Many transportation companies are beginning to respond to rapid change in the industry by implementing a more “agile” process. Fleet Owner recently wrote a piece asking the industry, Are you an agile organization?
Agile methodology is well established amongst software and technologies companies. As a provider of Enterprise Asset Management software, and an early adopter of the “agile” process, we are providing some high-level insights into how agile processes can be translated into an improved maintenance workflow.
Prioritize the customer experience #
One of the main tenets of the Agile methodology is “the continuous delivery of valuable products that prioritize customer satisfaction”. In the maintenance world this means:
- Ensuring on-time delivery
- Meeting promised date/time
- Delivering high-quality products and services
- Maximizing wrench hours
Create Iterative and incremental change #
If a workflow is showing consistent weakness, changing the whole process can feel like boiling the ocean. Start by identifying the greatest workflow issues, ensuring that you align improvements with your organizational goals. Set out the right tools so you can carefully track and measure improvements with metrics. Prove the ROI to top-level management so you can continue to justify the next leg of the journey.
Simplify - maximize the work not being done #
In the maintenance world, we often call this managing by exception. Every organization needs the tools to ensure your team is not just working hard, they’re working smart too. Using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Business Intelligence (BI) tools helps an organization to prioritize work and improve decision-making. Smart scheduling tools help you to plan downtime based on driver schedules. While Preventive Maintenance tools can help you determine the criticality of work, so a cigarette lighter is never fixed before a transmission.
Ric Bedard, CEO