Change the Oil, and Check Under the Hood

CASE STUDY

Proper vehicles maintenance is something people don’t always consider until something goes wrong or a strange rattle starts.  However, a business can’t afford the downtime from out-of service vehicles because maintenance was overlooked or delayed.  Resicom’s entire fleet must be readily available so that our technicians can respond on short notice to the emergency and preventative maintenance facility needs of our clients.  To ensure no vehicles miss routine service, Resicom developed a detailed procedure to monitor the longevity, reliability, and safety of our fleet.   

Scope

The scope of work needed to execute the project includes:

1. A mechanic must be secured and pricing is negotiated for consistent, standard maintenance including oil changes, tune ups, rotation of tires, etc.
2. Vehicles must be logged into company database with all pertinent information including make, model, VIN#, license plates and all prior maintenance history.
3. A checkout procedure including inspection and recording starting mileage must be created when vehicle is assigned to a driver.
4. Upon return of vehicle, a post checkout procedure must be developed to assess condition of returned vehicle and mileage. 

Challenges

The constraints of the project include:

1. Coordinating the drop off and pick up of vehicles at mechanic.
2. Ensuring that drivers are notifying us of all issues regarding the vehicles that are not visibly noticeable.
3. Time span between projects utilizing fleet vehicles is condensed making quick-turnaround maintenance a necessity.

Solution

The key to the effective service of our fleets is to contract a reliable mechanic, and to keep detailed and accurate records of each vehicle’s history.    

Our solution to this project included:

1. A local, reliable mechanic is chosen in close proximity to our headquarter to facilitate convenient drop off and pick up of vehicles. 
2. Mileage is checked in and out on a regular basis and appointments are scheduled in advance for all oil changes or maintenance needs.
3. During inspections drivers are provided a written checklist including items such as faulty brakes, tire issues, cracked windshield, etc. to ensure such issues are reported. 
4. Returned inspections requiring service are scheduled immediately before the vehicle is reserved for the next work project.
5. A reserve mechanic is located when our primary provider is unavailable to expedite maintenance turnaround.  

Summary

Preventive Maintenance is a standard term at Resicom and what drives our business.  However, it is not only a definition we understand to meet our clients’ needs, it is also an integral part of our internal processes.   We strive to prevent failure before it occurs so it is imperative that our vehicle fleet remains in optimal condition.  This prevents the possibility of costly repairs due to procrastinated maintenance and downtime of productivity when vehicles are inoperable.