One of the most important steps you can take to extend the life and performance of your forklift is to conduct regular forklift maintenance, to keep up with OSHA regulations and the machine’s recommended maintenance schedule.

However, keeping up with these tasks can be a lot to take on in addition to the other requirements of running a fleet of equipment. Also, finding experienced professionals to service your machines can be a hassle, and paying for all that maintenance can quickly put a dent in your finances.

This is why many businesses choose preventative forklift maintenance plans, such as those offered by Darr. These plans, which guarantee you the services of experienced technicians in keeping up with required maintenance for your machines, have a number of advantages. Here are just a few.

Forklift maintenance plans extend the life of your machines.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the old saying goes. That is rarely as true as when it comes to forklift maintenance. Keeping up with OSHA regulations and the recommended schedule for your machine can extend its life by keeping it in top working order.

In addition, regularly scheduled maintenance can often catch problems while they are still small (i.e. a bent tine, rather than a broken tine and a dropped load). Identifying and fixing these problems promptly can prevent major breakdowns and serious accidents that are costly to repair.

Forklift maintenance plans make it easier to stay on top of maintenance.

Forklift maintenance plans also make it easier to ensure that this type of prompt attention to your machines continues consistently over time. Rather than keeping track of the maintenance schedule yourself or making time to schedule appointments to have your forklifts examined, you simply wait for your technician to make his or her scheduled stop to look at your forklift.

Also, thanks to the set price of the plan, you always know approximately how much you are going to pay per month. As a result, you can easily budget your forklift maintenance into your company’s expenditures, and remove the anxiety and hassle of trying to identify your maintenance costs per month. That simplicity in both scheduling and budgeting can help you stay on top of maintenance and, as a result, reap the benefits of a well-cared-for machine.

Forklift maintenance plans save you money.

It may feel counterintuitive to say that you will save money by committing to a monthly cost. However, when it comes to forklift maintenance plans, that monthly expense can actually translate into lower costs over time. By keeping your fleet in top working order, you lengthen the lifespan of your machines and limit the number of times you need to purchase new equipment or parts. This means you spend less on replacement parts and machines over the long term.

In addition, your preventative forklift maintenance plan can save you money by limiting the amount of downtime your forklifts experience, which allows you to schedule that downtime around your jobs.

For example, a machine that is not properly maintained may break down in the middle of a big job. Now, you have to sideline the machine and hunt for a technician. A maintenance plan, however, may have caught the problem before the machine broke down, and you can schedule that maintenance visit during a lull in your business. Then you lose less time to an out-of-commission machine, and spend less money on renting machines to fill in the gaps until your regular machine is back up and running again.

Forklift maintenance plans provide access to experienced technicians.

Without a maintenance plan in place, you are responsible for scheduling and overseeing all of the maintenance on your forklifts. As a result, you may find yourself stuck waiting for a technician to be available to come conduct needed tasks on your forklift. Or, if you put off maintenance and then experience a preventable breakdown, you may end up waiting for someone to come fix your machine while you try to handle the expenses and inconvenience of unexpected downtime.

When you have a forklift maintenance plan, however, you enjoy guaranteed access to experienced technicians. With the plan, you are assured the presence of a skilled individual to complete your maintenance tasks on schedule. As a result, you have the luxury of scheduling maintenance when it works for your schedule rather than waiting on the availability of the technician. This access to experienced professionals can provide you with peace of mind and greater convenience, all while expediting the maintenance of your machines so you can maximize their up-time for your business.

Forklift maintenance is a necessity if you want to manage your fleet to operate optimally over time (and remain in compliance with OSHA guidelines). What is not a necessity is stress, anxiety, and financial distress related to getting this type of maintenance done. Instead, a preventative maintenance plan can help you to conveniently schedule the assistance of an expert to ensure the optimal performance of your fleet.

From saving you money by keeping your machines in top working order, to preventing early machine and part replacements, to making it easier to stay on top of maintenance, and giving you access to skilled technicians, these plans are a smart choice. Here at Darr, we offer these plans to help you make the most of your machines over the long term. Do not hesitate to reach out and learn more about how a forklift maintenance plan can be the right decision for your business.