A few decades ago, CMMS was introduced into the manufacturing industry to drive efficiencies in equipment maintenance, but nobody envisioned that it would one day also transform more industries including hospitality, retail, offices, educational institutions and many more.
Now we are seeing the huge impact that CMMS is having in these industries and the many benefits that are being explored. The top business benefits include:
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A reduction in labour costs
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Reduction in downtime for equipment
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Extended life for assets
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More efficient parts ordering/inventory management
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Increased productivity
For many maintenance managers, or other budget owners within a business, it is essential that a big cost like CMMS will deliver ROI. The benefits listed above will usually ensure that the investment is paid for itself after a period.
What are the key features of a CMMS?
If you are considering whether to invest in a CMMS but are not familiar with the key features of one, here are the main ones that the software companies provide:
Preventive (Preventative) Maintenance
This is the real big winner out of all of the features. Preventive maintenance changes the way that repairs are completed, with the key difference being that there are no unexpected major incidents where equipment breaks down and the maintenance team reacts to fix it. Preventive maintenance is a proactive approach, which identifies the most appropriate time to replace parts, in a time where operations will be minimally affected. When equipment breaks unexpectedly, parts must be ordered and these can take a long time to arrive, during which the equipment will be out of use. With preventive maintenance, this is no longer an issue.
Easy to Use Portal for Maintenance Requests
One of the main barriers to employees submitting maintenance requests when they identify an issue with equipment is the notoriously difficult process to submit a request. With a CMMS, maintenance requests can quickly and effortlessly be submitted, meaning that there is less likelihood that equipment faults go unnoticed.
Equipment/Asset Management
Expensive equipment will be included in a company’s assets and therefore having an effective equipment management program protects the value of these assets. The software is also able to record important information such as work orders and repair history. Issues such as misuse, theft or misplacement will get tracked to quickly identify these kinds of problems.
Inventory Management
Tracking inventory was traditionally done on spreadsheets and took a long time to update. The CMMS is faster and makes it easier to see the current position, as it provides a real-time view of the inventory. Parts and materials can easily be monitored, and CMMS software can automate reports as well as equipment alerts.
Mobile Access
Being able to access online systems from mobile devices is essential for many businesses. When the maintenance technicians are working on different sites, a CMMS platform that is accessible by mobile, wherever they are ensures that they have all of the information that they need. This means there is no need to make calls or send emails to check details, as all of the information is accurately stored within the CMMS. Having a responsive mobile interface is a key feature to look for if you are thinking of investing in a CMMS, as it can save your company a lot of time and hugely improves maintenance efficiency.
These are the main features that you can expect with any good CMMS package but there are also plenty more available, with additional features being developed on a regular basis to accommodate the growing needs of businesses.
Would you like to find out more? Check out Lena Maint Computerized Maintenance Management Software page.
