Equipment management systems are essential tools that allow businesses to track and manage the tools, machinery, and other assets that are critical to their success. By centralizing the management of equipment utilization and expenses in a software platform, companies can maximize efficiency, reduce costs, and ultimately improve their return on investment (ROI).
How to Improve Operations with Equipment Management Systems
What Can Fleets Track with an Equipment Management System?
Many businesses, such as those in landscaping, construction, and plumbing, rely heavily on a variety of small and large equipment to serve their customers. An equipment management system ensures that all tools and machinery are in safe operating condition, helping to avoid downtime, accidents, and costly replacements.
Tracking equipment, especially when combined with vehicle management, can seem overwhelming if you’re relying on paper records or spreadsheets. This is where an equipment management system like the HVI APP comes into play, making it easy to track all job-critical assets in a centralized software platform. With cloud-based equipment management, you can monitor utilization, performance, issues, and expenses in real-time, greatly enhancing your operations.
Keep Track of Your Job-Critical Tools
Managing your fleet’s tools and small equipment alongside your larger assets improves accountability and ensures that all equipment is being used efficiently. With an easy-to-use check-in/check-out app, you can keep track of where your equipment is and who is using it, helping to reduce loss and misuse.
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Discover how the HVI APP’s equipment management software can transform the way you manage your tools and machinery.
6 Ways to Improve Equipment Management
Monitoring the performance of your tools and small equipment can be challenging without an efficient equipment management system. Here are six ways an EMS like the HVI APP can help you track and improve your operation.
1. Collaborate with Your Team Remotely
In many industries, teams are often dispersed across different job sites. Leveraging an equipment management system maximizes visibility and enhances collaboration. By using a mobile app that’s integrated with your EMS, you can track and manage your entire operation remotely.
Team members can leave comments on equipment or alert managers to any safety or maintenance needs. This real-time communication keeps everyone informed, increases productivity, and fosters stronger team connections.
For HVI APP Users
Set up your equipment operators with accounts in the HVI APP so they can use the mobile app to report any issues with equipment directly from the field.
2. Leverage Comments to Get Regular Status Updates on Equipment
Keeping track of equipment health is essential for maximizing efficiency and avoiding downtime. Having operators conduct routine inspections and share their feedback as comments allows you to closely monitor equipment, ensure safe operating conditions, and identify maintenance issues early.
Paper inspection forms are inefficient and can delay communication when issues arise. Digital inspection forms tailored to your specific tools and equipment simplify the process and ensure that any potential problems are communicated quickly and effectively.
For HVI APP Users
While digital inspections in the HVI APP are comprehensive, you can also send and receive comments, attach photos, and track the status of tools and small equipment to ensure everything is in optimal condition.
3. Take Action on Issues to Ensure Fleet Safety
For many businesses, small tools and equipment can be just as dangerous as larger machinery. Implementing safety procedures and maximizing asset visibility are key to staying informed about issues and keeping your team safe.
When issues are identified during inspections or on the job, managers must communicate these quickly. An EMS provides increased visibility across your operation, allowing you to address safety concerns promptly. You can update equipment status in the cloud-based system to inform others of potential safety issues immediately.
For HVI APP Users
When an issue arises, use the equipment status field in the HVI APP to mark a piece of equipment as Out of Service. This prevents team members from using the equipment until it has been inspected and repaired.
4. Keep a Usage Log and Improve Accountability
While tools and small equipment may seem less expensive than larger assets, their acquisition and replacement costs add up over time. Assigning equipment to specific operators and tracking its use helps ensure it is properly maintained, without the need for constant physical inspections. Equipment assignments create an audit trail for each item, holding team members accountable for their proper use.
Without this level of accountability, small equipment and power tools can easily go missing or be subjected to unnecessary abuse. By tracking usage across your team, it’s easier to identify the cause of problems or determine who last used a piece of equipment before it went missing.
For HVI APP Users
Use barcodes or NFC tags with the HVI APP to create a simple system for checking equipment in and out. The Assignment History feature lets you view usage and track the last-known location of your equipment.
5. Track Equipment Utilization and Condition
Analyzing utilization reports in your EMS software can reveal whether certain equipment is being over-utilized and wearing out quickly. With this data, you can decide whether to add new equipment or redistribute under-utilized equipment from your current stock.
Tracking utilization helps you keep up with preventive maintenance, develop strategies to extend equipment lifespan, and estimate when equipment should be replaced.
For HVI APP Users
Use the Estimated Service Life field in the HVI APP to set expectations around the lifespan of your equipment. This helps you determine whether your equipment is performing according to expectations or if it’s being over or under-utilized.
6. Monitor Expenses to Ensure Profitability
Controlling operating expenses is a balancing act, especially when managing both vehicles and equipment. Monitoring these costs in real time can be difficult if you’re using unorganized spreadsheets, which are prone to errors and miscalculations.
Tracking expenses in an EMS allows you to comprehensively monitor spending. Configurable expense reports enable you to break down costs at a granular level or view high-level metrics like total cost of ownership (TCO). Managing expenses in cloud-based software ensures that all costs are tracked in real time, making it easier for managers and stakeholders to perform cost analysis and make informed decisions.
For HVI APP Users
Run an Operating Cost Summary report on your equipment in the HVI APP to determine all expenses associated with running your operation. Use this data to identify areas where you can save on tools and equipment while maintaining profitability.
Finding the Right Equipment Management System for Your Operation
As your business grows, you need a system that allows you to track all the assets critical to your operation. When choosing an equipment management system, look for features that include:
- A digital record of equipment usage
- Status fields to communicate service needs
- A mobile app for remote management
- A communication workflow for tracking comments and updates
- A system for keeping up with equipment location
- Reporting and issue tracking capabilities
The HVI APP offers all these features and more, integrated seamlessly with the system you use to track your fleet vehicles. By eliminating the need for multiple logins, the HVI APP simplifies equipment management, tracking, and communications.
Explore the HVI APP Today
Get a guided walkthrough of the HVI APP to see how our equipment management platform can fit into your larger fleet management system. Schedule a demo now and discover how the HVI APP can help you streamline your operations and improve efficiency.
Conclusion
Managing equipment efficiently is critical to maintaining operational efficiency and maximizing profitability. An Equipment Management System like the HVI APP enables businesses to track, manage, and maintain their tools and machinery effectively, reducing downtime, enhancing safety, and lowering costs.
By implementing the HVI APP, you can ensure that your equipment is always in optimal condition, your team is well-coordinated, and your operations run smoothly. Don’t let inefficient equipment management hold your business back—invest in a robust Equipment Management System today.
Ready to take your operations to the next level? Sign up for the HVI APP and start improving your equipment management today.
