Connecting data to save millions: Lessons from Maxim Crane’s VP of Operations

A frantic scramble for a critical part. A nationwide hunt for a piece of equipment that’s “somewhere.” A month-old report that tells you what went wrong, not what you can fix today. If any of that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. For too long, operations leaders have been forced to play catch-up. But to win, you need to change the game. 

At Maxim Crane Works, where I serve as VP of Operations, we’ve completely shifted the way we work. Instead of reacting to job-site fire drills, we work smarter to proactively prevent them with the right digital tools. In fact, our commitment to using technology to act on our data has resulted in $13 million in savings across our operations.

These results are achievable. It didn't happen overnight, but we learned a lot along the way. Here are four lessons we learned on how to use technology to take control, drive efficiency, and build a more resilient operation.

1. Save big by shifting from reactive to proactive maintenance

Many organizations operate with a reactive approach to maintenance, where drivers delay reporting mechanical issues—or aren't aware they exist at all—which can lead to scrambles for parts and repairs. Proactive maintenance systems that provide real-time diagnostic information can help you avoid situations like these.

My “must-have” for a proactive system? Instant error code notifications that are sent to both field crews and service departments. This way, you can dispatch mechanics promptly with the necessary parts and tools, significantly reducing job site downtime and improving customer satisfaction. It’s also a good idea to use maintenance dashboards to upload manufacturer manuals and identify additional maintenance opportunities while equipment is in the shop. It's like a baseball game—you can play a "home game" when equipment comes into your shop and you perform proactive repairs, instead of an "away game" where you need to deal with repairs in environments you can't control. When you do this, you can see a range of benefits—from saving on shipping costs, to reducing unnecessary overtime, to reducing overall downtime—all while contributing to cost savings and increasing equipment revenue.

2. Track every piece of equipment—big or small—for smarter resource allocation

It may seem obvious—if you can't find your equipment, you can't use it, and that costs you time and money when you're trying to track it down. But in practice, many organizations have trouble keeping tabs on all of their assets. At Maxim Crane, we have thousands of pieces of equipment, from tower crane climbers, to material baskets, to spreader bars. When we decided to track all of our assets, both big and small, it changed the way we managed our equipment.

Now, we have real-time visibility into where our assets are so we can quickly identify where equipment is needed and schedule the closest transportation. This helps us prevent wasted travel and support our customers faster. We can also identify equipment on the ground that requires maintenance, so we can take care of it before it's needed for the next job.

When you have this level of visibility, you can also better use what you have and avoid buying equipment you don't need. Moreover, you might find ROI in unexpected places—beyond saving time and money, you can also do things like boost employee morale since they're able to do their jobs more efficiently.

3. Take action on your data with custom dashboards

Like a lot of companies, Maxim Crane used to rely on end-of-month performance reviews. But that often meant we were too late to make adjustments. To improve our decision-making, we routed all of our operational data to a central data warehouse.

We also took an important next step. We now use custom dashboards to present that data and make it easy to see at a glance so our teams can quickly find important information. For example, our managers have immediate visibility into upcoming jobs or quotes that are coming due, which allows them to reach out to customers to confirm job status.

One important thing to remember—it's crucial to embrace this technology and trust the data, even when it reveals uncomfortable truths about your business. You should also be willing to adjust your dashboards as your needs evolve over time. This proactive use of data can significantly improve your customer relationships and how you capture revenue.

4. Use standardized digital forms to drive efficiency and transparency 

Maxim Crane is a large organization spanning the U.S., and we've also grown through acquisition. In our day-to-day, this meant that our processes weren’t standardized across our operations, which created inefficiencies that impacted both our employees and customers.

Digitizing your forms and processes is a powerful way to overcome this challenge. Eliminating paper helps make sure that all of your employees, no matter where they're located, see the same information and follow the same procedures. This standardization also extends to your customers, who will get identical invoices and documentation regardless of where they interact with your company. Another benefit of digitizing is speed. A digital form reaches your back office instantly, allowing you to reduce days sales outstanding (DSO), accelerate cash flow, and reinvest savings back into your business faster.

The journey to operational excellence never really ends, but with visibility into your operations and the ability to act on real-time data, you can start addressing challenges head on. The future of operations isn't just about avoiding problems—it's about using technology to create new opportunities for growth and success.