Unified software for field tracking, scheduling/dispatching and equipment maintenance can drive uptime and profitability Profitability in every construction sector hinges on people, materials and equipment, with data emerging as an equally vital asset. In heavy construction, in particular, equipment is disproportionately important. By leveraging technology to unify the processes related to fleet maintenance and management, contractors can cut costs and increase utilization. Heavy construction projects in North America are getting larger and more complex. Equipment is also getting more complex and more expensive to own and operate. The financial risk and reward associated with managing equipment, along with the operators and crews associated with that fleet, are critical. Every company strives to maximize uptime and utilization while minimizing maintenance costs and total cost of ownership. Succeeding is difficult due to the dynamic, interconnected nature of the business. The pieces are always moving, and the requirements are constantly changing. Teams responsible for scheduling, dispatching, operating and maintaining equipment deal with unexpected breakdowns, change orders, weather, traffic, employee issues, changing material delivery schedules and dozens of additional variables.
A more holistic approach to fleet maintenance and management creates opportunities for better results through increased visibility and collaboration across workflows. Emerging technologies, and emerging ways to unify technology, can fuel this approach. These include intuitive, enterprise-class software solutions, GPS and telematics innovation and the web and mobile developments supporting them. When software solutions used for maintenance, field tracking and scheduling/dispatching are unified within a platform, contractors can:
These are just a few examples. The key advantage is that contractors can now connect their workflows and work with accurate, real-time or near-real-time data to improve equipment related processes. This kind of connectivity and access to information opens the door to more process efficiency. And it empowers employees and executives to make better, data-driven decisions. Fleet maintenance and management is challenging and critical to the bottom line. The best companies hold total cost of maintenance to below five percent of total revenue. For many companies, that number climbs to 10 or even 15 percent, and some companies can’t or don’t measure. Additionally, maintenance is only one part of the equation. There are related costs associated with underutilization, inefficient scheduling, idle time, confusion about where an asset actually is, hording of equipment on job sites and other management factors.
Traditional, isolated processes compound these challenges, but a holistic approach built around unified software and collaborative workflows can help contractors improve uptime, utilization and the total cost of ownership for their equipment fleets.
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