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Inventory and loan-equipment management
Inventory management is the control of what there is, where it is, in what condition and for whom it is reserved: devices, spare parts, consumables or sales stock. In a technical service it also covers the pool of loan equipment lent to customers while theirs is under repair, and its cycle of dispatch, return, inspection and renewed availability.
Why I consider it important
A reliable inventory avoids two opposite problems: not having what is needed and tying up what is not used. In technical service, loan equipment is what turns a breakdown into a minor inconvenience instead of days without being able to work — but it only works if you know at all times which devices are available, which are on loan and to whom, and which are back from inspection. In a clinic, stock control of products directly affects invoicing and cash.
How I apply it
I keep a single record per unit (serial number, status, location, customer if on loan and expected return date) and update it at the moment of the movement, not at the end of the day. I periodically check that what is recorded matches what is physically there.
Concrete examples
INDIBA2023–present
control of the loan-equipment pool: assignment to customers whose device is in the workshop, tracking return dates, inspecting devices on return and recording availability, so the customer can keep working while theirs is repaired.
Clínica Dermik2015–2021
inventory control of retail products and consumables at reception, with periodic counts reconciled against cash and the sales recorded in SALUS.
Tools I use for it
Related skills
Frequently asked questions
What is loan equipment?
An equivalent device the company lends to a customer while theirs is being repaired, so their activity is not interrupted. It requires controlling availability, delivery, return and condition.
How often should an inventory be checked?
Movements are recorded as they happen; physical counts depend on turnover, but short periodic counts are more effective than a single annual stocktake for catching discrepancies.
What minimum data should each unit's record hold?
Identifier or serial number, status (available, on loan, under inspection, retired), location, customer or responsible person if it is out, and expected return date.