to rethink your maintenance strategy.

In such cases, planning is the only way to solve the problem. It is necessary to analyze maintenance history to optimize decision-making. These records show the behavior of each system. In any case, the following advantages are achieved when planning is part of your routine:

  • easier setup of the Preventive Maintenance schedule
  • reduction of production interruptions
  • more efficient failure resolution
  • meeting deadlines

Thus, analyze all available information and organize it properly, always recording data such as:

  • date and time of the maintenance activity
  • problem identified
  • costs
  • replaced parts

Know how to communicate with the team

Good communication is a characteristic of a successful leader. For this reason, it is essential to know your entire team to understand their strengths.

In addition, open communication shows that you value everyone’s opinion. Even if you are an experienced and capable professional, you must rely on others to keep the company on the right track. A skilled and engaged team is made up of diverse people who help you find unique solutions.

Therefore, create an environment open to dialogue, where everyone feels comfortable. This helps with decision-making in maintenance operations by offering different perspectives on the same situation.

Use Maintenance Management Software

Technology is here to stay. Today, anyone can use the internet to send emails or follow the world’s most important news. Given all these advantages, the maintenance sector also adopts innovative solutions.

Maintenance Management Software is an excellent tool to optimize your routine. It allows opening and closing Work Orders (WO), performs data collection for maintenance planning, and centralizes all company information in one place.

Additionally, the mobility provided by this technology keeps you connected to your operations at all times. This way, you can monitor everything and make decisions when necessary. With a complete and updated database, you gain more autonomy to demonstrate your value and improve customer service.

Therefore, research and find a flexible solution ready to be implemented in your company. Avoid adopting generic maintenance software, as it does not offer all the functionalities you need.

Do Not Be Afraid to Make Mistakes

Great companies were not built overnight. In all cases, countless hours of work and effort were required. Along the way, perfection and complete avoidance of mistakes are impossible. Wisdom lies in those who acknowledge their failures and find ways to avoid and improve them in the future.

For this reason, be determined in your decision-making processes in maintenance operations and be prepared for constant change.

Conclusion

What did you think of our post? Would you like to learn even more about the best techniques for your sector? Then read this other content to understand the differences between online and offline maintenance software!

Also read: 

Leadership in Maintenance: how do you lead a team strategically?

Visual management in maintenance: what is it and how to apply

Frequently asked questions on the topic
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