If you own a company and have recently made the decision to implement one of the computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), then you are probably anxious to get started and start enjoying the benefits it offers. With CMMS you have the ability to track, maintain, optimize equipment, and maintain not just your facility but also your fleet. It helps you to minimize the amount of asset failures, which benefits your company as a whole.
So as you work towards implementing a CMMS that makes sense for your company’s needs, here are five tips you will want to keep in mind.
Give Thought to Your Goals
Before you even start the implementation process or pick your software, it’s a good idea to give thought to your goals. What do you hope to achieve with the CMMS? Where is your company falling short right now? Is this meant to replace an existing CMMS or is this the first time you are using it? What will your basic business requirements be?
These kinds of questions will help to guide you in finding the best solution for your needs. You want to be sure that you aren’t moving backwards, in other words make sure that the implementation process goes smoothly and moves forward at all times.
Put Together an Implementation Team
There’s no question about it, the implementation process will be just that – a process. What this means is that you’ll want to have a dedicated team working on it and overseeing it. Granted the team doesn’t have to be big, just a couple of staff is usually good enough. You’ll want to designate a lead planner for the team who will then delegate and keep things organized.
Make Training a Priority
As part of the implementation process you also need to think about training. The CMMS will only work as intended if people are using it properly. If you feel confident in training the staff you can do so, otherwise have a member of the implementation team or bring in an outside trainer to get the job done.
Make Sure the Entire Staff is On the Same Page
Another helpful tip is to ensure the entire staff is on-board when it comes to the CMMS. This means discussing it before you actually implement it, talking to everyone who will be impacted by it, answering questions, and really being a champion of the product. You can help staff embrace it further by picking CMMS that features a user-friendly interface, a mobile app, and other engaging features.
Pose Questions to the Vendor
In order to protect your best interests as a company you will also want to take the time to ask the CMMS vendor questions. Ask about their software, their track record of success, customer service with its customers, how much experience they have in your industry, etc. You want to be sure that you are 100% comfortable with the vendor.
A System Everyone Can Be On-Board With
By following these tips you’ll be sure to make the implementation of the CMMS a smooth experience for all.
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