Hands On: How to save time managing assets

Asset management in general is a constant juggling act.

Planning maintenance around usage, customer expectations, rentals, upgrades and budgets.

Multiple assets, each with their own history, quirks, and service requirements.

What to do when you already work incredibly hard?

The hidden cost of working hard

Across various industry, maintenance tracking still relies on:

• Spreadsheets that get updated only when someone has time

• PDFs stored on laptops that aren't on board

• WhatsApp messages and emails full of critical information

• Phone calls where decisions get made… and later forgotten

  
  

This workflow might feel normal.

But it’s quietly draining hours every week

Hands-On Guide

Below is a proven, step-by-step process used by yacht managers responsible for multiple vessels.

It reduced time spent chasing information by more than 50 percent.

Step 1: Digitize and structure all asset data

Don’t just upload documents.

Give every component a concise digital identity:

• Manufacturer and model

• Serial numbers

• Service intervals

• Location on board

• Installation date

• Current operating hours or condition signals

  
  

You'll get valuable insight about the parameters driving maintenance and planning.

Step 2: Automate data collection

Whenever possible, connect to actual data sources:

• Engine hour meters

• Generator runtime

• Battery health systems

• Fuel and fluid levels

• Alarms and diagnostic codes

  
  

If you don't have a system in place yet that can collect the data for you,

make a manual process: "each month I fill this data"

Step 3: Build automated planned maintenance

Assign rules that trigger tasks based on:

• Hours

• Calendar dates

• Alerts or deviations

Tasks should:

• Notify the right technician

• Include spare parts information

• Provide manuals and past work files

  
  

Automatic planning replaces guesswork.

Step 4: Standardize communication and documentation

Service coordination shouldn’t require:

• Dozens of emails

• Phone ping-pong

• PDF archaeology

Use a unified workflow where:

• Managers assign work to partners

• Technicians share photos, reports, and comments

• Approvals and costs are logged automatically

Think of a way to make sure everyone sees the same truth.

No one needs to ask for updates. (so you don't always have to be in the loop)

Step 5: Track value and performance over time

Once everything flows:

• Compare different vessels’ performance

• Identify recurring issues early

• Optimize maintenance schedules

• Reduce both downtime and cost

  
  

You can’t improve what you can’t measure.

Now you can measure everything.

Example: A multi-yacht manager’s time savings

A yacht manager overseeing a fleet recently shared this experience with me:

By centralizing and optimizing their fleet’s data collection (first manually than digitally), maintenance tasks, spare parts, and communication in one workflow:

• Now, fewer decisions rely on memory or outdated notes

• Planning became proactive rather than reactive

• Service partners respond faster with fewer questions

• Owners trust increased through transparency

  
  

The result: they operate more vessels with the same team.

You don’t need more hours

You need better information arriving automatically where decisions are made.

Asset management shouldn’t be a relentless chase for the latest status.

It should be a process where risks, priorities, and actions are always visible, to anyone.

Managers who make this shift don’t just save time.

They elevate the owner experience and strengthen partnerships.