Efficient maintenance preserves the value of buildings, minimizes maintenance costs, and ensures a functioning infrastructure.
Another important aspect is the safety of guests, residents, and staff. Clearly, all related tasks are best managed with specialized software. The mechanical engineering company WAFIOS in Reutlingen offers connectavo, a software solution for comprehensive maintenance tasks.
Maintenance has long been a top priority in industry. Production facilities are cost-intensive, so high availability and long operating times are crucial. For this reason, WAFIOS AG from Reutlingen acquired and further developed the maintenance platform "connectavo – The Digital Assistant" from the eponymous startup in 2019. "Our primary goal was to offer our machine customers a comprehensive maintenance solution. We also have the same requirements for our own machinery," explains Dennis Griesinger, Head of Digital Services at WAFIOS. "It quickly became clear to us that the maintenance tasks for production machines are not fundamentally different from those for buildings. Furthermore, every industrial company is essentially its own property manager. As a machine manufacturer, we deal with heating systems, elevators, and water supply on a daily basis. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for us to offer connectavo as a universal, comprehensive maintenance solution to industries such as real estate and hospitality."
Connectavo can map any asset with maintenance and repair needs, including both planned and unplanned events. The software simply needs to be populated with the relevant assets. For the real estate and hotel industries, this would include regularly inspected items such as elevators, fire extinguishers, fire alarms, and other safety equipment. It also encompasses complex systems like heating and air conditioning, water supply, and similar systems. Hotels typically also have kitchens, swimming pools, and spa facilities. Furthermore, the software handles administrative tasks, such as managing insurance and utility contracts, assigning tasks to specific employees, tracking ongoing projects, and prioritizing them. Finally, it includes cost management, ensuring transparency in expenditures.
Completely independent thanks to the mobile app
The software displays properties and all their assets in a tree structure. Documents, maintenance plans, images, and other information can be attached to each property. Users can customize properties and assign specific responsibilities. Furthermore, various analyses can be performed, such as comparing individual assets in terms of downtime and costs. All actions taken can be logged in a history file.
connectavo is a cloud-based solution. The servers run in a state-of-the-art, secure data center in Germany. Users access the system via a browser or smartphone app (Android, iOS), making it location-independent. The system sends customized notifications as needed, ensuring that responsible personnel are always informed. Conversely, processes can be initiated externally, such as the procurement of consumables.
Individual adjustments
“For large datasets, we support customers during the onboarding process,” explains Griesinger. “However, the software is fundamentally designed so that data maintenance can be done independently. Users can, for example, grant permissions and rename categories; in short, they can customize the system to their individual needs.”
Since its acquisition by WAFIOS, connectavo's development has been carried out at the company's headquarters in Reutlingen. There, ample manpower is available to keep the software up-to-date and to respond specifically to customer requests. "New customers are investing in a future-proof solution for their maintenance tasks," emphasizes Dennis Griesinger. "If you're interested, we'd be happy to give you an online presentation of the system. Afterwards, we can also activate test accounts."