Alex’s Unfiltered Takes: Cutting Through the Noise at Reliable Plant 2025

I’m wandering the expo hall at Reliable Plant 2025, dodging lanyards and sipping overpriced conference coffee, trying to see this place through a plant manager’s eyes. Everywhere I turn, CMMS/EAM vendors are blasting the same tired refrains: “Eliminate downtime!” “Maximize uptime!” “Best-in-class AI!” It’s like they’re all reading from the same script, each booth a carbon copy of the last. I’m waiting for a spark—something to make me pause, curious, ready to hear more. But these pitches? They’re so generic, I can’t imagine stopping for another demo that feels like a trap. If you’re a maintenance pro or plant manager trying to keep your operation humming, this noise isn’t just exhausting—it’s a problem. Let’s unpack why, and how we can do better.

The Noise is Drowning Out Trust

Step onto the conference floor, and it’s a sea of sameness. Vendors promise zero downtime, slashed budgets, and AI that’s apparently the second coming of sliced bread. But when every pitch sounds identical, how do you know who’s worth your time? This cookie-cutter approach erodes trust. You’re not looking for a sales spiel—you need a partner who gets your real challenges: aging equipment, tight schedules, or a team stretched to the limit. Instead, you get buzzwords that miss the mark.

This noise isn’t just annoying; it’s holding our industry back. Manufacturing, energy, utilities—these plants power the world, but generic promises don’t solve real problems. When vendors prioritize features over your needs, they’re adding to the chaos, not cutting through it. Worst of all, they’re forgetting the heart of reliability: people. Your technicians, operators, and managers are the ones keeping the lights on, yet most pitches treat them like an afterthought, lost in the glare of shiny tech.

The Reality Check: Buzzwords Don’t Cut It

Let’s break down the hype. “Eliminate downtime”? That’s a fantasy. Machines fail, humans err, and supply chains hiccup. Chasing zero downtime is like chasing a mirage—it sounds nice but pulls focus from real progress. The goal isn’t elimination; it’s managing downtime smarter—through better planning, predictive insights, and empowered teams.

This one is my favorite, “reduce maintenance budgets.” Sounds great until deferred maintenance lands you a $500,000 breakdown. The win isn’t a smaller budget; it’s a smarter one—prioritizing high-impact fixes, like upgrading critical assets or training your crew to leverage data.

And “best-in-class AI”? Please. Everyone’s claiming their AI is top-tier, but most tools are still in their infancy. AI’s value hinges on how it integrates with your people and processes, not who’s got the flashiest algorithm. Calling anything “best-in-class” now is like picking the Super Bowl winner in preseason—way too early. (I know Hexagon just won an award for its AI Feature, but that isn’t the point.)

The Fix: Put People First, Then Tech

At DigitalThinker, we’re over the noise. I walked this conference trying to feel what you feel as a plant manager, and not one vendor made me want to stop for a pitch. Their demos felt like traps, not solutions. Our approach is different. We start by listening—really listening—to your world: your equipment, your team, your pain points. Only then do we talk solutions. Technology should amplify your people, not overshadow them. That means intuitive CMMS tools that make technicians’ jobs easier, analytics that give managers clear priorities, and training that turns data into action.

Here’s the leadership lesson: your job is to cut through the noise—vendor hype, internal distractions, all of it—and invest in what empowers your team. We’re here to help, with tools and insights that fit your workflow, not just add to the buzz.

Join Me in Doing Better

Next time you’re stuck in a pitch, ask: Do they get my challenges? Are they empowering my team? If not, keep walking. I’d love to hear what you’re facing—DM me on LinkedIn or reply to this newsletter. Let’s talk about what’s really holding your plant back and how we can fix it together. Stay tuned for the next Alex’s Unfiltered Takes, where I’ll tackle another industry blind spot. Until then, let’s keep people first and silence the noise.

— Alex Bolan, DigitalThinker