Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/860257
EquipmentWorld.com | August 2017 49 student proxy tech a mentor or coach to go to with questions. Also, make sure your proxy techs understand the CLAIRE system. CLAIRE stands for clean, lubricate, adjust, inspect, repair and elimi- nate. This six-step process helps ensure a successful operation for preventive maintenance. For more on the CLAIRE process, see my article in the July 2016 issue of Equipment World: http://bit.ly/july2017eqw Incentives There are a variety of ways to motivate proxy techs. Some companies pay an extra dollar an hour for the additional duties. One company I've worked with set a reward based on the goal of three repairs per month per proxy, re- sulting in a $100 gift certificate. If other crew members aid or assist the proxy with a repair, a lunch reward up to $150 in value for all participants could be provid- ed. Repairs must be documented on a work order to qualify for recordkeeping purposes. Key performance indicators Any program like this should have key performance indicators built in to gauge its effectiveness and to sell the idea to upper management. To judge the value of a proxy tech program you should use vari- ous metrics or measures to gauge performance and costs. You'll need to establish baselines before you start monitoring the effective- ness of your proxy techs. Here are some common measurements to consider: • Ratio of labor dollars to ma- terial dollars. In world-class operations, this ratio is typi- cally .75 to 1. With a proxy tech program, you should see a reduction in labor dollars versus material dollars. • Mean time to repair. This is a simple calculation of the average time it takes to execute a repair, including any delays. • Emergency maintenance re- sponse time. • Number of proxy repairs per- formed without callbacks in a 30-day period. • Customer satisfaction survey. • Crew maintenance cost per dol- lar of revenue. Proxy techs can't replace good, well-trained mechanics – no more than an Army medic or Navy corpsman can replace a surgeon. But knowing you have someone on a dirt crew, bridge job or paving crew capable of performing basic maintenance can maximize the talent and productivity of your full-time shop technicians and reduce downtime in the field. Even office workers can be trained to perform equipment inspections and simple maintenance.