Introduction and challenges
Whether it is an in-house maintenance operation (maintenance of one’s own equipment fleet) or a service / after-sales oriented approach, the search for performance is of the same nature. It is a matter of finding the right balance between the satisfaction of the service requested (e. g. availability rate of such equipment, intervention time, etc.) and the cost of its implementation (labor, materials, IT, services).
The levers for improving performance are therefore relatively broad and include optimization of the dimensioning of the assets to be maintained vs. the service contract to be honored, optimization of the maintenance and renewal policy (choice between curative, preventive, predictive and conditional maintenance), optimization of maintenance practices, measurement of maintenance performance, activity planning, spare parts management, subcontractor control, use of a CMMS to ensure the sustainability of good practice, and more widely, use of digital technology.
As these activities have a significant human component and are subject to uncertainties (which equipment will break down and when), the implementation of these levers will have to rely on the field teams and their management. It is critical for them to support the planned transformations.
How we can help
Argon & Co is involved from end to end on operations efficiency projects: from the diagnostic phase to the follow-up of the implementation.
- The diagnostic phase:
- It is mandatory to identify the cost drivers of the activity and the performance factors based on benchmarks, maturity benchmarks, performance indicators and, more broadly, analysis
- Several areas will be investigated including assets and maintenance plans, expected service, activity planning, mastery of the role, key actions and skills, performance management and monitoring, relevance and use of tools available to maintainers
- This diagnosis leads to a prioritization of the actions to be carried out and is translated into a roadmap for change/transformation, built with the support of management
- The implementation phase:
- This phase consists of the implementation of the roadmap and, if necessary, the detailed study of certain areas identified during the diagnostic phase
- We work as a joint team with the client to ease the implementation and transfer of skills
- Finally, in agreement with the client, we review progress several months after the intervention to provide feedback on the implementation and make recommendations on the adjustments to be made.