It’s hard to imagine an aspect of government and community quite as important as public works projects. From infrastructure asset management projects like roads, bridges, and pipelines to utility services such as water treatment, electric grids, and public transportation, these projects form the skeleton of our economy, allowing it to function smoothly and efficiently.
That’s why having high-quality asset management software for public works is so important. When public works operators fail to prioritize asset management, it’s a recipe for disaster: service interruptions and outages, unplanned repairs that eat into departmental budgets, employee miscommunication and decreased productivity, etc.
Furthermore, asset management software such as Novo Solutions’ ShareNet Municipal Operations Management system, can help bring disparate public works departments together under one umbrella, making it easier to share data between departments while saving staff members the trouble of learning multiple systems.
For public works operators who have gotten by for years with an old-fashioned, decentralized approach, adopting a new, comprehensive asset management system might seem like a lot of work. The truth, however, is that it can actually save you a lot more work, time, and money in the long run.
ShareNet Asset Management Software Features
(Click a box to see a screenshot)
Create unlimited, automatic meter, mileage, or time-based tasks that include procedures to set routines, balance workloads, and gain valuable insight.
Complete asset visibility, TCO, and ROI with a record of asset health, performance, work orders, inspections, failures, and related documentation.
Paperless, streamlined communication and forget wasting time getting back to the office, simply edit, update, and close work orders in the field.
Geotag Assets to display on a map, define asset icons, access Map Layers, integrate with ESRI GIS, and add Assets and related Work Orders from the map.
Digitally create, edit, search, map, and track work orders in real-time, gaining operational insight by technician, team, materials, and more.
Mobile App with Barcode Scanning of Assets and Parts Inventory. Place Barcode tags on vehicles, lift station pumps, HVAC units and more.
Make decisions on data, by exploring labor, inventory, and maintenance costs and increase negotiation power with the data to back up requests and concerns.
Use information to spot performance trends, monitor labor hours, track productivity, materials, and set company benchmarks for budget meetings.
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
Kim Keesler, Clerk/Treasurer
“Once our Public Works staff had a little practice, they found ShareNet to be very easy to use. Within just three days, they successfully cataloged Fire Hydrants, Water Valves, and Curb Inlets into the system, complete with asset details including geo-location and a picture. This marked a significant improvement over their previous reliance on paper maps, which necessitated return trips to the office. With ShareNet, they can now handle all tasks directly in the field which makes them much more efficient.”
Walt Feurer, Director of Public Works
“ShareNet isn’t limited to just one aspect of our operations; it has become a versatile tool that we rely on for a range of functions. We’ve successfully employed it for managing customer complaints, documenting insurance claims, and tracking bulk water usage. ShareNet’s ability to centralize and organize data has made these processes smoother and more efficient.”
Bryan Hurley, Public Services Foreman
“ShareNet’s Sidekick mobile system has been really handy with the bulk pickup. We’ve saved tremendously on fuel costs, about 1/3 within the first year we’ve used it. It keeps our trucks from running all over town. They can go directly to where the material is, get it out of the citizen’s way, and get it where it needs to be. It’s also better for our drivers, a whole lot less time-consuming. We use it for our bulk pick up of garbage items, leaves and brush, and appliances. By using ShareNet we can keep the materials separate for proper disposal and documented in real-time.”
Stacey Salemi, Crime Analyst/Code Compliance Officer
“The City of Edgewood, FL is looking forward to the long-term benefit of a reduction in capital expenditures as a result of improved building and equipment preventative maintenance.”
Steve Blasko, Public Works Director
“What really stood out is that the team at Novo took the time to talk to us, explaining all you can do when you’re utilizing Share Net. You’re not getting a cookie cutter mobile system when you buy Novo. They’re creating a system tailored to your needs. Their team sat down with every department and built a work order system specifically for them.”
Sandra E., IT Manager/Code Enforcement
“NOVO has been a lifesaver for us with our incident tracking and asset management needs. The tool was easy to implement, and the assistance from the NOVO support staff has made our experience very user friendly.”
Tina Cheek, Director of Parks and Recreation
“Our onboarding process with Novo went great here in Oxford. Several of our departments are using Novo Solutions, and so we’re able to have implementation meetings early on. We had a lot of conversations with the Novo team, got our questions answered quickly, and were given really good information on what the ShareNet product could do. And so far, everything is working exactly like we were told it would. Now we’re just really enjoying the system and know we can reach out to Novo with any questions, at any time.”
Stephanie, Public Works Administrative Assistant
“ShareNet has been instrumental in streamlining our Work Order Management process, ensuring prompt responses and accurate record keeping.”
Dennis Meshaw, Park Maintenance Superintendent for Parks & Recreation
“Before ShareNet, we were using spreadsheets to track all our equipment needs. So, when we had a piece of equipment go to the shop, whether it’s a tractor or a weed-eater, we would track it on a spreadsheet. Now with ShareNet, we’re able to compile all that information in real time and we can just log in and we have all that information available to us. It has streamlined things, and it puts it all in a central location. I can look at it, my director can look at it, and my staff can look at it. So, Share Net’s been great!”
Steven Pilcher, Director of Public Service
“The Novo ShareNet Municipal Software has really helped streamline processes, reduce costs, provide better metrics, and run a more efficient public service department, which in turns creates a better relationship between department staff and the customers served.”
D.J., Sanitation Bulk Pick up – Knuckleboom Crane Operator
“I operate the Knuckleboom machine in Oxford and pick up large debris, brush, furniture, and I use the ShareNet Sidekick App. On the App, I tap what I’m picking up, simply take a snapshot of the debris, and it records it for me. It makes the work so much more efficient and easily documented.”
Gerry Vernon, Public Works Director
“The Public Works Department in the Town of Winter Park, CO needed a way to track calls for service from the public and log maintenance costs for its fleet. After much research, the system by Novo Solutions was selected. I have found the web-based interface very user-friendly, and the customer service provided by Rich Hunter has been exceptional. This solution is perfect to meet the department’s need to become more efficient and effective.”
Andy Elder, Street Foreman
“Our Streets team really likes ShareNet, especially because of its mapping capabilities and that I can see all the work orders on my phone while I’m out in the field. Now if a request comes in, I can take snapshots of the work to be done, work in progress, and finalized work, which all help to show proof of the process. The ability to easily document work, locate assets, and manage preventative maintenance of assets on one system is everything to our department. The ShareNet application has saved us a lot of time. Now we have access to documentation in real time vs. lost on a massive worksheet on the office computer.”
Tiffanie Salone, Public Works Office Coordinator
“The ShareNet platform has been a great addition to our Public Works Department and is an integral part of our daily operations. Most of the Administrative staff and I use the ShareNet Requests application. I use the software to review and respond to external public requests, entering requests received via phone and from office visitors. The new request and editing functions are very user friendly and are highly beneficial in providing better customer service and response time.”
How Does Asset Management Software Work?
Once upon a time, public works operators would have to keep track of separate files for every repair made to an asset over the years. They would also have to manually keep up with and modify their departmental budget, issue and search work orders in a file cabinet, and perform regular on-site inventory checks to stay up to date.
Asset management software for public works streamlines the maintenance process by consolidating every aspect of operation. More importantly, it makes them all easily accessible anywhere at any time. When using a platform like ShareNet, public works operators can view and search through thousands of work orders in seconds.
ShareNet keeps a record of every single asset, with detailed information about its attributes, maintenance history, and location using GIS mapping. This information can likewise be accessed by any employees that need it wherever and whenever via their mobile devices. Work orders can be issued, modified, checked, and tracked on the fly, and it allows staff members to communicate with each other instantly.
Benefits of Asset Management for Public Works
The advantages of centralizing so many functions and so much data within a single software platform should be self-evident. Consider how much faster and smoother jobs of all kinds can be accomplished when all parties are able to stay informed and in contact with one another using an easy-to-understand, quickly accessible, and comprehensive toolkit designed to facilitate multiple tasks simultaneously.
Best of all, having so much information available at the tip of their fingers means public works operators can engage in detailed long-term planning. Examining the history of assets and projecting which ones are most at risk of future damage or failure allows operators to be proactive. With ShareNet, you can schedule maintenance repair and report on projected asset replacements at future dates.
Choosing the right asset management software for public works can make all the difference for public works operators looking to maximize the functionality of their assets while minimizing their costs. Working with ShareNet means working with fewer unpleasant surprises, fewer unplanned repairs, fewer man-hours wasted, and few budget dollars lost.
Don’t just manage your assets; extend their lives. Try ShareNet software today. Click on the button below to learn more or schedule a demo.