Businesses should routinely manage their assets while developing strategic plans for these items in the future. Strategic management planning for assets should begin with understanding the life cycles of assets. These ‘life cycles’ estimate the length of time a company can use an asset to generate income or generally benefit the brand.
Machinery and tools won’t last forever, so it’s crucial to know where each asset resides in the cycle to avoid wasting money and unplanned asset downtime. This way, companies can see at-a-glance which equipment to prioritize for replacement and set a budget accordingly.
Here are the stages of an asset life cycle, what they mean, and their importance.
Planning
In this stage, building managers take their observations on their resources and equipment’s current conditions, verifying the sources needed to push forward with replacing one. They will then see whether the existing assets meet the production needs.
Purchase and Acquisition
After thorough research and evaluation, a company’s building management team can move forward with buying and getting the assets. In this stage, they will need to know the costs and requirements associated with buying the assets with the help of the best budgeting mobile apps — with the end goal of making an acquisition that’s cost-effective as possible. After that, the assets will be installed within the business’s facility and added to their records.
Operation and Maintenance
In this stage, businesses typically perform and track operation and maintenance activities via software platforms, focusing on keeping the assets in working condition to ensure efficiency and productivity. They may do this through preventative maintenance programs, regular inspections or routine maintenance, and specialized cleaning routines.
Renew or Remove
As long as assets function correctly, it’s still within its ‘useful’ life. However, there will come a time when they eventually deteriorate. When this happens, it’s time to renew or remove the asset. An asset management software will give enough data over the life cycle of a particular item to help decide the best way to move forward when an asset fails. Generally, if the cost to repair an asset exceeds the expenses to replace it, it’s most cost-efficient to remove it altogether.
Importance of Asset Life Cycle Programs
There are numerous benefits associated with having robust life cycle management programs for assets in your business. But here are the most important ones.
It Defines Assets and their Conditions – The right program helps you with all the necessary details per item, from its installation date, condition, and cost-effectiveness, forecasting an asset’s estimated useful life and total cost of ownership.
Proactive Approach to Maintenance – It lets a business manage its machinery’s physical health actively, allowing organizations to predict future scenarios better.
Prioritize Equipment and Machinery Replacements – Making and establishing a capital budget is essential to managing a building. Staying current with asset conditions and their life expectancy can help you forecast funding more accurately.
The life cycles of assets play a significant role in a company’s budget and operations efficiently — and monitoring their conditions continually while performing the maintenance tasks needed to keep them in their best working conditions can go a long way. It ensures your business is placing money on valuable items only, helping secure success and growth long-term.
