If you ask Milwaukee Tool’s employees, they will tell you – it is not a tool company, it is a solutions company. They build solutions for users that enable them to perform their jobs accurately and safely, by engineering smart technology into their tools.ONE-KEY Technology was developed to enable users to have greater control of their tools and equipment. Compatible with all inventory management methods, ONE-KEY Technology allows complete visibility across jobs resulting in cost-savings in time, maintenance, etc. The software facilitates everything from asset ID tagging and equipment trackers to barcode scanning and geofencing.

ONE-KEY Technology not only elevated Milwaukee Tool to be recognized as an innovative leader in the industry, but it changed the way that Milwaukee Tool views their own organization. Below are highlights from Ryan Garlock, Milwaukee Tool’s Software Development Manager, presentation on ONE-KEY Technology:

  • User substance versus user empathy. Instead of assuming that users want to use our products, let’s work with them to build them the tools that they need at the highest use quality we can make them.
  • Reliability versus progressive. We don’t want to be just a reliable company; we want to make leaps and bounds in technology and engineering.
  • Activity versus impact. Ensure that your activity is not just busy work but provides an actual impact. And sometimes having an impact in a software world does not mean writing code.
  • Three priorities. Never give your team members (from strategy to development to quality control) more than three priorities.
  • Goals are a moving target. Don’t set a static goal (i.e. number of users, revenue); the goal should always be in flux. It should be just outside your reach to encourage you to keep trying to get there.
  • What you don’t do is just as important as what you do. For example, don’t rush to push out updates. Ensure that they are complete and communicated correctly or you are only setting yourself up for failure.
  • Sometimes the right thing to do just needs to be done. Don’t disregard an activity just because it might be more difficult or how long it might take you.