Grasmick Produce's transportation manager on cutting manual work through digitization

At Grasmick Produce, we take pride in delivering fresh, high-quality produce quickly and reliably across Idaho, Montana, and Washington. As a produce distributor, we supply restaurants, grocery stores, schools, prisons, and churches—many of which depend on just-in-time deliveries. In our world, even small inefficiencies can ripple down the supply chain, impacting freshness and customer trust.

A year ago, we faced a challenge that many operations leaders will recognize: our maintenance management system was entirely paper-based, spread across filing cabinets, folders, and spreadsheets. Every time we needed to locate a maintenance record or calculate total repair costs, it became an hours-long ordeal. 

By digitizing our maintenance operations and bringing all our data together in one place with Samsara, we’ve streamlined how our team works. Today, we can retrieve maintenance histories in minutes, gain instant visibility into costs, and make data-backed decisions that keep our fleet running smoothly. The result? An 83% reduction in maintenance record search time, stronger operational control, and more reliable service for the customers who count on us.

Here are four lessons that helped us make the shift from paper to digital—and that any organization can apply.

1. Understand the hidden costs of paper

Like many fleets, we used to manage maintenance the “old-fashioned way.” Every service form was filled out by hand, filed in a binder, and stored in the shop. When we needed to find something—a repair history, part number, or total cost of service—we had to dig through stacks of paper, sometimes walking back and forth between departments.

Each search took about 30 minutes, and the process left too much room for error. Some data was missing, and because our records were split across three different departments, it was difficult to get a complete picture of our maintenance spend.

Paper might seem simple, but in practice, it was costing us time, accuracy, and the ability to plan ahead.

2. Centralize data to unlock visibility

Our goal in moving to a digital platform was simple: get all of our information in one place. With Samsara, every piece of maintenance data—whether from in-house repairs or third-party vendors—is now centralized and instantly accessible.

Once a technician finishes a job, they log it digitally, which allows us to immediately see when the truck was last serviced, what parts were used, and how much that vehicle has cost us in the past year.

We’re now digitally tracking 100% of maintenance costs and labor across our shop, with real-time visibility for both the operations and finance teams. That level of connected data gives us confidence to make proactive decisions—before issues turn into downtime.

3. Eliminate redundant work and free up your team

Before digitization, our office staff spent hours manually entering paper logs into massive Excel spreadsheets—sometimes four or five—just to track total maintenance costs. Now, that process happens automatically.

As I often tell my team, "We have access to everything we need at our fingertips to work smarter and faster."

The change has freed up both shop and office staff to focus on higher-value work. Technicians spend more time turning wrenches instead of chasing paperwork, and managers can pull reports in seconds instead of days.

4. Maintenance efficiency means greater customer satisfaction

While the internal time savings are significant, the biggest impact is felt by our customers. With faster access to accurate maintenance data, we can keep our fleet healthier, reduce unexpected downtime, and maintain tighter delivery schedules.

For a produce distributor, that reliability is everything. Every minute counts when you’re delivering perishable goods, and by ensuring our trucks are maintained efficiently, we’re also ensuring our customers receive the freshest products possible.

Digitization has turned maintenance from a reactive task into a proactive advantage—one that directly supports our promise of quality and service.

Today, our maintenance process is faster, cleaner, and more transparent than ever before. By moving beyond paper and centralizing our data in Samsara, we’ve not only gained efficiency—we’ve built a foundation for better decision-making and stronger customer relationships.