High-functioning facilities teams are not just good at responding when something breaks. They build habits that help districts work more proactively, communicate more clearly, and make better decisions over time. In Follett Software’s webinar, Building Intelligence for Better District Decisions, Dr. Adam Larsen boiled that down to five simple habits: add photos, write clear notes, close work orders completely, follow preventive maintenance schedules, and report issues quickly.

Here is why each one matters.

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1. They add photos

Photos are one of the easiest ways to reduce confusion and improve communication. They help technicians prepare before they arrive, document what was done, and build trust with school leaders who may not understand every technical detail but can clearly see progress and results.

A photo can show a problem before work begins, the equipment being serviced, or the completed result afterward. That makes the work easier to understand and easier to verify.

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2. They write clear notes

A note that says “fixed” does not help much. It does not explain what happened, what was found, or what was done. Better notes create usable history.

Clear notes should help the next person answer simple but important questions:

• What was wrong?
• What did the technician see?
• What was repaired or replaced?
• What should someone know next time?

Those small details save hours later, especially when teams are juggling many work orders or when a different technician has to step in.

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3. They close work orders quickly, but completely

Closing a work order is not just about speed. It is about finishing the work and documenting it well enough that others can trust the result.

That matters because incomplete work orders create confusion, weaken trust, and make it harder to learn from the work later. A well-closed work order becomes part of the district’s memory, not just a record of a completed task.

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4. They follow preventive maintenance schedules

Strong teams do not define success only by how well they respond to emergencies. They define success by how many problems they prevent.

Preventive maintenance keeps equipment running longer, reduces avoidable disruptions, and gives leaders better information for repair-versus-replace decisions. It also helps districts shift from short-term reaction to longer-term planning.

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5. They report issues quickly

Speed matters, but so does visibility. If information sits too long with one person, problems grow and teams lose time.

High-functioning teams move information quickly so the right people can act. That helps campuses feel supported, leaders stay informed, and departments work together more effectively.

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Why these habits matter beyond facilities

These habits do more than improve maintenance operations. They strengthen team culture, preserve institutional knowledge, improve safety, and support better district communication.

They also make it easier to show the value of the work being done. In the webinar, Dr. Larsen described how documenting and sharing work helped his department communicate scope, priorities, and value more clearly to principals, superintendents, and the broader community.

That is an important reminder for every district. The work matters. But if the system does not make the work visible, leaders lose opportunities to build trust and make stronger decisions.

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A better standard for district operations

The strongest facilities teams are not defined only by how fast they can react. They are defined by how well they document, communicate, prevent, and plan.

Those five habits are a strong place to start. Over time, they create better information, better decisions, and better work for the people every school depends on.

 

>> See how Follett Work Orders helps facilities teams document, track, and communicate work more clearly. Learn more.

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