Hotels in Michigan, Alabama, Penn. Go Mobile with Mintek
The Radisson Valley Forge in Valley Forge, Penn.; The Battle House, A Renaissance Hotel in Mobile, Ala.; and the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Mich. announce the implementation of WinTrack PM from Mintek Mobile Data Solutions.
WinTrack PM software incorporates handheld devices and bar coding to ensure that PMs, rounds, inspections and work orders are accomplished on time; to streamline work flow processes; and increase energy efficiency.
Bar coding in Pennsylvania
When first implementing WinTrack PM at the Radisson Hotel Valley Forge, bar codes were discreetly placed on every item needing a PM. When an engineer scans a bar code on a piece of equipment, it prompts them to answer previously determined questions. After the PM has been completed, the bar code is scanned again. Each step is recorded within WinTrack PM.
"WinTrack PM adds accountability to the PM process," says Dale McCambridge, CEOE, director of engineering. "Prior to WinTrack PM, we would miss PMs on items because we would lose track of them. This system does not let us forget. It has cut our paperwork by two-thirds."
Benefits grow over time
At The Battle House-A Renaissance Hotel in Mobile, Ala., a total of nine engineers use WinTrack PM. Mintek's system has been in place at the all-new 238-room hotel since September of last year.
"WinTrack PM does a great job in helping us to track every bit of maintenance we do," says Phil Mahaney, chief engineer. "Every part we replace is tracked within WinTrack PM and I have my monthly fire extinguisher rounds on it."
Mahaney says that prior to working at the Renaissance Hotel, he worked at hotels that used paper-based systems for PM, rounds and work orders.
"WinTrack becomes more valuable the longer you have it," he says. "Five years down the road, we will be able to see everything we have done to a piece of equipment."
No paperwork equals happy workers
Like the engineers at the Radisson Valley Forge and The Battle House-A Renaissance Hotel, those at the 682-room Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Mich. also use WinTrack PM to perform PM on that property's most valuable equipment.
That is no small task, given the size of the hotel. The property has 42 different meeting and reception areas and is attached to the DeVos Place Convention Center. The hotel also has seven different food-and-beverage facilities.
Efrain Melendez, energy manager at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, says his staff of 14 mechanics has been using WinTrack PM since last summer to perform PMs on all equipment and to also check on items such as lighting, wallpaper, carpet and plumbing in each of the property's guestrooms.
"My guys are happy with the system because it has eliminated all of the paperwork we used to have to complete," Melendez says. "We always know when we have to perform PMs. Guest satisfaction has increased because we do PMs more frequently."
Melendez says heating and cooling equipment also runs more efficiently thanks to frequent monitoring prompted by WinTrack PM.
"We save energy by keeping our equipment in good shape," he says.