Running a business is similar to owning a car. You can ignore the need for oil changes and tire rotations for a while, but things will eventually break down. When that happens, it’s no longer a cheap, easy fix. Most of the time, you’ll end up with even more problems to manage. Following a maintenance routine can avoid this dilemma.
Just like a car, your business needs a regular maintenance routine to run smoothly behind the scenes. No matter what you sell, following a maintenance plan will prevent small issues from becoming disasters, you’ll protect your assets, and have a reliable system to support your long-term growth.
Let’s explore why maintenance is essential for every business.
Problems are easier to fix when they’re small
When ignored, problems tend to get bigger. It’s much easier and cheaper to resolve issues while they’re still small rather than try to handle them after they’ve exploded. Regular maintenance can catch problems early. For example, tightening a loose screw on a piece of equipment is a fast fix, but dealing with a broken assembly line that began with a loose screw will shut down production. When you make tightening screws part of your regular maintenance plan, you won’t have to worry about normal use leading to disaster.
You need regular maintenance even when you operate your business entirely online. In this case, you’ll need to maintain your tech equipment, like laptops, desktop computers, tablets, servers, copy machines, and anything else you use to run your business in person and in the cloud.
For some equipment, basic maintenance is as simple as performing a set number of tasks to keep things running. For others, it also requires regular inspections. For example, fleet management teams perform regular vehicle inspections to catch issues that may not otherwise be noticed. Before every driver heads out on the road, they’ll do a quick check for tire pressure, tire tread, gas and fluid levels, and check for potential leaks. It may sound cumbersome, but it’s essential.
Downtime is more expensive than maintenance
Every minute your business is down, you’re losing money. When operations stop, revenue stops. And the longer your business is down, the higher your losses pile up. However, it’s not just obvious costs like lost sales and missed deadlines. There are hidden costs, like customers who stop trusting you, employees being paid to sit idle, and the high cost of emergency repairs to get things running fast.
Regular maintenance may seem like an expense you can skip by dealing with things as they break, but it’s an essential investment in your business. Think of maintenance like an insurance policy for your operations. By investing a small amount of money consistently, you’ll prevent large, unpredictable expenses and keep your business profitable.
Sometimes things change (like software security)
One thing many businesses overlook is the need to check in with their digital service providers as part of a maintenance routine. Just because you signed up years ago for a secure file storage account doesn’t mean it’s still secure. Part of your maintenance routine should involve researching data breaches to find out if the applications you use have known security holes. No application will be invincible, but data should be encrypted and the developers should be fixing problems immediately. You can sign up on haveibeenpwned.com to get notifications for known data breaches involving your accounts.
Maintenance supports regulatory compliance
Falling behind on maintenance could lead to regulatory fines if you’re subject to mandatory inspections. Many industries are held to strict regulatory standards, and regular maintenance is often a core requirement. Whether you’re running a manufacturing plant, a retail store, or a restaurant, regular maintenance is the best way to meet your legal requirements. If you fail an inspection, you could face hefty fines, legal action, and possibly a forced shutdown.
For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires businesses to maintain a safe working environment, which includes regularly inspecting safety systems and equipment. If an inspector discovers machinery that hasn’t been serviced properly, or your maintenance logs are incomplete or missing, you’ll probably face some serious penalties.
Regular maintenance also helps businesses governed by data privacy laws, like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). In this case, maintenance involves keeping IT systems secure through good cybersecurity practices, like patching software, updating firewalls, and performing security audits.
Regular maintenance supports profitability
If you want your business to thrive long-term, maintenance needs to be a priority. It will cost additional time and labor, but that’s what it takes to avoid costly disasters and continue running a reliable business.
