Success in the Smart City: Preventative Maintenance

While technology manufacturers develop ever more robust solutions for remote problem resolution in the Smart City, preventative maintenance by skilled field engineers remains vital to the viability of today’s urban environment.

Smart city infrastructure – from public transport ticketing machines and access control gates to digital displays and traffic sensors – forms the backbone of modern urban mobility.

These technologies, which keep people moving efficiently and safely through cities, are mission critical. Cities rely on them for daily operations and citizens expect them to function on demand.

While technology manufacturers continue to respond to these challenges with increasingly robust equipment and remote, data-informed problem resolution tools, this article explores how and why ‘boots-on-the-ground’ preventative maintenance by skilled field engineers and technicians remains central to the smart city success story.

Smart City Preventative Maintenance

The case for placing preventative maintenance at the heart of a smart city strategy can be defined in three categories: reliability, cost, and asset life.

Preventative maintenance has long been a vital pillar of technology management across all sectors. It involves scheduled inspections, cleaning, software updates, and part replacements – all aimed at catching potential issues before they escalate into failures. Rather than waiting for an access gate to jam or a ticket kiosk to go dark, field engineers perform routine check-ups to keep equipment operating at its best.

In the smart city, the stakes are even higher. Not only are systems critical in their own right, but their interdependence means that a single failure can cascade, bringing part – or even all – of a city to a standstill. Such disruption threatens the seamless, safe, and efficient experience expected of modern urban life. It also risks undermining the reputation of both the manufacturer and the city itself.

Minimising downtime, therefore, is not just about cost saving – it is essential to maintaining public confidence and ensuring operational continuity.

Preventative Maintenance – The Cost Advantage

Scheduled preventative maintenance does offer clear financial benefits as well though, most obviously in two areas: reducing downtime, and avoiding expensive reactive repairs.

Unplanned downtime in critical infrastructure leads to service disruption, lost revenue, and frustrated users. A ticket machine failure during rush hour can cause long queues and reduce fare income; a faulty traffic sensor might increase congestion and pose safety risks. Data from longer-established technology sectors is telling: over $50 billion is lost annually in manufacturing due to unplanned downtime, while UK retail reportedly suffers £1.3 billion in losses each year from technology failure.

Emergency repairs are often significantly more expensive – up to nine times more than planned preventative work. In a smart city context, that may involve higher labour charges, rush call-outs, and a higher frequency of breakdowns. The added strain can also accelerate the need for full equipment replacement, as we shall see.

Proactive maintenance avoids these risks. It reduces unplanned downtime, lowers repair costs, and improves overall service quality – making it a best practice in both financial and operational terms.

Extending Asset Life

Reactive repair only strategies don’t just cost more – they shorten equipment lifespan. Devices that “run to failure” typically sustain greater damage, increasing the likelihood of early replacement.

Scheduled servicing by experienced smart city field engineers delivers measurable benefits. Studies show that proactive maintenance can reduce downtime by 35–50% and extend asset life by 20–40%. By routinely replacing worn components, applying updates, and recalibrating systems, engineers can ensure reliable performance well beyond standard service life.

Again by way of illustration, construction industry research suggests that regular preventative care can boost equipment longevity by up to 60%. These benefits directly translate to urban mobility technologies – a well-maintained kiosk or surveillance camera will last longer, function better, and require fewer interventions.

Planned maintenance visits often include detailed cleaning, testing, and full diagnostics. Engineers may also advise on staff training or technical optimisation, increasing the performance, reducing user error or mis-practice, and increasing the effectiveness of remote support. The result: fewer faults, greater uptime, and longer operational life – all contributing to reduced cost and operational peace of mind.

Smart City Preventative Maintenance – Examples

The value of preventative maintenance becomes clear when applied to everyday smart city systems:

• Ticketing Machines: Used by thousands daily, these kiosks must perform reliably at peak times. A failure during commuter hours leads to disruption, queues, and lost revenue. Scheduled maintenance – such as cleaning card readers, updating firmware, and replacing worn touchscreens – ensures service continuity.
• ‘Tap and Go’ Contactless Payment Units: These fast, convenient payment interfaces are increasingly the preferred way for travellers to access transport services. Because they process high transaction volumes, even minor issues can cause major delays or payment errors. Preventative care – including reader calibration, connection testing, and software security updates – ensures reliable, safe, and frictionless operation for both users and operators.
• Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) and Passenger Information Systems: From onboard GPS units to roadside display panels showing live bus arrival times, AVL technologies are vital for keeping passengers informed and services running efficiently. Preventative maintenance involves checking sensor accuracy, verifying data links, cleaning or replacing display components, and confirming integration with control-room systems – helping ensure information is timely, accurate, and visible.
• Access Control Systems: From turnstiles to building entry gates, these systems manage flow and safety. A gate stuck shut causes delays; one stuck open risks security. Proactive work such as lubricating moving parts, checking sensors, and testing backup power helps avoid these failures and supports safe, efficient movement.
• Digital Displays and Signage: These systems provide real-time information and guidance. A frozen or blank screen during disruption can confuse travellers and undermine public trust. Routine servicing – including network checks, software monitoring, and backlight testing – keeps these vital communication tools online.

In each case, the difference between operational success and costly disruption often hinges on preventative care. Providers and operators who commit to structured service regimes experience far fewer failures, because problems are resolved during quiet periods before they escalate.

Qcom – Your Smart City Support Partner

Given the scale and complexity of smart city infrastructure, partnering with a dedicated technical services provider is an important strategic decision. Qcom is a trusted smart city support partner, delivering expert technical maintenance and engineering across the UK and Ireland.

Qcom operates a national field engineering network, capable of rapid deployment wherever needed – from city-centre telematics to remote rural ticketing systems. Services include rapid-response support, smart helpdesk, parts logistics, and even predictive maintenance informed by failure trend analysis.

At the heart of Qcom’s offering is a flexible preventative maintenance programme, tailored to client needs – whether long-term contracts or one-off service preparations for critical events.

As a pure-play technical services provider, Qcom focuses solely on service performance. Field engineers are fully trained to manufacturer standards, and deliver consistently high first-time fix rates that help clients meet service level agreements and maintain public satisfaction.

Qcom has a proven track record across all major smart city technologies – including ticketing, access control, EV charging, digital signage, lockers, and vending. This expertise enables Qcom to understand the real-world challenges of 24/7 urban systems – and to deliver maintenance solutions that maximise uptime, extend asset life, and ensure fast recovery when faults occur.

Conclusion

Despite continual advances in remote diagnostics and product reliability, skilled field engineers remain essential to the smart city. Preventative maintenance safeguards revenue, protects public trust, and maximises the lifespan of critical infrastructure.

In a world where urban mobility depends on integrated, high-performance technology, the right support partner makes all the difference. With Qcom’s expert preventative maintenance, rapid repair, and field service capability, local authorities, transport operators, and OEMs can ensure their systems run reliably for the long haul.

To discuss your smart city and urban mobility technology support requirements, contact Qcom today >>