Maintenance Management is a critical component of asset protection. Managed correctly, it can be used as a tool to save money and actually play an active role in profitability. Technology, in the form of Maintenance Management Software (CMMS) has stepped up to the plate by providing solutions that are effective and can be used to increase the efficiency of any maintenance department.
Before making the decision to purchase Maintenance Management Software, it is vital to determine the most efficient work processes you currently use. It may be helpful to create a list of all of the normal processes that are done by the maintenance group, and evaluate how effectively they have controlled costs and repairs.
Maintenance Management Software Checklist:
- Set Realistic Performance Goals. Make a list of the maintenance goals within your business. Far too often, the maintenance group is excluded from goal setting and planning. Goal setting will be able to define maintenance roles in terms of saving the company money while protecting assets and providing service to tenants. Although labor and budgets for repairs are not easy to plan, it is helpful to look at the history of repair costs to get a range of expected repair needs within the facility.
- Assessment and Asset Management. It is important to create a list of all of the assets that will need to be maintained. It is somewhat rare to find that all assets are being tracked adequately, but tracking the critical components of your facility is a must. Your maintenance management team can’t create effective work orders unless they have a clear view of everything that is considered an asset by the business. Making this list will allow Maintenance Management Software providers to understand the unique challenges of your facility and help you implement a solution that will optimize performance. Once your Maintenance Management Software is installed, it will be able to track and compare performance for all equipment within your facility, ensuring you have an effective way to manage costs in the future.
- Optimize Work Processes. One of the largest challenges faced by a maintenance group is listing all of the work processes performed by their team if they haven’t implemented a Maintenance Management Software system in the past. These work processes will provide consistency of performance if staffing changes, minimizing issues that can cost big money. Your work processes also should be reviewed to ensure they meet the current guidelines provided by equipment manufactures and industry standards to ensure they are optimized for cost control. The best path is to evaluate each critical work process first, then as time permits, evaluate regular work processes, including specific safety considerations that need to be taken into account.
- Review Your Preventive Maintenance Schedule. PM Schedules are often put together over time, with many on the spot revisions. To minimize routine changes to the PM Schedule, review your asset list versus your PM Schedule to group the timeline by Building and similar equipment. This helps transition smoothly into your new Maintenance Management Software and minimizes the effects of changing systems.
Implementing a good maintenance management system need not be expensive, but for an effective implementation it is best to prepare all of the information in advance of a decision so you can clearly assess your needs and requirements.