Asset Tracking Challenge:
ServiceMaster leads the residential and commercial services category with more than 7,000 company-owned and franchise locations around the world. Within its franchise network, ServiceMaster DAK has delivered residential and commercial cleaning and restoration services with restoration equipment across Chicago’s North Shore and northwest suburbs since 1975.
Owner Dean Knox’s volume of maintenance, cleaning and restoration work requires more than 500 pieces of equipment deployed to multiple properties at once. And he has systems for tracking these assets and jobs; reporting on the work for insurers and property owners is especially important for restoration jobs where there is an insurance claim involved.
Tagging assets is critical to these processes. Each piece of equipment is scanned in and associated with a new job and scanned out when the work is complete. Asset visibility is important to maintaining their responsiveness to customers.
“For example, I have to track equipment that’s out for repair, and I have to maintain compliance with the International Institute of Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning, too,” explained Knox.
When ServiceMaster DAK joined franchisees in migrating to Next Gear Solutions suite of restoration job management software, it was time to upgrade to DataMatrix tags to track all of their equipment. Fortunately, Knox knew where to turn.
ID Solution for Restoration Equipment:
Knox had been using bar code asset tags from Metalcraft with his legacy system, and called the Iowa-based company for new DataMatrix tags for speedy data sharing as his team assigned new IDs to each piece of equipment.
“We were actually first to use the new system,” said Knox. “I knew who to call, and Metalcraft really came through. They rushed the order for us.”
Metalcraft’s Tabbed Metal Bar Code Nameplates are their best-selling product, repelling extreme abrasion, solvents and temperature. The nameplate tab makes it easy to get a strong bond to the applied surface of Knox’s equipment.
As before, Knox’s team can reference the equipment ID as it leaves the warehouse and travels among job sites. Now, his system allows for scanning from iPhones and real time visibility aided by Metalcraft’s tags.
Result:
The new system can produce reports for the insurers and customers in real time. The visibility continues to aid operating decisions, especially equipment pooling – keeping assets on hand and ready to go when other assets are otherwise committed to repair or cleaning.
“Our new system made everybody more accountable,” said Knox. “Everything is easier and faster.”
To learn more about our asset tracking solutions, contact us today at [email protected].
About the Author: Marianne Alvarado
Marianne Alvarado is our Vice President of Sales. Alvarado joined Metalcraft in March of 2000 as a Territory Specialist, became Sales Manager in January 2022 and was named Vice President of Sales during August of 2023. She leads both the Outside and Inside Sales teams. Marianne lives in Davenport with her husband, Dave Beeman.
Mobile Phone: 641-529-9492
Email: [email protected]
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