Most people on campus never see Maximo, thesystem behind every work order on campus, but they do see its results. When a classroom light goes out, when an elevator stops, when a lab needs a repair before an experiment can continue, the request that gets a technician moving lives in Maximo. It is the system of record for UCLA Facilities Management (FM) work orders, materials, labor and billing.
This system, which has served UCLA well, is now due for a significant modernization. FM is upgrading to IBM's modern Maximo Application Suite, a cloud-based platform that replaces aging on-premises infrastructure.
What campus will notice
Better reliability. A managed cloud environment reduces the outages and slowdowns that come with aging hardware, especially during peak periods like fiscal year-end and fall move-in.
Better mobile tools in the field. Technicians get a modern mobile experience, which means less time returning to a desk and more time on the work itself.
Better status visibility. The new platform supports automated status updates to clients and satisfaction surveys tied to work order completion, keeping you connected to your work request.
Simplifying how clients submit requests
Today, a campus client can reach FM in various ways, and the right method depends on whether the work is core service covered by state funds or premium service billed to a department. That is a distinction clients should not have to figure out.
An upgraded Maximo system will provide a single intake point for clients to describe what is needed and where. The system will then route it as a Service Request or a Facilities Service Request based on the building and the type of work.
A guide, not a directory
Even with one intake point, the client must still know which service is covered, what an estimate involves, who the building coordinator is and where a request stands. To make this process easier, FM is exploring chat-based assistants to help provide that information. Ask a question in plain language and get pointed to the right service, form or person, with a status answer on the spot where the request is already in the system.
Chat is meant to shorten the path to a human, not replace one. Customer relations representatives will also be available. If something is urgent, call. If it could be life-threatening, call 911 first.
This work is in progress. FM will share timing with building coordinators and departmental contacts before anything changes.
Questions? Contact Facilities Management Customer Relations at service@fm.ucla.edu.