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5 Ways To Reduce Downtime In Business

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Downtime is one of the biggest problems facing modern businesses. So, finding ways to minimise it should be one of the top items on your agenda at all times.

After all, research shows that downtime costs businesses £4,400 per minute! Frankly, you cannot afford to be losing that kind of money on a regular basis. Even if the business is performing well, you should want to bypass those costly issues. Implement the five steps below to make it happen in style.

Utilise Modern Tech

Humans are still the central feature of a successful business model. Still, integrating modern equipment and automation to complete various daily tasks is advised. Computers and machinery can complete an array of jobs far quicker than any human. Moreover, they do not make human errors, which is telling.

As long as you have the right employees to manage the equipment and ensure that they retain optimal performance, you can’t go wrong.

Plan For The Worst

Problems surface in business, but you will have a far better shot at overcoming them if you feel prepared. Power outages are often the biggest cause for concern. As such, a data centre UPS service could be one of the smartest additions you ever make. Aside from preventing a loss of time, it stops computer corruption.

It is also necessary to have evacuation plans in place. If an emergency strikes, the ability to restore normality quickly will pay dividends. It’s better for employees too.

Use Outsourced Services

Another way to remove pressure from your on-site operations is to outsource some of the work. When you have a network of experts to complete various assignments, you can rest assured that jobs will be completed on time. And in the rare case that they suffer downtime, you will be in a position to seek partial refunds on the services.

There are many reasons to use outsourcing. But the ability to increase the general reliability of your output is certainly among the most vital. Do not forget it.

Focus On OEE

OEE, or Overall Equipment Effectiveness, is a model that is based on principles people have used for decades. Yet, knowing how to calculate OEE by looking at Availability, Performance, and Quality can change things forever. Because your mindset will soon be honed in on maximising efficiency. Downtime will naturally become a main target.

The fact that OEE goes beyond downtime should not detract from its influence on this feature. When you want your business to do more, this metric is key.

Review Communication & Individual Employees

Good communication sits at the heart of every successful business. However, you should not ignore the need for efficiency. Time wasted on unnecessary meetings should be factored in as downtime. If project management tools can reduce it, you should grab them with both hands. Likewise, cutting out excessive business trips will work wonders.

Finally, you should use appraisals to keep staff members motivated and clear about what is required from them on a daily basis. Teamwork makes the dream work.

PM Today Contributor
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