3 Takeaways From The Maintenance Heroes Summit

Maintenance teams are the engines that keep everything in our world running smoothly. But let’s be real—they don’t always get the recognition they deserve. That’s where Limble’s Maintenance Hero Summit stepped in, spotlighting the incredible work these professionals do every day and giving them tools to make an even bigger impact within their organizations.

From cutting-edge tech to real-world success stories, the event celebrated the grit, creativity, and dedication that make maintenance teams so essential. Want to catch the full Summit? You can watch it all here. But if you’re short on time, keep reading for the top highlights.

Key takeaways from the Maintenance Heroes Summit

You may be a maintenance manager thinking about improving your program in the new year, or you may be looking for new solutions to old, persistent problems. The goal of the Maintenance Heroes Summit is to share the expertise of maintenance professionals across the country in any challenges they face and provide innovative ideas for leading your program into the future. 

The Summit presented solutions that can be summarized across three primary themes: recognition, innovation, and a collaborative approach to managing change and continuous improvement.

• Recognition: Maintenance professionals are the backbone of operational success and deserve acknowledgment for their invaluable contributions.
• Innovation: Leveraging modern tools like Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) and IoT-enabled technology can revolutionize maintenance practices.
• Collaboration: Change management and cross-team collaboration are essential to implementing and sustaining transformative initiatives.

Each session provided a unique perspective on these themes. They offered attendees inspiration and practical guidance for applying best practices within their maintenance departments.

Session 1: Welcome Keynote by Limble Founder and CEO

Bryan Christiansen kicked off the Summit with a meaningful keynote grounded in the same spirit that inspired him to build Limble in the first place; empowering the maintenance professionals who keep our world up and running. Limble was founded on the belief that maintenance teams deserve innovative tools to help them do their best work and a seat at the table to help drive change within their organizations.

Key themes and highlights from the keynote:

• Empowering through innovation: Limble has worked with thousands of maintenance teams globally, refining its solutions to meet real-world challenges and transform organizations.
• Success stories: Companies can unlock their full potential by investing in tools and processes that prioritize efficiency and reliability.
• Driving change: The Summit shares how maintenance teams can leverage the right tools and actionable strategies to drive change and support achieving their organization’s goals.

Session 2: Proven Strategies for Leading Change in Maintenance

The second session brought industry veterans together in a dynamic panel discussion where they shared insights and experiences of adopting CMMS software. Their unique applications of the software – not to mention the challenges they encountered along the way and the creative solutions they came up with to solve them –  offered a roadmap for organizations seeking to implement or optimize their maintenance systems.

The panel discussion highlighted the importance of prioritizing the following best practices:

• Streamlining workflows: Panelists shared how CMMS tools, such as QR codes for maintenance requests, eliminated inefficiencies and improved communication.
• Data-driven decisions: Dashboards and real-time tracking help teams prioritize tasks, prevent failures, and plan proactive maintenance schedules.
• Culture of transparency and improvement: Involving stakeholders, iterative improvements, and transparent communication are keys to successful implementation and change management.

Real-World Applications

While each organization has unique characteristics, some challenges are universal. From encouraging tech adoption to facilitating cultural shifts, panelists shared their real-world experiences applying best practices when implementing change at their organizations. 

• Jon Dibenedetto of Grove City College used QR codes to allow students to report issues directly to the maintenance team, reducing friction and improving response times. 
• Matt Olson and his team at Bentek relied on thorough communication and team responsiveness to help usher in a major culture change, allowing the use of mobile devices on the plant floor for easier maintenance documentation and work request submission.
• Christine Wahlen of the Green Bay Packers emphasized the importance of cross-team collaboration to develop trust and drive adoption during system and process implementations. 

Their successes can be boiled down to applying the right tools for the job, communicating about organizational change thoroughly and consistently, and ensuring the entire organization sees the benefits of large-scale changes.

Session 3: The Future of Maintenance

Many fields have been experiencing a digital transformation, and maintenance is no exception. Various technology solutions have emerged to support asset management and maintenance operations. Connecting those technologies and applying them strategically can improve an organization’s maintenance program. 

This session explored how innovative tools are enabling a proactive approach to asset management. Key insights from the session on the future of maintenance technology include: 

• IoT for predictive maintenance: Real-time equipment monitoring identifies potential failures before they occur, reducing downtime and extending asset lifespans.
• CMMS efficiency: Automating routine tasks and centralizing data enhance team communication and operational reliability.
• Mobile accessibility: Empowering technicians with mobile CMMS ensures quicker decision-making and responsive action, regardless of location.

This session reinforced the importance of embracing connected technology in today’s fast-paced industrial landscape. Organizations can optimize efficiency and achieve long-term cost savings by transitioning from reactive to proactive strategies supported by the right mix of integrated solutions. 

Session 4: What’s New from Limble

Limble’s commitment to innovation isn’t limited to the basic functions of its industry-leading CMMS. It is dedicated to listening to its customers’ needs and working to solve their evolving challenges in new and unconventional ways. In the final session of the Summit, the company unveiled its latest product updates designed to empower maintenance teams further.

Notable enhancements that were designed to directly address need stated by customers were: 

1. Advanced reporting capabilities: Detailed insights into asset health and performance allow teams to make data-driven decisions and identify areas for improvement.
2. Customizable dashboards: Tailoring the user experience to specific roles enables quicker access to relevant information, enhancing decision-making.
3. Redesigned mobile app interface: A more intuitive interface ensures technicians can perform tasks seamlessly, improving productivity.
4. Integration with enterprise systems: Improved connectivity minimizes manual data entry and fosters a holistic view of operations.

Limble Community “Ask Me Anything”

After concluding the virtual presentations, the Maintenance Heroes Summit took to the Limble Community forum for a Q&A session with the event’s experts. Participants connected with session speakers and fellow community members to ask about maintenance strategies, industry insights, and advice regarding their own unique challenges.

Topics ranged from the specific to the broad and included the following: 

• AI and Limble features to support projects like parts forecasting and reliability improvement, including how to opt-in for these advancements in the future.
• Limble Search regarding pricing, stock availability, and suitability for international customers. 
• Custom dashboards and widgets for customizable analysis of data on asset costs, invoices, and task-related information.
• Maintenance practices and suggestions for creating templates, tracking downtime, and using QR codes for task assignment and reporting.
• Implementation and buy-in strategies for systems like Limble, including piloting with a small group of supportive team members, keeping tasks realistic and relevant, and training and communication to demystify the system and build trust.
• Integration and reporting with accounting systems and other APIs, and generating reports for parts usage and vendor associations. 
• Safety and other uses such as tracking safety inspections through QR codes and centralizing safety documents, showcased the system’s adaptability.

To view or join this conversation and many others, become part of the Limble Community! It is free to join and gives you access to a network of experienced maintenance professionals across the globe. 

Adapting for the future

The Maintenance Hero Summit was meant to celebrate, empower, and elevate maintenance professionals in any industry by providing tools and insights to make their jobs easier. By embracing modern tools, fostering collaboration, and prioritizing recognition, organizations can unlock the full potential of their maintenance teams.

As Bryan Christiansen reminded attendees, maintenance heroes are the foundation of any organization’s success. With the insights and tools shared at the Summit, they are better equipped to lead transformative change. Let’s continue to honor and empower these essential professionals—because when maintenance thrives, so does the entire organization.