The monthly report in an operations and maintenance contract is not a bureaucratic paper — it's a real oversight tool that gives you a clear view of what's happening in your facility. The difference between a client who gets a good service and another who wastes their money on a weak provider often lies in how they engage with these reports.
Why Is the Monthly Report an Oversight Tool, Not a Routine Paper?
Without a regular report, you manage the operations and maintenance service "with the naked eye": you feel things are good or bad without numbers to support your judgment. The report turns this feeling into data:
- Were all preventive maintenance tasks completed this month?
- How many reports came in and how many were closed?
- Are the same faults recurring?
- Is the team present and regular?
- What are the recommendations for next month?
💡 An important rule: A company that refuses to provide a detailed monthly report — or provides an empty one — is hiding something. A professional report is evidence of transparency and self-confidence.
The Contents of a Professional Monthly Report
A good report covers six main areas:
| # | Pillar | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Executive summary | The highlights of this month in 3–5 points |
| 2 | Operational work | Completed tasks, hours spent, completion percentage |
| 3 | Report management | Number received, closed, open, and average closure time |
| 4 | Preventive maintenance | Scheduled, completed, and postponed tasks with the reason |
| 5 | Performance indicators | The results of the KPIs agreed in the contract |
| 6 | Recommendations | Observations needing attention, recommendations for next month |
The Reports Section: The Heart of the Report
Report management is the most important area because it reflects the company's daily responsiveness. A good report shows:
Report statistics
- Total reports received during the month
- Distribution by type (emergency, ordinary, preventive)
- Distribution by service type (maintenance, cleaning, operations)
- Number closed on time
- Number that exceeded the time, with justification
- Number still open at month-end with the reason and plan
Analyzing recurring reports
Recurring reports need special attention. If the same fault recurs more than once, it means:
- The previous repair wasn't thorough
- Or the equipment needs replacing, not repairing
- Or there's a deeper problem that wasn't diagnosed
⚠️ A danger sign: If you notice the same report being opened and closed repeatedly — request a meeting to discuss it. Fast closure without a thorough fix is a common problem.
The Preventive Maintenance Section: The Discipline Indicator
This section reveals how committed the company is to executing what it pledged in the preventive schedule:
- Scheduled: The number of preventive maintenance tasks planned this month
- Completed: What was actually carried out, with the date and technician's name
- Postponed: What was postponed, with the reason and the new execution date
- Observations: What was discovered during the preventive maintenance rounds
📌 The quality standard: A preventive maintenance completion rate below 90% repeatedly — an indicator of weak operational discipline worth discussing with the company.
The Recommendations Section: The Real Added Value
A good operations company doesn't just record what happened — it suggests what should be done. Good recommendations include:
- Equipment or systems nearing the end of their life that need advance planning
- Areas needing extra care that the field team noticed
- Suggestions to improve energy efficiency or reduce faults
- Safety-related needs that require addressing
- Upgrade or replacement work the company suggests for the next period
How Do You Read the Report and Benefit from It?
Don't just receive the report and file it. Here's the effective way to read it:
- Start with the executive summary: It gives you the big picture in two minutes
- Review the performance indicators: Were the agreed targets met?
- Examine the open reports: What's the reason and what's the plan?
- Check the preventive maintenance rate: Was ≥ 95% achieved?
- Read the recommendations carefully: Is there anything needing a budget or a decision?
- Compare with the previous month: Is performance improving or declining?
The Monthly Meeting to Review the Report
The report alone isn't enough. The monthly meeting adds real value:
- Discussing shortcomings and setting an improvement plan
- Agreeing on next month's priorities
- Discussing the recommendations that need a decision from the client
- Evaluating the relationship between the two parties openly
- Reviewing any changes required in the scope of work
Meeting duration: 30–60 minutes is usually enough. It can be held remotely if attendance isn't possible.
A Template for Evaluating the Monthly Report
When you receive each report, evaluate it on these criteria:
| Criterion | Good | Needs improvement | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comprehensiveness | Covers all areas | Missing some sections | Just an empty summary |
| Accuracy | Clear, logical numbers | Approximate numbers | Unreliable data |
| Timing | Within 5 days of month-end | Within two weeks | Late or not sent |
| Recommendations | Practical, specific recommendations | General recommendations | No recommendations |
| Follow-up | Reflects what was discussed the previous month | Some follow-up | No follow-up |
Conclusion
The monthly report is the mirror that reflects the reality of the operations and maintenance service in your facility. Request it every month, read it carefully, discuss it with the service provider, and use it as the basis for renewal or change decisions. A company that cares about its reports cares about its service.
Frequently Asked Questions
The electronic format (PDF or Word) is easier to archive and compare across months. What matters is that it's organized and easy to read, not necessarily long.
Yes, some clients request brief weekly reports along with a detailed monthly report. This suits large facilities or those with intensive daily needs.
Discuss it directly with the account manager and specify what you expect from the report. Provide a sample of what you want if needed. If the shortfall continues after the agreement — that's a serious sign of the company's weakness.