Preventive Maintenance Debt (also known as PM Debt) is an all too real threat to the success of property management teams everywhere, because of its paralyzing effect on operations once tasks begin to pile up.
In many ways, PM Debt is much like its remote cousin, financial debt.
Once debt starts to accrue, it can be tough to overcome the overwhelming tide of emergency tasks and work order requests, thanks to the emotional burdens that come with debt. Strong feelings like: depression, anxiety, resentment, denial, stress, anger, frustration, regret, shame, fear, and embarrassment – the list goes on.
But much like financial debt, PM Debt can be overcome. And it just so happens that we (Building Engines) have a quick way to fast track your PM tasks so that you can eliminate debt as a threat.
First things first: Check the ‘tude
“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”
Christopher Reeve
The first step towards eradicating PM Debt, and fast tracking your PM tasks is to evaluate what got you in the position you’re in. More likely than not, it was a mixture of attitude and less-than-stellar processes. And it’s OK to admit that, so long as you have the focus to change.
Simply stating that “it is impossible to find the time to complete maintenance tasks,” or “we need to focus on things that will bring in / retain tenants” is a cop-out. You’d simply be avoiding the truth, and nothing will ever improve.
How would your tenants react to that mindset? Probably not well, right?
Take a moment and re-read that Christopher Reeve quote. Can you take a step back and find the strength to accept your obstacles, and persevere on behalf of your team and tenants? To do so would make you a maintenance superhero.
Alright stop. Collaborate and listen.
Now that you’ve got the right mindset in place, you’re ready to evaluate your preventive maintenance processes, and implement tools that will help you fast track your PM task completion.
We suggest that you start by checking our Definitive Guide to Preventive Maintenance, which highlights the industry best practices for tackling PM Debt, addressing the requirements of a modern PM program, and a few other handy resources.
Having a well-thought out preventive maintenance program is a crucial first step towards ensuring that tasks are completed in a timely fashion, and that your team never suffers from a build-up of past-due tasks.
Implement a Unified Property Management Software Platform
Utilizing a SaaS (software-as-a-service) based web and mobile property management software platform with a strong preventive maintenance feature set is a great way to reinforce your PM program, and hold your team accountable for its success.
It should include mission critical tools, including: an established equipment library based on industry standards, mobile access via a true dedicated app, automated alerts, purchasing and inventory tracking, performance management reports and analytics, and a quick-access dashboard that gives you an overview of your maintenance tasks.
Most importantly, the platform should make it easier for you and your team to work together on completing tasks more efficiently, so that you can improve your tenant service quality.
In summary, if you want to fast track your PM tasks and rejuvenate your commercial real estate property operations, you need to:
- Make sure that you have the right mindset
- Evaluate your current preventive maintenance program
- Utilize a web and mobile tool that helps automate preventive maintenance task scheduling, alerts, and provides performance analytics
Did you know?
Building Engines SaaS-based property management platform is the preferred choice for commercial real estate property operations teams, providing teams with the tools they need to effectively maintain and communicate with their properties, manage work orders, gauge tenant satisfaction, and mitigate risk.
