Maintenance schedules can be hard to implement for a business. There are so many variables that affect hardware, creating a schedule that works for one company can be completely ineffective for another company. Some of these factors include the temperature of the server room, how much the system is used (how much processing power is it taking on a daily basis, etc), and whether or not there are frequent power fluctuations to the devices.
One piece of hardware in an optimal environment with optimal load can run for years longer than a device stuck in a hot closet that runs too many applications. Knowing the warning signs of failure can help prevent downtime as maintenance is scheduled and planned for, as opposed to reacting to a failure in the moment.
Industrial IoT & Modern Field Service Management
In light of this difficulty, GE Digital has just announced a ServiceMax Summer '17 release, which includes a new feature for Condition Based Maintenance. The feature automates service requests and aligns future maintenance schedules to optimize preventative care for devices. Proactive work orders are triggered by actual equipment conditions, determined by either Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) signals or manual data readings using the ServiceMax app, the company claims.
GE Digital has really started to show how important preventative care is to their ServiceMax line, as evidenced by the GE Predix integration announced last month. Condition Based Maintenance enables customers to shift from reactive toward proactive and predictive service delivery and maximizing asset performance while lowering operating costs. These capabilities include Maintenance Plans managed by the ServiceMax platform, Dynamic Planned Maintenance introduced in the Winter ‘17 release, and Predictive maintenance with integration to Asset Performance Management by GE Digital.
Ranked Appointment Booking and SLAs
Also included in this release is Ranked Appointment Booking. This feature enables the real-time Schedule Optimization engine to retrieve and rank appointment options. This can allow dispatchers to minimize drive time, reduce overtime work, and avoid SLA violations. According to Gartner companies that continuously implement automation, and model historical data into their processes using automation tools, can reduce unproductive activities by 15% or more, both for technicians and dispatchers. Schedule automation tools also increase customer satisfaction through better SLA attainment and offer higher first-time fix rates.
GE Digital claims that the new features in ServiceMax Summer '17 will help businesses decrease downtime, increase productivity, and exceed the expectations of their customers.
