Applied Business Tools PDF

APPLIED BUSINESS TOOLS Chapter 1 ACCESS AND USE OF COMMON BUSINESS TOOLS Business tool - Any asset that helps or assists the business Business tool register - A list of assets that are considered as being a business tool Identification criteria - Criteria that is to be use...

APPLIED BUSINESS TOOLS Chapter 1 ACCESS AND USE OF COMMON BUSINESS TOOLS Business tool - Any asset that helps or assists the business Business tool register - A list of assets that are considered as being a business tool Identification criteria - Criteria that is to be used to classify an item as a business tool Serial number - Number attached to a tool during the manufacturing process Asset number - In-house created number to identify a tool Barcode - Method of recording a number or code on to an asset Radio Frequency Identification Tags - Electronic tags that can be attached so as to locate the asset within a reasonable distance Storage location - The place where a business tool is to be stored when not in use Usage - Allowed non-business usage Software - Business tool that controls the activities of the computer Wiki - A web site that allows access from wide range of users Social Networking - Website that provide information on social activities of its members Landline telephone - A standard telephone that requires a physical connection to the telephone network Roster - Document detailing future access rights to a tool Damage - Harm inflected upon a tool that is not a result or accepted business usage Storage Requirements - Details any special storage conditions required by a business tool Security Tool - A process or procedure to control access to a business tool Swipe Card Access - A method of controlling access by using swipe cards Password - A set of characters and letters to verify that access is allowed Police Check - An application to the police to disclose any previous criminal activities Security camera - Camera positioned so as to record access to a business tool or tools  Employment contract - A contract that stipulates special terms and conditions over and above a standard employment contract Audit - A process to check and monitor current procedures and assess their performance Stocktake - Process to determine and verify the existence of a business tool Legal Implications - The possible legal consequences of supplying information to those not authorized to have same Training - The development of skills and knowledge so as to better able to use a business tool Maintenance - The process of preparing a tool for later use Repairs - The process of making an unusable tool usable In-House - Using people and resources that are within the confines of the business Outsourced - Using people and resources that are not within the confines of the business Consumables - Resources that are consumed in the normal operation of the business tool. Without consumables the tool will not perform. Common Skills - The minimum set of skills that are required to efficiently use a business tool Local Expert - Someone who has a higher level of skills or knowledge than the minimum set Fault Reporting - Procedure to notify relevant people that a tool has a fault and is not fully operational. Documentation - Documents that support the operation or care of a business tool What is BUSINESS TOOL? A business tool can be considered as any asset that helps or assists the organization to achieve its stated aims or objectives. There are various types of tools that may be used in a business varying in size, complexity, danger, and importance to the business operation. There are the large, heavy tools such as stoves, refrigerators, cars or freezers. This unit aims to consider the items that are portable and valuable, and by their very nature present unique management challenges to the business. EXAMPLES OF COMMON BUSINESS TOOLS: Digital Cameras – still, moving, and in mobile telephones Mobile Telephones Pagers Scanners  Photocopiers Notebooks Batteries Dictation machines Order taking handhelds Laser pens Mice Keyboards DEFINING A BUSINESS TOOL Each business will need to develop criteria so as to identify which tools are to be monitored and therefore controlled to ensure that time and effort is devoted to managing the proper and important tools. Possible names could be: Portable and Attractive Tool: This states that the item is portable and probably does not have a fixed location. It also states they are attractive, meaning they could be a target for theft or excessive use Significant Small Items: This is very similar as the items are small so they can be easily lost and they are significant to the business Significant Small Tools Regardless of the group name that is identified, it is important to note that the tools: Represent an investment to the business Require control as their use or loss can represent a significant cost to the business Will generally require training to prevent damage to the user or the business Are attractive in terms of cost and can be attractive to a potential thief Are often portable so they are susceptible to damage and loss as a direct result of their portability and the exact location of a tool at any time may not be known. Finding the Tool: The Register As these items are portable there needs to be a register of the tools that are owned and available within the business. The register will need sufficient information to ensure the tools are locatable and identifiable thereby ensuring the correct tool is identified. Finding the Tool: The Register Storing the Details What is the tool? Description Serial Numbers Asset Number Barcodes Radio Frequency Identification Tags (RFID) Storage location EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE USE OF BUSINESS TOOLS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ENTERPRISE POLICY AND PROCEDURES Many modern business tools have wide applications in a business where they can assist the business in meeting its objectives. Many business tools also present a possible non-business use that should be considered when allowing access The Business WebSite This business tool is unique and must be considered as a separate entity. Whereas the other tools have common challenges and issues regarding use, access, and cost, the website of the business can do unprecedented damage to a business and requires special care and control to ensure the objectives of the business are achieved Software Software is also a unique item. Where software is distributed on portable media it will be installed on the various computers and then stored and it may never be needed again. But should it be required the hardware – the disk or similar – must be accessible as well as the associated passwords or install keys. Social Networking Sites such as Facebook® and MySpace® can be assets for the business but they can also be liabilities. Landline Telephones Landline telephones can be restricted to local calls if necessary and they usually have unlimited access. What is important for some businesses is the training element. If the business is small and there is only one phone, or only one phone on a number then training may be unnecessary. However, as the phone system becomes more complicated and the functionality increases so does the need for training in “telephone techniques”. Email This is very similar to the landline requirements. It may be possible to assume that most can use an email system, but different programs present different challenges. There is also the consideration of email etiquette and how a sent email will reflect on a business. Modern businesses will often have a standard email template with a standard signature block and users may need to be trained on how to change the template for an individual user Obtaining and maintaining business tools required to support workplace activities As each tool is to be monitored and controlled it is logical that the use of the tool must be also be monitored for various reasons. It is important to know who has the tool so that it can be located should the need arrive. If the tool is to be used for a set period there needs be a process that should be followed to get the tool back Rosters Some tools will require a roster to allow users to plan for access and to allow planning for events when the tool is being used by another. For larger systems and tools that are in heavy demand an electronic booking system that can be accessed as part of the internal computer system is an advantage. Microsoft® Outlook® has the ability to allow assets or tools to be booked as standard functionality. At a lower level Excel can have multi-user spread sheets where the same file can be accessed by many people at the same time so the availability of a tool can be checked and the appropriate action can be taken. Damage The business will need to establish rules and responsibilities for tools that are damaged as a result of negligent behavior by the user Who Has the Tool? In much the same fashion as a library, there needs to be a record of who has the tool and who has used the tool. The business will need to know who has the tool so management can be certain of its location and the current person responsible. But a usage history is also useful to determine if the tool is a worthwhile asset. A tool that is not used may need to be replaced or simply deleted as there is no longer a need to support ownership of the tool. Store business tools in accordance with enterprise procedures and to reduce theft and fraudulent activity The storage requirements for each tool must be considered. There is the physical space that will be needed for the tool and any other items. There is the security trade-off: the more secure the item the less accessible and the more difficult it is to be accessed, the less secure the more accessible. Security tools Swipe Card Access Password Security Cameras Police Checks Employment Contracts Every employee is employed on a contract that sets out the terms and conditions of their employment including such terms as holidays, wages, hours of work etc. It is possible to include other terms and conditions in a separate contract of employment. This contract can include aspects that are not involved in a traditional employment contract but are relevant to a modern business Privacy Terms in this section determine the nature of the information that an employee can publish about the business and the guests of the business. Internet If Internet access is normally a part of the employee's duties it may be relevant to state the allowable internet use that is allowed by an employee. This could include the amount of time that is spent on private use such as personal email, accessing non-business related sites, the type or material that is allowed to be viewed on the computer, and an agreement that the employee will not attempt to break any controls that are present. Lockable Access Locks can be used to prevent access and to enhance the possibility of the tool being available for later use. Rooms can be locked and keys made available to a limited number of people to control access. Cabinets and drawers can also be locked for the same reason. Laptop computers can be locked with cables to desks to inhibit theft and misuse  Audits An audit can mean many things. In this context an audit is the assessment of the processes that are in place on how the business tools are monitored, controlled and used. The audit should also confirm that all relevant documentation for each business tool is present and located in the correct location. As well as the individual tool, and the associated support items, manuals are an important factor in the efficient use of the tool. Being able to find the documentation, should the need arrive, is important. Stocktakes A periodical stocktake can be performed on consumable resources to ensure there are sufficient resources to meet the operational needs. A regular stocktake of the identified items should ensure that there are sufficient levels of the resource available and also ensure that over-ordering does not occur where there are several thousand brochures on hand when the brochure is changed and the current stock becomes worthless. A stock list of consumable items is important when there is a change of business tool. Information Information is an important business tool in a modern organization. Like the other tools it needs protection from unauthorized use and access. It needs maintenance as information that is old or outdated may be useless and even dangerous Legal Implications Where information is disclosed various privacy acts and controls can impose penalties for the business and the individual for acts that breach the act. Computer programs have had to be changed to hide information about guests staying in a hotel as it was deemed that not all employees needed to see the guest's telephone number. Summary Access and use common business tools Tools are an asset to the business that must be managed and controlled A business tool register records the details of all tools  Each tool must have a unique identifier to positively identify one tool from another Tools can be considered as physical and non-tangible such as information Training is required to use the tool efficiently Support items should be considered as part of the tool Records must be maintained as to the location and usage history of the tool Tools must be stored in a secure location Access must be controlled. CHAPTER 2: Introduction to Hotel Rooms Division The ROOM DIVISIONS The rooms division is the “nerve center” for most of the hotel’s operations. It is the area that is most responsible of the hotel’s main product, the sleeping rooms. AREA OF THE ROOMS DIVISIONS Front Office Reservations Housekeeping Night Audit Loss Prevention/Security department FRONT OFFICE Front Desk – this plays a big role in the hotel’s operations since it is the first and is often the last points of contact with a hotel guest. Uniform Services – sometimes referred to as guest services, this section encompasses the areas within the front office other than that of the front desk. SECTIONS OF UNIFORM SERVICES PBX (Private Branch Exchange) – manages the communications into and out of the hotel Bellstand – assists guests to and from their rooms Valet parking/garage – manages the guests’ automobiles Concierge – serves as the guests’ liaison with both hotel and non-hotel services Doorpersons – assists guests upon entering the hotel premises BACK OFFICE This section supports the front office services including that crucial first contact for many guests, the telephonist.Back office section commonly do the following: ›Reservation ›Guest correspondence ›Generation of Reports ›Receiving Calls ›Transferring calls to the right department/person The Reservations – this is also called as transient room sales. The Housekeeping – this is in-charge of keeping the hotel premises always clean, in order and is acceptable to the taste of discriminating guests. The Night Audit – this is the department/area that reconciles the hotel’s daily financial transactions and other activities for reporting purposes. The Loss Prevention / Security Department – The main task of this is the safety and security of the hotel guests and the employees. THE ROOMS DIVISION MANAGER It was called before as the Resident Manager of a hotel. DEPARTMENT HEADS OF ROOMS DIVISION Front Office Manager – this is the department head responsible for a large portion of the most visible aspects of a hotel’s daily operations. Director of Services – this department head can be viewed as the “behind- the-scenes” version of the front office manager because he/she is responsible on other aspects of hotel services that the guests expect to be excellent for them to be satisfied, the housekeeping and laundry operations. BASIC DUTIES/FUNCTIONS: Front Desk Manager – responsible for the daily operation of the front desk and closely communicate with housekeeping. Front Desk Supervisor – ensures quality and efficiency of front office activities while supervising the works of the front desk staff. Front Desk Agent – Ensures efficient guest check-in and check-out. Bell Captain – Directs and supervises the bell staff. Bell Staff – Assist guests to the front desk, to their rooms and out of their rooms (checkout). Doorperson – Greet and assist guests arriving at the hotel. Valet Supervisor – Also called as Garage Supervisor; supervises the valet parking and parking garage staff. Parking Attendant – Park, care and retrieve guest’s vehicle.  PBX Supervisor – Closely monitors the hotel switchboard and his/her staffs. PBX Operator – ensure smooth flow of internal and external hotel communications. Concierge Manager – monitor and manage staff in provision of assistance to guests with any requests. Executive Housekeeper – responsible for the daily operation of the housekeeping department and closely coordinate with the front desk. Assistant Executive Housekeeper – ensures quality and efficiency of housekeeping activities while supervising the works of the housekeeping staffs. Senior Housekeeper – Ensures standards of cleanliness are maintained and work closely with housekeepers. Room Attendants – Clean and prepare guest rooms. House persons – Assist room attendants through provision of supplies such as linens, towels, and amenities. Laundry Manager – responsible in supervising, monitoring and managing the internal laundry operation of the hotel. Linen Attendant – monitor and ensure that there is adequate supply of linen and towels. Tailor / Steam stress – ensures that employee uniforms are properly coordinated with and repair linens when needed. CHAPTER 3: ROOM DIVISION AREA 1: FRONT OFFICE SECTION THE REGISTRATION PROCESS Greeting Stage- Valet parker/doorperson greeting and assisting arriving guests Transition Stage- Bellperson assisting guests to the lobby/front desk to register Registration Stage- Front desk to register desk Completion Stage- Bellperson to room guest CHAPTER 4: Rooms Division Area 2: The Reservation Section RESERVATION OVERVIEW Also called Transient rooms sales. This area strives to book individual reservations in conjunction with group sales. The following are the main functions of the reservations department: Manage and maintain reservations Sell rooms Manage room yield Prepare sales forecasts Control commissions Plan promotional activities THE RESERVATION MANAGER Manages the reservations daily operations and supervising the people under him/her. Ensures all types of reservations are recorded and followed-up as necessary. Supervises staffs in all aspects like using phone etiquette and giving the right information to potential guests. Monitors sales techniques if utilized effectively by the staffs. RESERVATION MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL SYSTEMS The reservations manager is called Director of transient sales (for bigger hotels). They collect, analyze and distribute occupancy information to the rest of the hotel, making his/her existence extremely important. Use of Forecasting Technique – this technique used to provide information on what occupancy levels are forthcoming. RESERVATION MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL SYSTEMS The said technique then may impact on the following which are very important in management decision-making process: Allocation of Asset Levels of Staffing Availability of Inventory Use of Key Operating Ratios - determines what is to be sold, how much it would be sold, how much the revenue and other aspects with regard to hotel occupancy issues. The following are key operating ratios used in a hotel: Occupancy Statistics - number of rooms occupied within the day of operation obtained. Occupancy= Rooms sold/ Total Available rooms X 100 Revenue Statistics - calculate the hotel's total room revenue as reflected in the daily room rate. Average Daily Rate (ADR) = Total Rooms Reveneu/ Total Number of Rooms sold Use of "Overselling" Technique - when he/she allow the reservations department to oversell rooms. Selling more rooms than are actually in inventory. Use of "Yield Management" Pricing Strategy - allows for continual adjustments as business factors change in a daily basis. This strategy help increase rooms revenue by using demand-forecasting technique. Two main restrictions: 1. Right Availability Restrictions - this most widely used type of yield strategy where managers actively manage the availability of each rate. 1. Length of Stay Restrictions - attempt to limit imbalances in occupancy during the week. Spike - availability has higher demand than others do. Hole - low demands which results to low occupancy. The Closed to Arrival strategy (CTA) - a restriction used during slowing demand on one night while increasing demand on the prior night. This strategy will not allow any new booking for that night but will The Minimum Length Stay strategy (MLS) - mandates the reservation department that all new reservations must stay at the hotel for a minimum number of nights. The Modified Length Stay strategy (Min/Max) - hybrid of CTA and MLS that considers longer stays. The following are the sales strategies of the reservations department: Top Down Strategy - an agent quotes a rate for the hotel's best room type and moving down to a lower rate. Bottom Up Strategy - the opposite of the above selling technique. Mid-Range Strategy - an agent discuss about the hotel's best middle room type going either up or down a tier. FRONT OFFICE MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL SYSTEMS As the front office section’s duties are very significant to the hotel’s success, it is therefore important that management and control systems are in place to ensure smooth hotel daily operations. On Operations Administration To ensure that excellent services are rendered to the guests in accordance with the standards and what they are expecting, it is very important that Front Office Managers are good communicators first and foremost. On Operations Administration They should be able to staff adequately the division to ensure that everything is manned and that guests are well-attended. In order for the front office section to function effectively, and for the Front Office Manager to perform his/her job effectively. On Staffing Managing staff and deploying them is very important for the success of the hotel operations. It is imperative that each section is well-manned to avoid inconvenience or poor guest service. On Staffing The following are the typical hotel scheduling: AM Shift – normally starts from 5:00-7:00 AM is the first shift who relieve the night audit staff. PM Shift – this second shift which starts before the hotel standard check in time. Employees of this shift arrive between 1:00-3:00 PM. They stay until relieved by the night audit team. On Staffing The following are the typical hotel scheduling: Night Shift – this is between 9:00-11:00 PM relieving the PM shifters. “Swing” Shift – this may be needed at any point in a day depending on the hotel size and projected arrivals/departures. This can also happen when there is a need to facilitate the group arrival or fill up staffs when some are given breaks. Implementation of the 10 x 10 Rule This rule implemented by most hotel to manage guest service and ensure guest satisfaction. The first part entails that the guest perception is instilled in the first 10 minutes upon arrival. This perception already affects the entire stay in a hotel of the guest. In this case, each staff is properly trained in greeting and assisting guest to make them feel that they are warmly welcomed to the hotel premises which they considered as a “home-away-from home”. The second part requires the front desk to greet guest with a smile 10 feet before he or she approaches the front desk to create a favorable impression. THE USE OF PASS ON LOG Pass on log is used by the front office to input the most important data that an oncoming staff should know. This helps in serving guests at all times since there is proper turnover of the things that happened and the requests that are in place. In this within the department. It takes the form of a large book where outgoing managers can write notes to the incoming managers. USE OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (PMS) A PMS is used to facilitate operational control such as on planning and decision making processes. It must be able to provide adequate and timely information to serve as guide or aid in the coordination of a commercial accommodation daily A PMS used by hotels may vary depending on its size, turnover, and control needs. The following are PMSs types used by hotels in their management and control mechanisms: MANUAL SYSTEMS - a manual system is implemented to complete tasks relating to guest activities through written form. Automation that can only be possibly used is a calculator to compute for guests’ account upon checkout. The following are some control measures of a hotel that use manual systems: Booking diaries and conventional charts – used to keep track of reservations Color coded-room racks  – used to keep track on room types, room status, and room occupancy or availability Tabular ledgers – used for recording financial transactions USE OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (PMS) SEMI-AUTOMATED SYSTEMS A hotel that uses a semi-automated system will process much data manually but there is some automation, specifically the accounting area of the front office. An example of this is using a cash register. A more sophisticated point of sale or POS can also be used and a calculator. FULLY AUTOMATED SYSTEMS this is a computerized system used to manage guest bookings, online reservations, point of sale, telephone and other amenities. This may interface with central reservations systems and revenue or yield management systems, front office, back office and point of sale systems In other words, this computerized PMS can perform all he tasks undertaken by a manual system and of course that of semi-automated one. The following functions can be done by this type of PMS: ▪ Register guests ▪ Record guest reservations ▪ Maintain guest reservations ▪ Develop and monitor or maintain guest profiles ▪ Manage maintenance issues ▪ Generate hotel reports ▪ Collate statistical data CHAPTER 3: MAINTAIN TECHNOLOGY The BUSINESS REGISTER A consumable is any item that is consumed by the business tool in use, and without the consumable the tool becomes useless. A photocopier requires power, paper, and toner to produce a copy. Without these items copies cannot be made and the efficiency of the business suffers. It is therefore very  important to ensure that there is a sufficient supply of all consumables, they are available, and users have sufficient skills to be able to install them. Management Decisions Who has Access Rights? What to Order? Supplier The supplier of consumables should be identified, either in the register or in the stock list. With some business items there are many suppliers and the quality may not be significantly different. In the case of business tools there may only be one supplier so that it is important to identify the supplier to they can be easily found. This is especially true if an aftermarket supplier has been chosen and the contact details are unknown or unclear. It is also important to Training There is also the issue of training. In some cases a local expert will install the item to ensure that it is installed and installed correctly. Installing paper in a photocopier may be obvious, while the removal of the back of a mobile phone to replace the battery may be a little more challenging. As well as the physical process, there may be operational considerations, such as turning off the phone before removing the battery. The process and procedure for replacement Documentation Any documentation that was provided with the tool and any notices or documents that were created in-house to support the tool need to be stored in a known and accessible location. Ordering In any order process there is a lag time between the order being made and the order arriving. As consumables are a stock item, the quantity to be ordered must consider the lag time, the normal consumption that will occur over this time, and the reliability of supply. There is also the question of who is allowed to order in the business. These are standard business decisions relating to the purchase of any item for the business, and the process of ensuring there Maintenance Most business tools require some type of maintenance, ranging from the simple in-house operation to complete machine services that requires technicians. Maintenance is the process of preparing a tool for operation and ensuring that it is in a suitable operating condition to minimize the possible of future failure. In most cases there is a set of stated procedures for each tool that needs to be performed on a regular basis. It is impossible to identify In-House Maintenance The most common type of maintenance required for all business tools relates to the supply of consumables. These are the items or materials that the tool consumes during its normal operation. Cars consume petrol, copies consume paper and toner, facsimile machines consume paper and toner, and there are many others. Often these items involve an order process so a procedure needs to be established where a person is allowed to order the consumables and a source of supply has been established Repairs The repair process returns a faulty tool into an operational condition. Something is broken on the tool and the repair process makes the machine functional again. Unlike maintenance repairs are not predictable and cannot be planned. There may also be an element of time pressure as the tool is not available and it may be needed. Repairs could be considered as simple as replacing the batteries in a camera, to the complete replacement of the tool because the required repairs ar Who Does the Repairs If a machine does require repair there will need to be a record maintained of the relevant service authority. This can be in the tool register or alternately a list of authorized repairers can be kept. Contact names, numbers and people can be recorded. A database in Excel can be kept that will allow the relevant people to be contacted and arrangements made. Repairs vs Maintenance In most cases repairs imply some immediacy where action needs to be taken promptly to ensure the tool is in working order. For example, a broken tail light on a motor car may make the car un-road-worthy. Likewise it is foolhardy to drive a car without a serviceable spare tire. This elevates the urgency of the repair and also increases the importance of reporting the issue to ensure that prompt action is taken. In other cases a repair may not be Establish an Expert  Usually this means allocating the responsibility of the machine to a single person who has authority to spend the company's money on service calls and other items. They will often be versed in a wider range of activities on the tools than others. Consumables and Service When considering the copier the expert will be able to: Order paper, toner and other consumables Decide if a service call is required and to make the service call Provide advice on the less used functionality Decide on what is a required common user skill and what is not. Common Skills For example the expert may be able to change the toner or call a technician to do so if appropriate, but the minimum set of skills for each user will be: Fill the paper bins from the storage area (and paper access may require the expert) Remove common paper jams Perform standard copying as relevant to the machine. These skills would form part of the training Local Expert Maintenance In some machines refilling the staple holder requires a higher level of skill than refilling paper and this is the responsibility of the expert. Documentation may disclose a set of known fixes for the less common problems. The always reliable power off and power on (power recycle) can fix a wide selection of problems on all electronic equipment, but it is not something that should be applied by ten Cleaning? As well as these functions which are on demand, there can be regular maintenance functions that can be performed by in-house staff with a little training. Copiers need the platen cleaned. This is a plastic or glass area that can get dusty or dirty from fingerprints and dirty hands. A spray with a common glass clear is all that is required, but this should be done on a regular basis to maintain a high quality of copying. Some machines have similar internal Action to be taken when a service call is required  Notification that a service call has been made is always useful to ensure staff that action has been taken and avoids a phone call from each user that wants to use the machine. Advance Warning Advance warning that the machine will not be available when routine maintenance is required is useful to allow users to plan for lack of access and minimize disruptions to the business. Advice as to when the machine will be available is also useful. Fault Reporting Details of the fault are helpful for technicians to arrive at a solution faster. In this case details mean issue detail. Complaints such as “machine not working” or “cannot copy” do not provide any helpful information. It is always the case that detail is helpful e.g. “machine jams only when duplexing on A4” directs the technician's attention to a particular area. Documentation may be necessary that encourages detail or the expert Some manufactures have a standard form that is designed to ensure the correct and most complete data is collected to enable the problem to be solved as soon as possible. This could include details such as: Person's name Contact details Email address Sequence of events Asset name Model Fault Recording for the Business It may be useful to maintain a record of fault types to use when deciding on the future of a machine. Repeating faults may indicate that a tool is being used beyond its specifications and that a more robust model is required. Fault repeating may also indicate that the repair process has fixed the symptom – paper jamming – but not the cause, which is a faulty pickup roller in the paper bin. Some companies do not maintain records of faults Consumables Consumables are the items or resources that are consumed in the normal usage of the tool. Photocopiers will consume paper and toner and once  depleted they will not operate with them being replaced. Mobile phones use the power from batteries, and these can be recharged. However, eventually the ability to store power will diminish and the batteries will be useless. Where are the consumables stored? Toner cartridges will need to be accessible and What to order? In some cases there are different sizes of the same item. A copier cartridge can print 4,000 copies or the large capacity with the same physical size can be 10,000 at a higher price. Policies need to establish which size is the standard order. Order histories may indicate that items with large capacity or larger orders to get volume discount is justified. Who can order? Will these items be ordered through the same process as is used for all other items or on a needs basis? In large departments there may be an order department that orders items. Consumables may be ordered through a different process because the need is high and they may be used in only one area. This is a management decision that determines the process. Documentation Where is tool specific documentation stored? Some tools have user documentation e.g. how to make a copy and technical documentation on how to fix a paper jam. These may be stored in different locations or they may be electronic so the business can make copies and keep a full set in both locations. It is important that any technical documentation is accessible to assist in problem solving. Documentation storage may be overlooked External Support What are the contact details? Telephone numbers, machine details, account numbers, will be required. The machine details can include model number and may even include the serial number. These may be easily discovered from the machine, but may be hidden on the back or in areas that need a touch and a fair amount of flexibility to discover. It is useful to record these in an accessible location when and if a service call is to be made. In some cases businesses will ha External Support Who is responsible or authorized to contact the external support organization? If there is a charge for the service there will need to be an approval process to allow the call. It is also silly to have several people from within the business calling about the same problem on the same tool. Passwords Some tools have passwords that deny access to the tool or some function within the tool. The copier may have passwords for each department and another password that restricts access to the management of the copier, and the setup. Some tools require passwords to be changed on a regular basis and users must be created to devise new passwords without duplicating an earlier version. It is obviously important that the management Summary All tools require maintenance Some will require repairs Most tools have a consumable element and insufficient consumables will affect the use of the tool Maintenance will render the tool unavailable and this must be planned Consumables must be purchased in accordance with business procedures Consumables need to be monitored to ensure there is a sufficient supply