CMMS Software - Selecting the Right CMMS
Good Computerized Maintenance Management Software (CMMS)
that schedules preventive maintenance work orders on your
equipment is an integral component of any efficient
maintenance department. Preventive and scheduled
maintenance, efficiently scheduled, will not only reduce
your maintenance costs, but will minimize emergency repairs
and downtime, resulting in an increase in overall
profitability. A few years ago, choosing the right CMMS
Software was a much simpler venture. With only a few
programs to choose from, you could do minimal research and
be on your way to implementing a simple and effective
system. But, with the explosion of the maintenance software
industry in recent years, selecting your software has become
a far more complex task. One that involves extensive
investigation and evaluation. Some of the most important
issues to consider when deciding which CMMS is right for you
are cost, stability of the vendor, program features, fast
implementation, support availability, and last but not least
availability of a demonstration program.
Cost is possibly the most important consideration in the
hunt for a CMMS. Quite simply, the most useful preventive
maintenance software in the world is of no use to you if
your company cannot afford the purchase price. For the
maintenance manager on a budget the key to finding the best
software is value. A great strategy for a company selecting
their first CMMS is to look for maintenance management
software that offers low initial cost, as well as
expandability, resulting in the delivery of the greatest
value for your dollar.
Another important factor that is frequently overlooked by
CMMS buyers is the stability of the vendor developing and
distributing the preventive maintenance software. It is
vital to ask how long the vendor has been in business and if
this is the only product that they sell. Choose a system
only from a company that has been in business for a number
of years and that sells only one line of products. This will
minimize the possibility of the company going out of
business or abandoning the product line for one of their
other ventures. After all, a new program or one from a start
up company may seem like a great deal, but if your support
system disappears your maintenance software investment will
quickly become worthless.
Program features are another important component of choosing
a CMMS. Determine what your maintenance goals are
and look
for a program that will meet them. For the simplest of
operations you will need to list your equipment, enter
preventive maintenance tasks on that equipment and then be
able to generate and print work orders. For more complex
operations there may be a need bar coding for inventory and
customizable reporting. Some distributors offer a base
program with the option of adding modules, which are
available immediately or as needed in the future. This is a
great option to have as your maintenance operation becomes
more efficient and additional features and customizations
are desired.
Implementation must be quick and efficient. After all, a
CMMS that will be cumbersome to get up and running will only
tie up more time and resources. Features like wizards or
other automated entry will make implementation exponentially
faster and will have you on your way to maintenance
efficiency in very little time.
Technical support for implementation must be available and
personnel should be on hand on an ongoing basis for any
future challenges that may arise. Part of this support
should be periodic update releases to keep your technology
current in this fast paced digital age. Remember, CMMS is an
investment in the productivity of your maintenance
department. A maintenance software distributor should be
reputable and have been in business for a number of years to
insure that your software will serve its purpose for many
years to come.
A fully working demonstration of the program is probably the
most useful tool that you will have in your evaluation of
any CMMS. Install the program that you are considering and
begin implementing it. This will give you a solid idea of
all of the issues we have discussed in this article. You
will be able to find out what kind of time frame to expect
for implementation and may evaluate the usefulness and
availability of the features that you need. While evaluating
demonstration software you may call the distributor with
questions and see for yourself what kind of support is
available and if it will readily meet your requirements.
As you know, good Computerized Maintenance Management
Software can be the backbone of your maintenance department.
Be sure that you choose the right CMMS to fit your
department's needs and start optimizing today!
About the Author
Erin Ouellette
COGZ Systems, LLC
203-263-7882
http://www.cogz.com/
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