Keeping tabs on maintenance needs can be a never-ending task. Endless work orders can create a paperwork nightmare for facility managers who need to track when each request was made, who made it, what the need is and where it needs to be done, when the work was completed, who did the work and whether or not the person who made the request is satisfied. It is all too easy for information to become misplaced, jobs to fall through the cracks or back-and-forth email and phone communications to cause more confusion than not.
Tru-Serve has an easier way to manage maintenance requests and work orders. We use an online maintenance tracking system called Facility Dude, which allows users to enter work orders, track the progress made on them and close the request once the job is done. Facility Dude streamlines the work order and maintenance tracking process and adds a layer of transparency to the process, allowing both the client and Tru-Serve to view progress made on maintenance requests.
Advantages of Maintenance Tracking Software
Software systems are designed to make our lives easier. And that is exactly what Facility Dude does. With Facility Dude, our clients can:
- Create Work Orders. Create individual work orders and track them from initial creation through completion. You will always know the status of your work order and the estimated time to completion.
- Schedule Work To Be Done. Facility Dude allows you to send a maintenance request directly to your Tru-Serve technician so the job can be handled right away. As an additional safeguard, the Tru-Serve scheduling department receives a copy of the request, as does our office manager.
- Track Progress. Simply log in to your account to view the progress made on your maintenance request. No need for phone calls, voicemails or back-and-forth emails.
- Pull Reports. Create reports on the type of job, how many maintenance requests were made in a given period of time, average time to completion, etc. Facility Dude makes it easy to detail costs and react to change without going through paper requests or poring over email communications to get the data you need.
- View Trends. Easily view trends and find out where your maintenance needs are and proactively address them. For example, if you’ve had a lot of pipe maintenance, it may be time for an in-depth plumbing inspection. Are you spending an inordinate amount of repair time on one particular tenant? Are the maintenance requests related to tenant-caused damage? It may be time to increase their rent to cover these additional expenses.
- Use Alone or With In-House Software. Facility Dude can be used alone or in conjunction with any in-house maintenance tracking software you may already have. Use it solely to track Tru-Serve’s work and keep your in-house software to track your own internal work orders or move everything over to Facility Dude.
- Maintain Records. Once a request has been entered in to Facility Dude, Tru-Serve has a record of it. These records can be accessed during tenant disputes, for billing purposes or to create reports.
Facility Dude streamlines the work order and maintenance tracking process by eliminating the need for (and time spent on) back-and-forth phone calls and emails. Jobs are completed faster and with greater accuracy based on the clients’ own written details.
How It Works
The Facility Dude Work Order program is the most commonly used feature by our clients since it tracks maintenance requests made to Tru-Serve. Here’s how it works:
- A client dials in to the system to create a report on an issue.
- They write in the details and expectations of the job.
- Tru-Serve receives the request automatically.
- A Tru-Serve scheduler makes a service appointment directly with the client.
- A work order is created based on the request.
- Work order goes to the technician assigned to that client site.
- If parts are needed, dates can be added when order is placed, when it is expected to arrive and when work order is anticipated to be completed.
Facility Dude is run remotely, which means the client does not need any special software, servers or computer systems to use the program. All you need to do is create an account. Once that is done, simply log in to the Facility Dude website and you’re ready to start using the system! All data is stored securely online, accessible only to you and Tru-Serve and can be accessed 24/7.
Use the program to create specific work orders and/or to schedule preventative maintenance or to request a certain technician.
Who Can Use Facility Dude?
Maintenance tracking software like Facility Dude is an extremely helpful tool for any size business or organization. New businesses or smaller companies that don’t have their own internal work order tracking system can take advantage of this Tru-Serve benefit with no additional outlay needed. Larger organizations benefit too because Facility Dude makes it so easy to manage and track large volume requests and it can be can be used alongside existing systems.
Facility Dude is available free of charge to all Tru-Serve clients. There’s no easier, more effective or more affordable way to get started with maintenance tracking software.
