Maintenance management software revolutionizes the way a company does business, streamlining maintenance procedures so the details don’t get lost in the cracks. Care needs to be taken in the selection, however, or you can easily end up with a maintenance software package from Hades.
Don’t Buy More than You Need
The first step in planning maintenance management is to decide first what you actually need. Invest in a maintenance system with all the latest bells and whistles, and you may quickly find you don’t need half of them. Small businesses especially would be wise to first decide their maintenance software needs before being swept off their feet by the possibilities. In the end, you’ll pay for it, with a high price for features you won’t even use.
Remember Training
Your maintenance system only works when your workers know how to use it. Comprehensive training is an important part of any maintenance management software package. Relax. Maintenance software is user friendly, but it helps to have a tour first. Not only will they understand the system better, but they’ll understand its full potential.
Worker Protocol
If your staff isn’t on board with modern maintenance management software, you might as well be doing things the old fashioned way: making educated guesses. Maintenance management is only worth what your staff is willing to put into it. If protocol and procedures aren’t strictly followed, you might lose it all in the system. Don’t expect your maintenance software to do everything for you. Data needs to be aligned to the CMMS software. Otherwise, it won’t even be in the same language.
The Integrity of the Provider
Maintenance management is the latest buzz word, especially as more and more companies realize how well it safe guards against disaster. Unfortunately, this has led to a string of providers jumping on the band wagon like the latest dot com boom. The catch is many of these companies won’t be around in a few years, leaving you holding the reins. Maintenance management is a long term commitment. Choose a company that has a history in a business, one that is sure to be around long enough to see it through.
Equally important is the maintenance software provider’s track record. Check out other companies they’ve worked with. Ask around at sites like linkedin.com and find out what your colleagues have to say about them. Reputation is built on sweat and hard work. Do an informal reference check on any maintenance system provider you consider hiring.
Author Resource:
Raymond Lehner is the author of this article on Maintenance Software .
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