Predicting the future with Equipment data

Data. You’ve heard about this thing, right? If you work in the software industry, you probably hear about this all day every day (we know we do). But did you know that even the data concerning the ins and outs of company gear can be useful? For example, it can tell you which assets you should acquire (and which to avoid), when to plan maintenance, and how to plan check-in and check-out times. Here’s how.

Whether you’re an IT, equipment or technical manager at a game development studio or the latest uber-hip SaaS startup: it’s time to take the guesswork out. When you’re trying to decide which technology and equipment to invest in next, you want to be on solid ground. And nothing will make you feel more secure than a digital equipment management tool with rock-solid reporting capabilities.

Reports: like data, but readable

Collecting data isn’t exactly rocket science these days. But analyzing it can be pretty tricky. Luckily, your equipment management software can do the hard work for you, in the form of clear-cut reports. By mapping and examining utilization trends over time, these tools provide valuable insights that can help optimize procurement, maintenance planning and even day-to-day workflows. Let’s take a closer look.

• Procurement
  Current usage and historic data allow you to estimate when certain items – like cables and monitors – will need to be replaced. Based on this, you can create a system of quality checks and purchases long in advance. You’ll also discover which gear (brand) is most popular, and which breaks down fastest – allowing you to make smarter investments.
  
• Maintenance
  Equipment and regular maintenance go together like cats and regular scritches. It just needs to happen, you know? However, unplanned maintenance is often highly inconvenient. With reports, you can schedule maintenance while taking into account the busiest times of the year, warranty, equipment popularity, and more. The results are reduced costs, increased transparency, and minimized downtime.
  
• Day-to-day workflows
  As the one in charge of gear in your organization, you want everyone to have full access to all the equipment they need, exactly when they need it. And that means you have to keep track of a lot of – literally – moving parts. Reports allow you to continuously optimize workflows, improve performance and help teams work together more efficiently.

Sometimes when in doubt of what you really need and what it's worth, there are a few things to consider to make assure sustainable equipment management.

Sounds neat, right? Unlock your equipment management superpowers with Cheqroom: try it for 7 days, or read more about our solutions for the software and gaming industries.