Pros and Cons of Floor Equipment Preventative Maintenance

It doesn't matter whether you have a large or small business, conducting effective maintenance on your equipment is essential. The term “preventative” or “planned” maintenance commonly refers to the practice of regularly servicing equipment on a pre-determined schedule so that it does not develop catastrophic failures and performs better over its useful lifecycle.

PROS

Some advantages recognized by utilizing preventative maintenance are;

• Longer equipment lifecycle – When your equipment is being checked and maintained, it will be kept in its best shape, therefore extending its lifetime.
• Less risk factor – Because your equipment is regularly checked, there is less risk of unplanned breakdowns.
• Follows a set schedule - By following a service schedule, you are able to keep a budget while maintaining your equipment. You will also be able to have a maintenance history and be better able to make an educated decision when it comes time to replacing your equipment.
• Money savings – Over time, you will see that less money is being spent because you will not have to replace equipment as often nor will you have to deal with costly last minute breakdowns. While there still may be some unplanned maintenance needed, the odds of catastrophic failures are greatly diminished with regular maintenance.
• Fewer disruptions – Murphy’s Law will always have your equipment break at the most inopportune time. With regular checks, you will catch the small problems before they grow into larger ones that can cause complete equipment failure.
• Safety – A properly functioning machine also ensures a safe machine. A machine that is neglected is more likely to have safety issues for the operator and anyone around it.
• Reputation – Having a well-running machine that is regularly maintained contributes positively to the reputation of the company owning it. Customers see the care that is given to the machine which in turn relates to the overall care that the company is giving to their customer. The equipment is kept in optimal condition so that the customer’s site can be kept as clean as possible.

CONS

• Planning – Some planning time is required and some research on the different types of “preventative maintenance” programs is required.
• Cost – There is a higher upfront cost with “preventative maintenance”. However, long-term costs are very low compared to the cost of equipment failure. 

As you can see, there are more reasons to have a Preventative Maintenance program for your equipment than not to. Yes, it takes time to research and yes, it’s going to cost some money up front, but if you plan and budget properly, you can reap the benefits in the long term. 

About the Author:

Ray Reide

Ray started his career in 1987 as an electronic technician. Working for a smaller company, he quickly excelled and was promoted to different positions within the organization until he was running the entire Service Department and warehouse operations. Looking for more opportunity, he joined a larger worldwide company and was in charge of the Sales & Service region based at the corporate office. After 10 years of success within that position, he was offered the opportunity to create and manage a new department that focused on reconditioned equipment which became a highly profitable venture. Ray then joined Southeastern in 2015 and opened the first satellite branch which is based in NJ and covers the entire northeast US.

Ray brings to Southeastern a vast knowledge of sales, service, operations and the ability to develop and nurture customer relations.