It’s no secret that maintenance personnel are frequently overworked, and it’s also no secret that companies in today's fast-changing and increasingly technology-driven environment cannot keep up with laborious, manual operations.
Because of this, a large number of businesses, both large and small, are investing in computerized maintenance management software (CMMS) in order to simplify procedures, reduce time pressures, improve efficiency, and save costs associated with maintenance.
Even while your CMMS is a very helpful tool for maintenance managers, it is possible for it to lose some (or even most) of its effectiveness if these typical implementation errors are ignored.
The following are three frequent errors that we observe businesses making while utilizing their CMMS:
1. Taking on Too Much
In the midst of all the enthusiasm around the acquisition of CMMS software, you could discover that you take on more modules or features as part of a generic onboarding process than you are able to manage.
The best thing to do in the beginning is to utilise a few key modules or services of need until you and your team have mastered them, and then proceed to add other modules over the course of time. If you don’t need a fully managed service, then start with the software by itself and work your way up.
The best way to do this is to determine which processes inside your organization aren't functioning properly, then work with the departments in your company to figure out which modules your team should deploy first and in what order – we can often help with this.
For instance, if your team is buried under a mountain of work orders, you might want to think about prioritising work order maintenance and training in your software before anything else.
On the other hand, if you believe that your preventative maintenance is out of control, you might want to consider mastering scheduling first.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Your software is customisable and having completed literally hundreds of implementations, we can give advice of where you can get the most leverage.
The key is avoiding tackling everything at once and yes, it's possible that your team will fight the change if they ever get the impression that they don't fully grasp how to utilize the CMMS software. Having a simple app obviously helps with this.
2. Failing to Get All Personnel On Board with the New System
User acceptance is one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome throughout any implementation process. It is possible that your team will be hesitant to utilize the new system; nonetheless, you should make every effort to get everyone on board with the new system.
Purchasing CMMS software is pointless if your team does not use the program. For instance, if you are utilizing CMMS software to delegate work orders and PM duties to your team, but only a few employees are really using the system, then these jobs will slip through the cracks.
You need to find out from your team what features they prioritize in a CMMS and prioritize these. Ask which procedures for facility management or maintenance are successful and which ones need some tweaking, and most importantly, take these recommendations into account when making your purchasing decision.
Just flagging here that THE MOST important factor in your team accepting the new CMMS Solution is the ease of use. If it’s not easy, they won’t bother.
After you've made a choice, you should make sure to explain how the new software will influence day-to-day procedures and why the new change is taking place. If your staff are aware of the positive aspects associated with using CMMS software, they will have a far greater willingness to utilize the system.
In addition, it's a smart move to provide users with the opportunity to try out the program on their own. This will not only assist you in identifying early adopters, but it will also provide your staff with the chance to identify problems and provide recommendations.
During this phase, you will be looking for early adopters, and those early adopters will likely go on to become quite influential to their peers.
Consequently, you should ensure that you encourage them to speak to their colleagues about their experience, and convey this positive attitude in relation to a new system.
3. Failing to Recognize the Significance of Training:
One of the most crucial phases in the process of implementing your new CMMS software is to ensure that all of your employees have received the appropriate training on how to use it.
Having said that, a significant number of facility managers discover that they are so enthusiastic about the new program that they speed through the training sessions and tutorials so that they may begin utilizing the software right away – if the software is good.
The only (small) problem with using this approach is that neither you nor your team will have a comprehensive picture of all that your CMMS software can achieve for you and how to make those things happen. Utilize training and tutorials from the vendor in early implementation.
During the training that you are receiving, make sure that you ask a variety of questions and that you fully grasp the program. You should become proficient in the usage of the system as if you would be required to instruct others in its use (because you may have to eventually).
When you are comparing the various CMMS software providers, another item to keep an eye out for is a support centre that offers training videos or other useful material.
This allows you to turn to it for fast queries whenever it is convenient for you to do so. Therefore, make sure you make the most of this opportunity and teach your crew before diving headfirst into finishing up task orders.
Conclusion
In the end, these errors are more often than not carried out unwittingly in an effort to save money or time by busy maintenance managers.
A minor error, though, can have an exponential negative impact on both the amount of money made and the amount of work that can be done. However, if the CMMS is deployed in an appropriate manner, it is possible to simply prevent these problems before they snowball.
The implementation of CMMS software into your company's operations may prove to be extremely profitable but also incredibly efficient. In addition to the fact that your machinery, stores, buildings and fleet will function more effectively, you will also be able to reduce the amount of money spent on its upkeep by being proactive.