Comprehensive maintenance is essential to keep a company's systems up-to-date and functional. Although there are different types of maintenance - corrective, preventive, predictive - it is necessary to establish a high-quality maintenance schedule.
Each type of maintenance is designed to ensure the effective operation of equipment, machinery, and buildings. These tasks can be performed on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual basis, depending on the type of treatment and the nature of the company. It is necessary to create a maintenance plan.
A maintenance plan is an operational and informational guide that also allows for the control and regularity of the attention that should be given in any company, not only to the equipment but also to the premises.
No planning works without a well-thought-out and organized schedule, and that's why we have prepared this article for you. In it, you will learn why you need a preventive or reactive maintenance plan in your company and what you should include in it.
What activities should I include in the maintenance schedule?
In the case of retail stores, there are certain activities that are essential when creating the maintenance schedule. These activities are carried out at specific intervals to ensure that your retail store is in excellent condition for the comfort of customers. The activities include:
Air Conditioning Maintenance
The air conditioning systems in commercial premises are crucial for providing a comfortable shopping experience for customers. Performing maintenance on these systems every three months is essential to ensure their proper functioning. Specifically, the deep cleaning of external condensers should be included in the schedule to maintain their performance levels adequately.
Fire Protection
Ensuring the safety of both customers and staff is of utmost importance. Therefore, the fire protection system, including smoke and fire detectors, must be in excellent condition. The schedule should include an annual maintenance service for the entire fire protection system.
SLow Voltage Electrical Installations Certification (OCA)
In Spain, it is essential to keep the legally required certifications valid, including the certification for low voltage electrical installations issued by one of the Authorized Control Bodies (OCA). This type of certification requires specialized inspection, which should be conducted every 5 years.
Lighting and Glass Maintenance
Proper illumination is vital for a retail store so that customers can thoroughly observe the merchandise's quality. Therefore, maintenance of lighting fixtures and glass should be included in the schedule at least every three months.
external Bateries (UPS)
Every retail store should have an external battery (Uninterruptible Power Supply - UPS) in case of electrical system failures. These batteries require annual maintenance for proper functioning, and this maintenance should be included in the maintenance schedule.
Painting, Woodwork, and Metalwork
The details of painting, woodwork, and metalwork are essential to keep a retail store in optimal condition for welcoming customers. For this reason, these activities should be included in the maintenance schedule at least twice a year.
aDVANTAGES OF A MAINTENANCE PLAN
Statistics show that good preventive maintenance reduces corrective maintenance by 80%, therefore, maintenance schedules help companies understand the condition of their work environments, premises, machinery, systems, and equipment.
In addition to this, supervising a company's systems and equipment not only can reduce workplace accidents by an average of over 80%, but it is also an effective way to control costs. Implementing a maintenance schedule also saves money for your company:
Encourages the repair of equipment, machinery, and installations, extending their lifespan and maintaining optimal performance. Reduces downtime for frequently used machines.
Focuses more regularly on key components of specific systems and allows for the identification of other potential problems before they occur.
Can detect small issues before they become larger and more expensive.
Extends the lifespan of equipment, vehicles, or machines.
How to establish a maintenance schedule?
An effective maintenance program requires inventory, careful planning, research, and clear procedures. Here are some important tips to consider when preparing your plan:
Create an inventory of equipment and furniture
The first step is to conduct a comprehensive inventory of machinery, equipment, resources, and vehicles that require regular maintenance. Check workplaces, construction sites, stores, meeting rooms, and other work areas, and make a list of all the equipment necessary for your company's efficient operation. An effective preventive maintenance plan starts with a clear understanding of what needs to be maintained.
Establish priorities and maintenance cycles
Once you have a list of all the equipment that needs regular maintenance, determine the frequency of maintenance for each piece of equipment. The next step is to decide precisely when the maintenance for each item will take place.
Consider the equipment with the highest return on investment and the most frequently used items, as well as mandatory maintenance regulations established by the government to avoid penalties.
Once you know which machines need maintenance and review, you can start developing the schedule. This is an important step as it allows you to focus on the most critical assets of your company. This way, you can avoid spending too much time evaluating equipment that is not vital to the productivity and profitability of the business.
Evaluation of the schedule:
Once you begin with the activities outlined in the schedule, it is essential to evaluate and track all the maintenance activities carried out. Include corrective maintenance activities performed to keep statistics on the equipment's performance.
Remember that there are specialized retail maintenance companies with interdisciplinary teams of well-trained professionals who are ready to assist you, not only with preventive and corrective maintenance operations for your retail store but also with creating and managing the maintenance schedule.