According to Business Insider’s report on the future of mobile, the app economy is booming. Companies are spending more on mobile technology and apps to manage their business than traditional software or hardware, and they’re finding better ways to affordably automate their business processes.
Manufacturers are increasingly taking advantage of this growing mobile ecosystem in order to stay ahead of the curve. Whether you’re performing safety inspections or tracking inventory across the plant, manually managing the complex processes that keep your manufacturer business up and running is no longer an option.
According to an earlier MBT article, the majority of manufacturers plan to increase their use of mobile apps this year. Mobile technologies are becoming ubiquitous in the manufacturing industry as they become more accessible, affordable, and functional in meeting growing industry demands for deeper reporting capabilities, continuous operational insight, and customizable alert functionality.
With these trends in mind, you know you risk falling behind without the proper technology to manage assets, inventory and more from an integrated mobile app. And if your competitors’ adoption of mobile technology isn’t enough to get you on board, here are 5 ways a mobile service app can benefit your manufacturing business.
5 Ways Manufacturers Can Use a Mobile Service App to Increase Efficiency
- Measure Asset Performance
Manufacturers can use an integrated mobile app to monitor asset performance on and/or offsite. With detailed insight into key performance indicators like efficiency levels or alerts when a part needs changed, you can rest assured your assets are always functioning at top-notch levels. And with insight into the equipment you’ve already sold, you can figure out which models aren’t performing as expected and adjust future manufacturing better outcomes.
- Track Inventory
With a mobile field service app, you can collect data and use parts analytics to plan inventory purchasing, stocking, and allocation. Use mobile inventory best practices like the following to eliminate parts and inventory concerns that used to plague your business:
- Set up an early warning system that alerts managers to low inventory levels
- Train technicians to record inventory updates on their mobile devices
- Use insights collected from the field to improve parts planning and forecasting
- Improve Inspection Processes
Manufacturers need to inspect their equipment and plant sites regularly to ensure safe and efficient conditions; many of those inspection processes can be complex. For efficient and integrated inspections, businesses can build and centrally modify standard field forms such as inspections, checklists, audits and more, and automatically sync that information with the back office software to save inspectors time by eliminating the need for data reentry and improve manufacturing efficiency with detailed reporting.
- Manage Internal Equipment Service & Repair with Preventive Maintenance Schedules
Hook up your service packages with detailed mobile task tracking to accumulate rich data on package cost, productivity and profitability. Instead of waiting for a piece of equipment to break and shut down production, manufacturers can schedule PM visits as-needed based on equipment performance, or in regularly scheduled intervals to keep equipment at peak performance.
- Support Dealers with a Streamlined Service Process
If you’re a business with a web of dealers who sell and service your equipment, a mobile service app can help them streamline information across all dealerships and standardize the service process across your business. With an app that provides service history, schedules according to tech skill set, location, and availability, and allows service techs to automate the entire work order from arrival to close, dealers can not only impress customers with better service experiences, which reflect great on your business, they can also tackle more orders with faster, more efficient processes.
Conclusion: The Time for Mobile is Now
Manufacturers of all shapes and sizes are turning to mobile apps to improve efficiency inside and outside the plant walls. Prioritize asset performance and never be left in the dark again with an operational manufacturing app to track, alert, and manage your manufacturing business.
Joanna Rotter is a Content Marketing Manager at MSI.
