8 Tips for Effective Maintenance Planning and Scheduling for Your Business

Companies, businesses, and industries that employ multiple people often struggle with planning and scheduling. It is tricky balancing the company's needs and employees' needs in an economically viable way. 

New systems, computers, cooperative employees, and many more can solve these problems. But eventually, they circle back around the root issues behind company pitfalls. Oftentimes, it may seem impossible to break out of this cycle of frustration. 

That’s where knowing some tips, tactics, and common pitfalls come to play. Some suggestions may be specific to an industry or business. However, a basic knowledge of what works for others can be helpful to companies struggling with planning, scheduling, or both. 

So, what are these effective tips? Let's find out below!

Top 7 Tips for Effective Maintenance Planning and Scheduling for Your Business

1. Have a Separate Job Position for Planning or Scheduling

First and most importantly, it is vital not to overstuff your fleet or delivery manager with the tasks of:

• Planning all routes;
• Dealing with delivery delays;
• And trying to find time for maintenance.

If you do, they are more likely to perform inadequately and might prioritize routes over proper maintenance, which of course, leads to mechanical issues.  

Instead, create a maintenance management position charged with maintaining the fleet and let your fleet manager worry about hitting delivery goals. Hiring a maintenance manager will relieve your fleet manager of stress and allow all equipment to be routinely checked at a higher frequency. 

Moreover, your maintenance manager takes your business from being reactive to truck issues to be preventative. Thus lowering vehicle downtime and saving money.

2. Utilize a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS)

With a CMMS, companies and industries can track the mileage and both the needed and optional upcoming maintenance for each piece of equipment in your fleet. Additionally, CMMS software and RCFA or failure root cause analysis track and investigate the failure of a vehicle, logs equipment, and performs asset management.  

Furthermore, CMMS software keeps each piece of equipment updated on required preventative maintenance and tracks optional or last-minute maintenance automatically. This can be performed using spreadsheets or wipe boards. 

But then, you should use maintenance organization software because it tracks this information in greater detail by VIN. Thus, increasing accuracy and leaving a detailed trail after maintenance is completed.

3. Base Your Time Estimates on Data from Former Jobs

Over time, tracking maintenance metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) help your team better estimate how long equipment will be out of commission and strive for continuous improvement. 

Your maintenance planning and scheduling become more accurate as you complete more jobs. This allows for better backlog management. Furthermore, you will be able to see potential avenues for process improvement and efficiency.

4. Prioritize Projects and Tasks

Ensure you prioritize preventive maintenance over delivery routes to prevent long-term delays with major repair jobs. Also, prioritize routine maintenance to prevent bigger everlasting issues down the road.

Failure to prioritize important maintenance over deliveries could lead to a breakdown that costs you days of preventable and costly shutdown per equipment. 

As you may know, a plant maintenance planner and software solution can save companies money. This is due to reduced downtime, increased efficiency, reduced risk of costly reactive repairs, and many more.

5. Plan Weeks Ahead 

Planned maintenance helps arrange your delivery and maintenance schedule weeks in advance to see potential delays or time conflicts. Look for slow times to pull in your equipment for reliability assessment and ensure you have enough equipment on the ground. 

Planned maintenance saves money and time by providing you the ability to plan around busy or slow times.

6. Complete Your Project Plan before Planning or Scheduling

Before any equipment is pulled into the shop for maintenance, create a plan for what maintenance will be needed and the duration of each maintenance activity. Also, create a checklist that can be viewed before and when the equipment arrives. 

Not creating a solid project plan could lead to the completion of wrong maintenance or delays as your team works to figure out what’s being done. 

Furthermore, this could cost your company a huge chunk of money and time due to extended equipment downtime. Thus, slowing down deliveries and leading to longer delays and more revenue lost.

7. Clearly Define Project Timelines

After your system is in place, take time to examine the projects in question. Are they clearly defined? Are timelines set in place for completion? While you may think that this information is present in your software, in most cases, it is not. So, ensure that the parameters for your projects are clearly defined and accessible before you go further. 

It’s also worthwhile to evaluate those creating your plans and schedules. Is maintenance planning and scheduling a strong point of theirs? Are there other people who could do a better job? Do you need to hire a professional for this position? These questions can set your business or company on the right track.

8. Ensure Consistent Planning and Scheduling

Finally, ensure that proper, updated planning and scheduling happens frequently. The daily routine of a small janitorial company may not change that much. However, the needs of your company will evolve, affecting all departments. 

Most companies make the mistake of having outdated planning and scheduling. Should your company need help during the process, consult experts on how to plan and schedule your daily operations.

Conclusion

Good maintenance planning and scheduling aim to allow maintenance personnel to prepare and perform the required task safely and cost-effectively without encountering delays. 

What do your planning and schedule look like for your company? Are you happy with the way things are, or should you make some changes? If so, how will you optimize your maintenance planning and scheduling protocols? 

Careful consideration of these questions is the first step toward an investment in your company's future. Also, implementing the listed tips can make your job as a planner more productive and satisfying. Thus, helping your company to reduce costs and be more effective.

Hopefully, this article has provided you with some helpful tips for better maintenance planning and scheduling.