what you should know before you purchase maintenance software

INTRODUCTION

CMMS or Computerized Maintenance Management System is simply a software program that helps you to manage the  maintenance activities in your business, some of which are::

  • Keeping an accurate track of which equipment is due for periodic maintenance, and what specifically should be done
  • Managing spare part storage and consumption by equipment, employee, or location
  • Analyse maintenance costs , frequency, and types of breakdowns
  • Provide detailed maintenance analysis to uncover opportunities for optimizing the maintenance quality and budget
  • Provide planning tools to help optimize labour and material resource allocations.

Well…, sounds great .. but what is the research telling us about the attitude of many decision makers as it relates to CMMS systems. The research tell us that many persons:

  • Do not even know that this technology exists, or do not know much about the benefits.
  • Are sceptical of the claims that  maintenance cost reductions can range  between 10% – 20% or even more
  • Believe that CMMS systems are expensive, and targets only large organizations that can afford them
  • Believe that CMMS systems are complex and require IT professionals to set up or manage
  • Believe that CMMS systems will be difficult  to integrate into their current business processes

This article is intended to give practical information about CMMS systems to decision makers that can help them decide if a CMMS is right for their business. 

 The Early Years
In the nineties,  much of the attitudes and beliefs about CMMS systems were understandable,  as these systems were indeed expensive, complex, and required IT specialists to install them. These views have largely shaped current design considerations, some of which are :

  • If the systems is too expensive and complex ( not user friendly), no one will want to use it and the benefits will not be realized. This is frustrating to both users and senior managers.
  • Potential users must ensure that the key features that they desire for their maintenance department, are present in any new system that they plan to purchase.
  • If an IT degree is needed to use a  CMMS, then it is likely the wrong software for you

CMMS Systems Today  – The Good News
With the advent of the Internet, and the powerful advances in Database technologies, all the earlier reasons for not having a CMMS are now things of the past. The cost of CMMS software varies considerably from free to thousands of dollars.  Some systems are still complex and expensive and do require consultants to set them up as they integrate with all or most of your other business processes such as HR, Accounting, Supply chain, etc., while at the other end, there are standalone or smaller systems that focuses predominantly on maintenance, and that you can download and install  yourself with a few click of the mouse. The choice of a system therefore depends on your overall objective, your experience with CMMS systems, your risk profile, and your budget. The good news is that a CMMS will save you money, but this depends on several factors including your overall maintenance philosophy and your current maintenance practices.

Common Mis-understandings about CMMS systems 

  • Maintenance cost will automatically trend down after the CMMS is installed.
    This is mostly true, but will depend on several factors, some of which are highlighted below.  
  • The CMMS will integrate well with your current maintenance practices 
    This is not always correct, as CMMS systems are designed based on certain rules. These rules are based on the experience and maintenance philosophy of the designer, so if the current maintenance practices at your organization do not match the rules and expectations of the newly installed CMMS, then your maintenance practices and culture will need to change, or the CMMS will not be useful. Note that changing  a maintenance culture is not as easy as it sounds, as humans are usually reluctant to make even small changes to their behaviour.
  • The new CMMS can be relied on to assist with some key maintenance decisions
    Although this is mostly true, too heavy a reliance on CMMS systems can lull some managers into a state of inaction, which can cause an increase in equipment failure. Always remember that what you get out of the CMMS depends entirely on the accuracy of the data that you put into the system. The CMMS is therefore intended to enrich,  but not replace the sound judgement and accumulated experience of the maintenance management team.
  • Once the CMMS is installed, we will have a good maintenance program.
    You should note that there are some organizations that have good maintenance programs but don’t have a CMMS; and conversely, that there are organizations that have purchased an expensive CMMS,  but have still not seen any improvement in their maintenance programs. This clearly highlights the simple fact,  that a CMMS and a good maintenance program are two very separate things, and that an understanding of both and how they work together, is important for an efficient and cost effective maintenance department

Recommendations for persons considering a CMMS
A CMMS should be placed at the heart (centre) of your maintenance program, but you should keep in mind that the soul of your maintenance organization is your maintenance philosophy, and that is shaped by the attitude to maintenance, and the quality of support from your senior management team. Here are a few things to keep in mind when considering a CMMS.

  • The CMMS is a tool to aid your maintenance program; it is not intended to replace it.
  • Review thoroughly the actual CMMS you are considering, to ensure that you understand what you are getting
  • Start out by designing a good maintenance program for your business. This might include a combination of Preventive and Predictive programs, and an idea of what data you would like to record for your maintenance reports.
  •  Keep it simple until you gain the experience.

DO NOT start out by hiring expensive consultants or by purchasing an expensive CMMS system unless your objectives, budget, and experience with computerized maintenance systems, dictate that you go in that direction.

Find a good  low cost CMMS of which there are many that you can download from the Internet,  and that you can set up yourself.  Once your maintenance department becomes comfortable with scheduling and tracking your maintenance jobs using a computer, your maintenance culture will have evolved to another level, and your costs will start to go down.  

 What to expect from your Newly Installed CMMS ?

The cost savings that you should expect from using a CMMS, will come from:

  • Improved information on what is happening in your maintenance Department
  • More accurate information on your maintenance cost drivers
  • Better and more accurate Tracking and Scheduling of planned work (PM)
  • Fewer incidents where you overlook, forget, or miss  entities that require PM
  • Less equipment breakdowns
  • More accurate staging of both human and material resources ( higher wrench times)
  • A good system of auditing routine work ( checklist audits for example).
  • Higher equipment Uptime 
  • Reduction in inventory costs (optimal stock levels) 

By tracking your breakdown work as well, you will be able to develop insights into root cause failure patterns    that can be effectively eliminated.

 In the beginning you should target a 10% to 20 % reduction in your maintenance cost, but this will depend on    your maintenance culture , and how well you manage maintenance in a general way at your facility.

 Get Top Management support from the start, as this will be needed to drive the behavioural changes once the system is up and running..

Article: submitted by John Spencer, Maintenance Managements systems consultant,  M.Sc., MBA, PE

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