Are you close to a Jon-Don or other reliable service location? Do you have back-up equipment? Then read no further! Likely your highest and best use isn’t wrenching on your stuff! So let the experts work on it!
But if you are (like I was) many hours from the closest service center you need your equipment fixed FAST. So what to do?
Hire a part time mechanic to service and fix your equipment.
NOTE: Trust me, you don’t want the average tech tearing into complex equipment. (Don’t ask me how I learned this one!) Instead…
1. “Corral” your broken stuff in one place. Stop sending non-working equipment back out into the field by red tagging broken items immediately.)
2. Recruit a mechanic already working full time. Hopefully they’ll also have a working knowledge of 110 volt electrical. (I recruited a Highway Department Mechanic that worked on our routine maintenance every other Saturday plus came in on-call when needed.)
3. Pay your part time mechanic very well. After all, you can afford to! They keep your profit making equipment running and what price can you put on that! Plus you want to pay more per hour than their regular job so you get “Priority Scheduling”!
4. Create a wall chart showing maintenance intervals. Include what should be done for each item. Depending on complexity assign each task either to your daily after-hours Maintenance Tech or your mechanic. Then add “Employee Accountability” when your employee signs off when the job is completed.
5. Organize your equipment schematics and manuals. Place them alphabetically in the repair area. Post a list of contact #’s for ordering parts on the wall.
6. RELAX! Now your equipment will be maintained, repaired AND running ALL the time. Even better, it won’t be YOU doing it which means you are building a Critical Mass Business!
Steve