An important aspect here is the safety of staff and users. Clearly, all related tasks are best managed with digital support, i.e., with specialized software.
Maintenance has long been a top priority in industry. Production facilities are cost-intensive, so high availability and long operating times pay off. For this reason, WAFIOS AG from Reutlingen acquired and further developed the maintenance platform "connectavo – The Digital Assistant" from the eponymous start-up 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 of municipal infrastructure or public utilities. Industrial companies and public utilities are very similar. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for us to offer connectavo to municipalities as a universal maintenance solution."
Rapid response to unplanned disruptions
Connectavo can map any object with a certain maintenance and repair requirement without exception, including both planned and unplanned events. The software simply needs to be populated with the relevant content (assets).
For municipalities and public utilities, this would include, for example, all facilities subject to monitoring and safety-relevant aspects of the supply and disposal infrastructure, various public buildings such as gymnasiums, swimming pools, the town hall, schools, kindergartens, the municipal depot, as well as the wastewater treatment plant and vehicle fleet, etc. Tasks include, for example, planning cleaning operations in all these buildings and beyond, such as the maintenance of green spaces. All related tasks can be digitized with connectavo. Last but not least, there is a cost management system that ensures transparency in expenditures.
Independent thanks to the app
The software displays municipal infrastructure in a tree structure. Documents, maintenance plans, images, and other information can be attached to each location. Users can customize objects and assign them to specific responsible parties. Furthermore, various analyses can be performed, such as comparing individual assets in terms of downtime and costs. All implemented actions can be logged in a history.
connectavo is a cloud-based solution. The servers run in a dedicated data center with appropriate security measures. Users access the system via a browser or a smartphone app (Android, iOS). The latter allows users to access the system from anywhere. The system sends individual notifications as needed, ensuring that the responsible personnel are always informed. Conversely, processes can be initiated externally, such as reporting damage or procuring consumables.
Individual adjustments
The data enters the system as a CSV file. The user simply inserts their data into the prepared file. "For large datasets, we support customers during the onboarding process," adds Griesinger. "However, the software is generally designed so that data maintenance can be done independently. For example, the user can grant permissions and rename categories; in short, they can customize the system to their individual needs."
Custom interfaces for municipal operations can be developed and implemented by WAFIOS upon request. Speaking of development: since acquiring the platform, this has been handled at WAFIOS's headquarters in Reutlingen. Several municipalities are already using connectavo in their wastewater management. All users therefore benefit from the ample manpower responsible for the software's ongoing development and support. "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."