From cost savings to reduced downtime and fewer breakdowns, you can reap many benefits from using a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) to handle your preventive maintenance program. However, getting these benefits requires proper CMMS implementation by your organization or team.
You don’t want to invest time, effort, and money into CMMS software only not to see the return on investment you anticipated. Let’s look at some things to avoid when executing a CMMS implementation.
Reasons CMMS Implementations Fail
The way we see it, there are many reasons CMMS implementations fail. Still, we can place them under two broad categories: not planning correctly and failing to secure institutional buy-in.
Poor Planning
Without clear goals, it’s hard for a team to see success with CMMS solutions. For one, many solutions are on the market, and not all fit a team’s specific needs. A CMMS won’t make a difference if a team doesn’t understand its current state and where it wants to go.
Similarly, adopting a solution without knowing what it will require from the end user in terms of time, money, and effort will likely only complicate your work processes. Poor planning might also result in a team wanting to adopt a solution too quickly, hampering current and intended new processes.
Lack of Buy-In
This includes support both from senior management and floor staff. If all stakeholders aren’t on board with the new CMMS solution, they can’t fully invest in it. Such a situation might mean that management doesn’t allocate a proper budget for the CMMS project and that team members don’t fully adopt the CMMS because they don’t see its value.
With that in mind, here are some ways you can organize your software implementation to improve your chances of success.
Steps to a Successful CMMS Implementation
1. Conduct Internal Research
The first step in your CMMS implementation process should be an internal assessment of your current state. Where do you stand now? Where do you want to go?
As great as a CMMS system can be, it’s not wise to jump into the market for new software without first knowing what you should be looking for. Take stock of your current maintenance processes and identify where you want/need improvements.
What are you doing right?
Are you falling short of any (key performance indicators) KPIs or metrics? Also, what are you looking to get out of this CMMS project? Reduced maintenance costs? Increased Mean Time Between Repair (MTBR)?
Do you want a complete overhaul, or are you seeking to improve a single business process? You’ll want to consult different stakeholders: the maintenance team, shop floor workers, your IT department, facility managers, and senior leadership.
2. Conduct External Research
Once you know what you want to achieve, it’s time to check the marketplace for a fitting CMMS solution. There are many maintenance management software options out there. Consider the various options, like pricing, ease of use, and functionality. You’ll need this information handy for the next step.
3. Get Management on Board
Once you’ve found the right CMMS for your team, you need to make a convincing case for it. If you already have work order software, you’ll need to explain why you want to change to a new CMMS.
Make sure you properly account for the potential costs, not just in acquiring the software but in training the potential end users (staff). Use clear metrics and KPIs to show how the software can improve your maintenance operations and how you plan to track long-term performance.
4. Get Your Maintenance Team on Board
In addition to management, you need to get your shop floor workers on board with your new CMMS solution. Securing their cooperation can be challenging, especially if you already have specific ways of managing your maintenance tasks.
Demonstrate to your team the benefits of using the software, create an environment that encourages them to be open regarding any challenges or concerns they have, and address these as you move forward.
5. Plan to Execute
Once you have buy-in, it’s time to figure out how exactly you want to use your new CMMS solution. Consider the whole process from start to finish. Identify any areas where you might face challenges and plan to mitigate them.
For example, do you foresee staff having trouble adjusting to the new software? If so, prepare for proper training. For a successful rollout, consider your current maintenance schedules, your work order management system, and how you plan to adjust them to fit your new processes.
Also, think back to your initial goals and figure out how you want to keep track of them. Setting milestones to help you ensure you’re on track is helpful.
6. Train Your Staff
Conduct training sessions to ensure workers fully understand how to use the technology. There’s no point in changing to a new system to save time, only to waste more time down the line because your team is stumped by one feature or another.
Usually, your CMMS vendor will conduct a training or demonstration session. However, having a robust internal training plan is a good idea, especially as you’ll need to onboard new staff to the software. Conduct user testing here, find out what challenges staff have using the software, and address them.
7. Launch
This is your go-live point. In some cases, it might be best to fully adopt the CMMS at this point and completely stop all other systems. However, depending on your team, you might want to transition gradually.
Be prepared to handle any hiccups from initial use, and contact your CMMS vendor if you need their help.
8. Perform Continuous Analysis and Review
The final step to ensure successful implementation involves continuous improvement. This means monitoring your team’s use of the CMMS, auditing and analyzing the performance, and finding ways to improve on any setbacks.
Ensure you collect accurate data to confirm you’re hitting all your user adoption and performance milestones.
CMMS Implementation with MaintainX
Successful CMMS implementation simplifies your preventive maintenance activities and ensures your team focuses their energies on what really matters. MaintainX offers a CMMS app so simple that anyone can use its basic functionalities without training.
Leave pen-and-paper work orders and spreadsheets behind. Take advantage of maintenance work order automation and cloud-based storage of procedures to streamline your workflows.
From spare parts inventory to a simplified asset management module, MaintainX exists to make life easier for you. There’s a reason G2 recently recognized the app in the Most Implementable and Easiest Setup categories.
This doesn’t mean you’re on your own, either. MaintainX offers robust customer support and resources to help you each step of the way.
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Lekan Olanrewaju
Lekan Olanrewaju is a content writer at MaintainX with years of experience in media and content creation. He has held positions at various media organizations, working with and leading teams at print magazines, digital publications, and television productions.
