Efficient Workflow Management in Four Steps

This includes items such as location, contact information, importance or urgency (priority), work duplication, warrantee information, work type, as well as other information unique to an outsourced service provider that has an exclusive scope of work to deliver as specified in our service contract.

Planning

The vast majority of Enterprise Facility Management asset related work can be considered recurring or repeatable work. A significant advantage to using CMMS technology is to institutionalize and leverage previous work planning efforts (Job Plan Libraries, estimated completion times, etc.) and reapply this knowledge to newly generated work at a small fraction of the initial planning effort. Improvement occurs with each planning cycle. By identifying and coordinating all the requirements needed to safely and properly execute the work in advance for the technicians, we remove waste, delays, and other non-essential activities associated with the work execution process. This increases the productivity of our technicians by allowing them to increase time spent applying their skills for which they have been specifically trained, and performing value added and necessary tasks required to maintain/operate/repair equipment to ensure asset reliability.

Scheduling

Embedded scheduling tools and a structured process that applies a high degree of coordination will optimize resource utilization and increase productivity. Scheduling makes sure the right work gets done at the correct time in the most efficient manner. Web-enabled scheduling platforms serve as an extension of the work distribution process by passing planned and scheduled work on to mobile technology tools that reside in the hands of the end user (technician). These automated processes all contribute to the reduction of waste and process dependent administrative time/effort found in manual processes and expedites the transfer of information. These gains drive savings associated with the labor component. This increased capacity of existing resources can then be reapplied or re-distributed to perform additional work and increase the volume and scope of cost effective self-performed work.

Work Execution

In an outsourced service provider model, approximately 80 percent of our costs are associated with service delivery, the costs associated with work we self-perform and work provided by third parties. This dictates the importance of proficient and effective labor management practices (the largest cost component).

At this step in the workflow process we rely on the knowledge, skills, and feedback from our highly trained technical workforce. Technician feedback and information learned during the execution of the work are fed back and incorporated into the system of record (CMMS system), and are a critical component to driving continuous improvement. To accelerate the feedback process, it’s ideal to have a mobile technology solution to facilitate the easy capture of this technician feedback.

Summary

Workflow delivers improved safety, quality of work, and workforce productivity. The planning effort contributes when technically competent planners plan out the work requirements for the job in advance, avoiding delays incurred during the job.

The application of proper scheduling techniques reduces delays encountered between jobs, while robust technician feedback improves the entire job the next time it is executed. The application of each workflow process contributes incremental and accumulative increases in workforce productivity. Aware that many organizations have failed in their attempt to implement an effective and sustainable work flow / work execution program. CBRE approached this endeavor aware of and prepared to address prominent failure points and influential factors as prevention to failure. Successful implementation relied on acceptance to and embracing change, a culture-shift to reliability principles, a means to measure and trend progress and performance, and embedding the behaviors and leadership required to ensure successful deployment, sustainability, and avert failure.

For CBRE, commitment to excellence and reliability program sponsorship resides in the C-Suite, from leaders who recognize and believe in the substantial benefits and advantages that a world class maintenance and asset reliability program offers our clients. This level of support fostered the participation and compliance to a structured program deployment strategy that has persevered and allowed CBRE to successfully achieve high levels of performance for our clients across the globe.