EDI Welcomes Paul Thielen, Development Director, EAM

EDI Welcomes Paul Thielen

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EDI Welcomes Paul Thielen, Development Director, EAM

EDI Welcomes Paul Thielen

EDI and Arora Engineers (Arora) are pleased to welcome Paul (Paulie) Thielen as Development Director, Enterprise Asset Management.

Paulie brings 30 years of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) expertise in regulated industries and Governments. Paulie is the consummate customer advocate and problem solver who has delivered award-winning, efficient, and affordable client solutions across numerous verticals including Federal Agencies, the Department of Defense, Government-owned utilities, and the Aviation industry.

Paulie earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Christopher Newport University upon his meritorious Commissioning as a US Naval Officer. He maintained a stellar career as a Submarine Assistant Navigator and advanced his practical application of global command. He has experience in control and computing systems becoming a recognized expert in enterprise computing, environmental, and regulatory compliance as applied in Enterprise Asset Management. His civilian roles have advanced from IT Infrastructure Principals with IBM Corporation to DoD Corporate Compliance, Relationship and Business Capture management, and now his specialization in reliability and sustainability.

A globally recognized expert in sustainability, reliability-centered maintenance, and compliance, he will apply these best practices across all of Arora and EDI’s EAM solutions. In his new role, Paulie will lead business development, proposal, product development and client management efforts for Asset Management services including our Arora ATLAS suite of Mobile solutions across our numerous current market sector clients, as well as championing our expansion into new ones. 

“My passion is my client/partner’s passion, applying our robust toolset to make them more successful, efficient and sustainable is my joy.” Says Paulie.

We look forward to working with Paulie to continually improve our operations and quality, deliver for our clients, and continue our growth.

What type of Maximo Work Request Tool is Right for your Organization?

EDI ATLAS Blog

What type of Maximo Work Request Tool is Right for your Organization?

EDI ATLAS Blog

IBM Maximo allows licensees an unlimited number of requestors – but what does this mean for your organization? You have the ability to empower anyone visiting your facility to provide valuable feedback on their customer experience for free.

Allowing your employees and public users to provide feedback quickly and easily via their own smart device can help your organization understand, prioritize, and address issues faster, thereby improving the experience of your customers and overall public sentiment.

You just need to find the right request tool to pair with your Maximo EAM system to capitalize on this functionality. First, you need to understand the difference between the types of work request tools that integrate with Maximo – native apps and web-based tools.

What is the Difference Between Native Apps and Web-based Tools?

According to UX Magazine, “A native app is one that is built for a specific platform, such as iPhone or Android, using their code libraries and accessing their available hardware features (camera, GPS, etc.). A web-based app, on the other hand, is one that is hosted on the web and accessed from a browser on the mobile device.”

Features/benefits of web-based tools
1. There is no waiting for the updated iPhone/android/etc. version of the app to be released –
software updates are automatic for all users when using a web-based tool. This is especially useful for organizations who do not want to add additional burdens to their IT teams.

2. Many request apps only allow authorized Maximo users to submit Requests – a web-based tool can be configured to allow public users who do not have the app to provide the feedback you need to maintain your facility more efficiently.

3. The best web-based request tools are QR code based and allow your organization to attach Maximo asset and location data to each of the QR codes located throughout your facility.

These QR codes allow users to simply scan the code using their smart device, quickly fill out a work request with all of the pertinent data your team needs to address the issue and continue on their journey with the satisfaction that they have been able to provide you feedback on issues of importance to them.

Features/benefits of native apps
1. Users can download an app for their smart device from their app store, and the app can then access their available hardware features. The downside being that the process of going to the app store to find the app, downloading it, and then subsequently figuring out how to use said app may be a deterrent for some customers. In Enterprise situations, these apps are usually pushed to users by the IT department.

2. Thanks to the fact that the code that runs the app is stored locally on the smart device, native apps tend to be faster and more responsive than their counterparts. The negative being that users are then responsible for managing updates pushed out via the app store for their phone’s particular platform.

This becomes especially cumbersome for the organization relying on the app-based Request tool for data, because their IT team needs to continually monitor for those releases and remind their users and the general to update their apps.

3. Native apps can run asynchronously, meaning dynamic information can be stored locally on the phone temporarily and synchronized with the central web-based server later. While recent technologies and features (such as those in HTML5) will allow for this to also be done in a web-based environment, native apps are still ahead of web-based ones on this front.

Is a Web-Based or App-based Request Tool Best for your Organization?

This answer depends on whose feedback you are looking for. If your organization wants to limit requestors to only those people inside your organization, an app may be best. If you select an app-based request tool you will have to work with your IT department to set up your users, configure to specific platforms, and remind requestors to download updates from their respective app store.

If, on the other hand, you are looking for a work request tool that capitalizes on your ability to allow anyone to submit a Maximo work request free of charge, a web-based tool may be best for your organization. If your goal is to simplify the work request process for everyone involved, from your IT department, to your Maximo users, to the general public using your facility, you will want to seek out a web-based Request tool that allows anyone with a smart device to scan a QR code which is linked to Maximo asset data to quickly provide your technicians with the data they need to locate and resolve issues.

Employee Spotlight: Alise Martinez, Manager, Customer Operations

EDI Employee Spotlight Alise Martinez

Employee Spotlight: Alise Martinez, Manager, Customer Operations

EDI Employee Spotlight Alise Martinez

1. How did you come to do what you do? Was this a lifelong goal?
So, I wouldn’t say it was a lifelong goal. I kind of just fell into “Customer Service/Management” after being encouraged more than 10 years ago. I most certainly hadn’t recognized my own strengths, natural passion, and focus on customers within my roles internally and/or externally at the time. I’ve always enjoyed being something like a mentor to others, as well as looking for areas of improvement for myself and whatever task I am on.

2. What do you enjoy most about working at EDI?
The thing I enjoy most about working at EDI is that there is an integrity-focused working environment and “family” oriented nature of the business. Having an employer who genuinely cares about their employees, their families, and their overall quality of life is the best.

3. What makes you unique and different?
I had no background or even knowledge of this industry before coming to EDI. For the most part, my career had been centered around the healthcare field for years. It’s nice to see how even my knowledge and accomplishments there have tailored me for success here.

4. What are your favorite types of projects to work on?
My favorite types of projects to work on are ones that involve process improvement. I enjoy analyzing and looking at the bigger picture to enhance best practices for day-to-day success.

5. What are your future career goals?
My future career goal is to expand my knowledge in this industry and become multi-functional across the business.

6. Tell us what your day-to-day looks like at EDI.
My day-to-day at EDI includes providing support for EDI clients, facilitating the on boarding of newly acquired projects, and renewing current customer contract as well as change management.

7. What is the best career lesson you’ve learned so far?
The best career lesson I have learned so far is that customer service is an ever-changing, ever-evolving industry. It is imperative not to get comfortable with one way of reaching an end goal.

8. Outside of work, what do you like to do for fun?
Outside of work, I enjoy going to my daughters cheerleading and dance competitions. I enjoy being her support and seeing her talents and passion grow.

 

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Top Considerations to Accelerate Digital Transformation and Optimize Operations

PTW Digital Transformation Article

Top Considerations to Accelerate Digital Transformation and Optimize Operations

PTW Digital Transformation Article

Arora Engineers (Arora) and its subsidiary company EDI were recently featured in the January 2023 issue of Passenger Terminal World Magazine. Our team of asset data experts compiled their top considerations for the implementation of IT for Airports looking to accelerate digital transformation and optimize operations. Overall, the most important thing for airports to consider is that technology alone is rarely ever the full solution. Our experts advise that organizations need to look at the underlying business processes associated with the new technology to allow the investment to thrive.

Check out our tips to help your organizations accelerate digital transformations and optimize operations:

1. Start with an audit of the data you are already collecting. Organizations should look to see if your organization utilizes robust enterprise asset management (EAM) software and/or collect geographic information system (GIS)/building information model (BIM)/asset data. To leverage the technologies necessary to optimize your operations and asset management, you need to start with an accurate, complete virtual representation of your physical facilities and systems.

2. Establish clear operational and reliability goals. Make clear what the priorities of the functions are you are trying to optimize, such as public safety, customer satisfaction, cost per take-off, etc. It is also key to define which critical systems have the greatest effect on those measures (airfield, baggage handling, HVAC, etc. By establishing these goals, you can lay the foundation and prioritize a roadmap for what you need to get in place for both immediate impact and continuous improvement.

3. Invest in your foundational data. Save time and money by establishing data interoperability standards that de-silo your data in the capital development phase. This will allow it to be used and deployed by multiple departments and advanced enterprise systems (enterprise resource planning, building management system, EAM, GIS, digital twin, predictive maintenance, augmented reality/virtual reality, etc). From there, you can carry these data standards throughout the lifecycle of your facility to ensure the technologies achieve the desired outcomes.

4. Maximize the value and efficiency of your assets by implementing an easy-to-use mobile solution like Arora ATLAS. This is an excellent tool for your technicians who are in the field performing and recording critical maintenance activities and inspections on the go. This data helps reduce operational expenses, streamline a single business process across all departments and improve the experience of technicians and airport guests alike.

Arora’s Enterprise Solutions Group specializes in business process consulting, the most essential element of any innovative technology deployment, to help its clients figure out how they will use the new technology and data collected to improve passenger experience outcomes. Contact us today to learn more!

To read the full article, click here.

Employee Spotlight: George Abercrombie, Senior Business Analyst

George Abercrombie

Employee Spotlight: George Abercrombie, Senior Business Analyst

George Abercrombie

1. How did you come to do what you do?
Around 2004, I was working for Johnson & Johnson and we were replacing our maintenance management system with Maximo. The department I managed was responsible for the administration of the old system, so I was asked to be the business owner for the new Maximo system. Over the years, I became the subject matter expert for Maximo. I left J&J in 2010 and became a consultant for a Maximo implementer. Since then, I have been working with various clients to either implement a new Maximo system or enhance their existing one.

2. What motivates you every day?
The thing that motivates me every day is helping clients to get the most out of their Maximo system and to achieve best practice with their asset management program. I think I look at things differently compared to a typical Maximo consultant because I started as a user of the system. This makes it much easier to relate to a client’s needs. My goal in my career is to continue to enhance my knowledge in Asset Management and all things Maximo.

3. What are your favorite types of projects to work on?
My favorite type of project to work on is a project that involves an industry that I have not worked in before. I really love learning how different industries use Maximo to suit their business needs.

4. What is the best career lesson you’ve learned so far?
Best career lesson I have learned so far is in a word, listening. It is critical for a business analyst to listen to a client to fully understand how their business processes work and where improvements can be made.

5. What do you enjoy most about working at EDI?
I love learning new things, and there are plenty of opportunities to do that here at EDI.  My day-to-day work is very diverse; I’m working with multiple clients at various stages of the projects. One of my favorite memories while working here was my first on-site training session with one of our clients. It was my first opportunity to see first-hand how EDI operates.

6. Outside of work, what do you like to do for fun?
I have two boys ages 11 and 13 who are always active with sports, so they keep me busy year-round.

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Employee Spotlight: Brian Benedict

Brian Benedict

Employee Spotlight: Brian Benedict

Brian Benedict

1. How did you come to do what you do?
My dad was a lifelong salesperson and sales leader, so a career in sales and leadership was always something that was in the back of my mind. After graduation, I needed to get started and his company was hiring, so I took the lowest level job possible 500 miles from home and the rest is history. I’ve worked for several companies at this point, each in a sales, sales & marketing and leadership capacity and I’ve found challenges and opportunities it each. It’s been a good ride so far.

2. Was this a lifelong goal?
Being a sales leader? Not specifically. I always liked coaching, developing and mentoring individuals and sales leadership offers those opportunities quite frequently. Getting to meet new customers, discovering their challenges, and helping them find the right solution is really rewarding. I also enjoy problem solving and sales, particularly sales in a new arena or industry, are always full of interesting problems to figure out.

3. What motivates you every day?
Having a positive impact and doing it with integrity. There are days where you make the big sale or make a great connection to a potential new customer and those always feel good, but most days are just moving the ball slowly down the field to put yourself in position to score that touchdown. Those days are not as exciting, but in many ways are more important because they set you up for success.

4. What makes you unique and different?
I have a diverse background of companies, both exceptionally large and small that I’ve worked for, and I think that I bring a unique perspective based on that experience. I am open to innovative ideas and new ways of working through problems with the ability to use the ‘tried & true’ as well. I like to think I am easy to work with and encourage others to offer their perspectives to a challenge or opportunity as they might have a different view that just might be the right answer.

5. What are your favorite types of projects to work on?
I like “whole business” projects – projects that involve multiple facets of the business to achieve a goal – Finance, leadership, development, marketing, sales all working together to get the job done. Solving a difficult challenge, or entering a new market are particularly enjoyable.

6. What are your future career goals?
I’m too old to play centerfield for the Yankees, so I’m working to progress to a senior leadership position in sales or sales and marketing.

7. What is the best career lesson you’ve learned so far?
You must be open to new opportunities to grow yourself and your career. I started in Washington DC, moved to Rochester, NY, then to Chicago, back to Buffalo and now I live in New York City. I have moved from construction products to orthopedic footwear, to plumbing products and now to Arora selling and marketing software. Each one of those moves was for an opportunity that I had not been considering six months before, but each has added such valuable experience in both my professional and personal life. Betting on yourself, being willing to work hard and trusting that things will work out generally do.

8. Tell us what your day-to-day looks like at EDI.
I wear several hats at EDI and such, no two days are alike. Some days are filled with developing and executing our Digital Marketing strategy, other days are lots of follow up, reach out and cold calling of prospective customers, working with the Development team on our next product or service or working the Arora/EDI booth at a tradeshow. We now have three distinct products and services that we sell, so they take up a lot of my time. We run a lean and mean team, so being available to help someone else out, or work on something new is always present.

9. What do you enjoy most about working at EDI?
Everyone that I’ve met has been great to work with. I know a lot of companies say that they are a “family” but that is absolutely true at Arora/EDI. The entire team is professional and do an excellent job, but from leadership on down, people really care about you as a person and as a professional and want to help you grow to be the person you’d like to be. It has been great working here from minute one. I do really enjoy being in the field meeting our customers and learning more about what they do, how they do it and what they think can be done to make it easier. Taking that information and feedback and applying it to what we do is very worthwhile.

10. What has been your favorite memory while working at EDI?
I’ve been lucky to be present for EDI’s MaximoWorld wins in 2021 and 2022. Speaking with those customers and understanding how we’ve made their jobs so much easier is very rewarding and winning is always fun.

11. Outside of work, what do you like to do for fun?
I like to golf, ski and travel. I have a 20-month-old puppy that my wife and I are training to be a hunting dog, so that takes up a lot of my time. I’m learning how to fish, shoot sporting clays and a little bit of woodworking at our home in the Hudson Valley. I’m an avid Buffalo Bills fan, so I’m looking forward to the upcoming season.

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Employee Spotlight: Madelyn Bush

Madelyn Bush

Employee Spotlight: Madelyn Bush

Madelyn Bush

1. How did you come to do what you do? 

I started working as a proposal coordinator for an aviation composite supplier, and from there I interviewed with Arora and got the job here at EDI.

2. Was this a lifelong goal?

I’m not sure anyone reaches lifelong goals at 26. If they do, I need to talk to them!

3. What motivates you every day?

I find a lot of motivation in knowing that what I’m doing is making a difference to someone (or several people). 

4. What makes you unique and different?

I’m probably the most positive person on a regular basis that I know. I almost always steer away from the negative to try and find excitement and value in the day to day. 

5. What are your favorite types of projects to work on?

I mostly work on projects of the same goal, but I’ll go a step further and say that the best part of that is seeing when all of what the team has been working on intersects with the customer team finding that the changes we’re making for them are going to be helpful and provide a lot of value. I can’t wait to watch that continue as some of the projects I’ve been assisting with since I started come closer to their launch into go live.

6. What are your future career goals?

I always thought I’d be working in Marketing or some sort of social, internal capacity. The more I work in Project management, I see definitely a path forward here, too, and I’ve really been enjoying learning the process and working with the team and clients.

7. What is the best career lesson you’ve learned so far?

I think something I do very well because I had to learn it in a previous role is time management. Accompanying that would probably be taking notes on everything. It’s incredibly important and saves a lot of time and stress for everyone when everything is written down and can be referred to. 

8. Tell us what your day-to-day looks like at EDI?

My day-to-day consists of a mixture of team meetings to go over project updates, assisting in solving support tickets for projects and getting project hours up to date and accurate, and overall assisting the project managers.

9. What do you enjoy most about working at EDI?

Everyone who works for EDI is very goal driven and extremely kind. It makes for an excellent work culture, and I can’t wait to see more people join the team. 

10. What has been your favorite memory while working at EDI?

I was asked to assist with a conference recently, and that was a blast. I got to meet several clients I’d been working with virtually, learn more about Maximo and made personal connections with other attendees that all work in the industry.

11. Outside of work, what do you like to do for fun?

I play on a softball team on Sundays and do CrossFit or yoga most days, spend time with family. I also love going to see movies, reading, and taking my dog on walks or to the dog park.

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EDI Awarded Best Maximo Asset Information Management at MaximoWorld 2022!

EDI Awarded Best Maximo Asset Information Management at MaximoWorld 2022!

EDI was honored to be recognized at the 2022 MaximoWorld conference in Austin, Texas for Best Maximo Asset Information Management project. This award was presented to EDI and Kansas City Airport (MCI) for our Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) Implementation work on the New Single Terminal and Parking Garage at Kansas City International Airport.

The new $1.5 billion terminal is the largest single infrastructure project in Kansas City history. MCI’s modern 1M SF single-terminal will debut in early 2023, and feature 39 gates, updated amenities and dining options, and the addition of a 6,300-spot six-level parking garage with covered commercial curb connects to both levels of the new terminal via roadway crosswalks on each level.

MCI applied an innovative approach to implementing asset management at the very beginning of the new terminal project. EDI, along with Arora Engineers (Arora), worked to ensure that operations and maintenance staff were in a position to use and maintain the entire new facility (the organizations most critical asset) from day one. MCI was therefore able to reduce their implementation costs by approximately 50% with a digital delivery compared to a traditional asset management implementation.

This is the second year in a row EDI has received a MaximoWorld award. Last year, EDI and Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) were awarded for Best Maximo Enterprise Asset Management Implementation Program at MaximoWorld 2021.

Congratulations to our team on this terrific accomplishment!

To learn more about our work on the new terminal project, as well our Data Interoperability Services and how facilities can protect organizations from losing data when datasets are created, read our case study.

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Salt Lake City Int’l Supports New Terminal With New Enterprise Asset Management Software

Enterprise Asset Management Software

Salt Lake City Int’l Supports New Terminal With New Enterprise Asset Management Software

Enterprise Asset Management Software

Electronic Data, Inc. (EDI) was featured in an article by Airport Improvement entitled “Salt Lake City Int’l Supports New Terminal With New Enterprise Asset Management Software.” Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) began the transition for a new enterprise asset management system by working with a consultant to outline the functional and technical requirements. Ultimately, SLC chose the Maximo system.

Having launched the previous system on its own, SLC wanted a partner with experience implementing asset management systems at other airports to lead its upgrade. After considering multiple options, the airport contracted EDI for planning, configuration, testing, training, deployment and post-deployment support.

Scott Yates, Chief Operating Officer of EDI, is featured in the article, saying he considers it a major victory for SLC to have the new system operational just three months after the purchase contract was signed. “The airport didn’t lose the opportunity to get good maintenance history about this new facility,” he explains. “Had we not done that, they’d be keeping a lot of paper records and might never get the data into the system.”

Ultimately, SLC will be able to tie smart assets around the airport into Maximo. For example, sensors can be placed on baggage handling equipment, people movers or passenger boarding bridges to gather usage information that will drive maintenance decisions. Yates explains that such information will help SLC proactively head off failures, optimize preventative maintenance and provide better operational metrics.

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On-Premise Asset Management vs. Asset Management in the Cloud

Asset management in cloud

On-Premise Asset Management vs. Asset Management in the Cloud

Asset management is a crucial yet complicated part of business operations in practically any industry. When the business grows, expands, and handles remote tasks, it can be difficult to determine which asset management solution a company should use, and whether it should be hosted on-premise or in the Cloud.

Let’s review the two hosting options, why managing media assets in the Cloud may be beneficial, and why some companies prefer on-premise control of their asset management.

On-Premise Asset Management

On-premise asset management is the traditional method for managing the system. This type of asset management is self-hosted through the use of a company’s servers and is managed by the company’s internal IT team. Everything is handled in-house, which allows an organization to manage the system’s IT infrastructure.

Like any other system, this management type has its benefits and setbacks.

PROS

  • On-premise hosting allows for significant customization, integrations, and security protocols.
  • These systems may be ideal for companies that have an experienced IT team.
  • These systems might be extremely beneficial for businesses with hosting capabilities.

CONS

  • On-premise systems are expensive
  • The company is responsible for all integrations and maintenance procedures.
  • These systems take significant time to deploy.

Asset Management in the Cloud

Digital asset management in the Cloud is partially or completely managed by the vendor the company utilizes. Because these systems are hosted in the Cloud they reduce employee maintenance burdens and internal infrastructure costs.

PROS

  • Cloud-hosted asset management solutions are typically more affordable than on-premise systems, as these systems don’t require the company to have hosting capabilities.
  • They’re accessible remotely so employees can access the data they need from anywhere.
  • Cloud system vendors often provide much of the security protocols for the company, and IT asset management in the Cloud takes the demand off the company’s IT department.

CONS

  • Cloud-based system speed will depend on the user’s internet connection, so performance will suffer if files are accessed in a remote location with poor connectivity.
  • Shared servers may decrease the speed of a company’s system performance depending on how many companies are using the server at a time.
  • If using proprietary programs is a requirement, this could make migrating, editing, or exporting files complicated at first.

Each organization has different needs, so there isn’t a universal answer regarding which hosting type is best for asset management. Exploring the capabilities and restrictions of each asset management system is necessary to come to an informed decision about which method your company needs.

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