For inspection team leaders in regulatory agencies is essential to track the KPIs of inspection performance. Those are the metrics that allow managers to track the performance of inspection teams and check whether the pre-defined objectives are met. Inspection KPIs are the indicators that define the success of operations in the inspection process. By tracking their values, team leaders can assess whether the inspection program is working well or something needs to be changed to meet the regulator’s goals in terms of costs and performance.
Is there a universal list of essential KPIs in inspection management?
There is no universal list of KPIs. The inspection performance indicators vary based on the inspection process in different regulators and what kind of resources it involves – field inspection technicians, inspectors for on-site checks, remote checks, technical equipment for special inspections, etc. Inspection team leaders have different responsibilities depending on the regulatory sector, and KPIs vary. So let’s look at the most common roles in the inspection process and the KPIs that are essential to be tracked with inspection management system.
CASE STUDY: OPTIMISING THE RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN REGULATORY AGENCY
- reducing the scheduling time with up to 75%
- increasing efficiency of operations with 40%
- fully eliminating errors in the resource allocation process.
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KPIs for Inspection Scheduling
The time needed to appoint an inspection schedule
Inspection scheduling may be a very time-consuming endeavour. Using resource scheduling software for inspections is to improve productivity. In that sense, the more inspection jobs being assigned to an inspector for an amount of time, the better. When regulators switch to an inspection management software from a paper-based process, one of the most essential metrics they should track is scheduling an inspection and whether it is done faster than the old ways of work.
Related: Digital optimisation in inspection services
Time to first contact on high-risk inspection requests
What if many low-risk jobs are blocking the timely processing of high-risk inspections? The time needed to make the first contact from the regulatory agency’s end to the inspected entity is crucial for high-risk cases. If the inspection software has the required data and a reliable engine that can assess the risk category of each job in the backlog correctly, then the time to first contact on high-risk inspections can be made faster. Two things are needed to track and improve this KPI:
- A self-service portal when inspection data is captured
- AI engine that automatically assesses the risk category of each inspection request and automatically assigns an on-site check by an inspector to the high-risk ones
Related: Best practices in risk-based inspection management
Travel time between inspections jobs
When regulators are sending inspectors to do jobs that are too far away from each other, it means that:
1) their time is not utilised well
2)the agency is losing money due to ineffective scheduling
3) the inspector’s productivity is declining.
Making the most optimal route for inspectors and automatically reshuffling resources in case of a last-minute schedule change is a reliable tool to minimise the travel time between inspections. This is a KPI that must be tracked for inspection scheduling optimisation.
Essential KPIs for Inspection Managers (desk workers)
Inspection utilisation time
What if inspectors spend time on manual tasks – like filling paper checklists – that eats their time and prevent them from completing enough inspections for a day? The time needed for task completion should be tracked to improve utilisation if some tasks take unexpectedly longer than required. Giving inspectors mobile devices to capture details like photos and video and directly upload them to the cloud can improve their time utilisation and reduce unnecessary manual tasks.
Related: Implementing resource scheduling in the inspection workflow
KPIs for on-site inspectors, remote inspectors & field technicians
Customer surveys
The citizens are the end customer of public sector operators such as regulatory agencies. Brief customer surveys are a great way to evaluate whether any transformation inspection-wise improves the quality of inspection service for the citizens. If the surveys show that citizens are satisfied with the inspection service, it’s a good indicator that things are working. If not, it might have something to do with other KPIs, such as response time, timely kept schedules, etc.
Related: How our inspection software customers achieve significant ROI?
Inspection completion rate
If the number of inspections being completed for a month is growing over time, performance is good. If not – then time utilisation should be paid attention to.
Failed inspection attempts and repeat visits
If an inspector has too many failed inspections in his schedule, probably he should be assigned to lower complexity inspections, or his profile should be checked if he has rightfully set qualifications. When the trends show that the performance is below average – a double check should be made on the inspector’s profile and on the inspection data that is being captured. If data quality can be improved, then perhaps the inspector won’t have to do repeat visits.
Related: 6 reasons why regulators need resource scheduling software for on-site inspections
How does inspection management software make KPI tracking easy?
Cloud, AI and high-configuration technology can make it a lot easier for regulators to track their inspection KPIs. The right mix of technology can serve as a comprehensive solution to:
- Connect different data sources without having to shuffle piles of paper.
- Track, analyse and understand inspection data in a way that will enable us to form a strategy and make decisions faster.
- Automate inspection reporting that is understandable for its intended audience.
- Achieve a new level of resource optimisation
Related: Why real-time data is vital for inspection tracking?
Inspection management software for better inspection scheduling and resource utilisation
It’s easy to write and talk about tracking inspection KPIs and their importance. But when it comes to transforming old legacy systems into digital inspection systems, things look scary. That’s why Canalix offers end-to-end inspection management solutions that enable them to track essential KPIs to identify weak spots and potential for optimisation. With tools to reshape resource management, travel routes, schedule optimisations etc., regulators can start walking their rode on the way to better inspection service with the necessary cost optimisation.
