After your business reaches stability, you may be thinking that it’s time to grow to increase your facility’s productivity and efficiency. While there are countless options and approaches to upgrading a production facility, after months of intensive research, you have decided to invest in Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) software to organize better and manage your facility’s needed repairs.
However, while you’ve heard of the countless benefits using a CMMS can have for a production facility, you may still be unsure. Investing in the highest quality CMMS software alone would only be a waste of money. You need to consider and set aside key strategies and plans before diving in headfirst.
CMMS software is highly advanced. It allows users access to features and innovations designed to streamline regular maintenance and emergency repair occurrences. They tend to include mobile apps and remote access to operations, along with data management tools to access and analyze your previous repair records and histories to assess the value of your assets. Additionally, some CMMS software has included data visualization tools to help you better understand your facility’s current performance indicators.
High-quality CMMS software is adaptable, but there are a few crucial tips for getting the best out of your CMMS software.
1. Use CMMS to Inform Accountability Structure
CMMS software enables you to automatically schedule appointments with technicians on demand. You can also gauge project completion status and your facility’s overall progress, all while setting achievable goals for your team members. This feature is highly versatile. You can use it to implement robust and accurate accountability structures for your staff members and technicians.
However, an accountability system is useless without doing anything worthwhile with the data. For instance, consider rewarding technicians who complete repairs or replacements within their assigned timeline regularly. The same applies to team members. Offer bonuses and rewards if they’re doing well, and open a line of communication with employees and technicians who fall behind to find the source of the problem, whether it be lack of motivation, a tight schedule, or work stress.
2. Track Performance Indicators
With CMMS software, you don’t only have access to current data to assess your facility’s work. You can also assess performance indicators. You can do this by analyzing backlogs, average repair time, and expected time between machinery failures, costs per unit per production, and return on investment.
With time, you can even begin to notice varying patterns of performance depending on the season or time of year. Analyzing this data can give information on how to improve. For example, you can track production to gauge seasonal fluctuations due to your staff and machinery overheating, impacting efficiency. Additionally, you can assess your service ticket volume.
As you develop a rich repair history, your CMMS software enables you to view, graph, and assess the costs and profits of every piece of machinery you have. Draw on these calculations to estimate asset values and compare performance when considering purchasing new equipment and upgrading your facility.
Also, make sure your comparison isn’t limited to the assets in your facility, which may lead you to get stuck in a bubble. Instead, compare your assets’ performance with that of similar equipment on the market. With a considerable difference in performance and return on investment, you may be able to justify a significant facility upgrade to your superiors and get the funding needed.
Data is the most valuable asset in all industries. As CMMS software intelligently records and calculates information for you, you can extrapolate this data into informed future business decisions and justify present findings to fellow managers and company leaders.
There’s no such thing as old data. Even records you kept on physical paper can be of importance and produce significant insights into the inner workings of your facility. If you have many paper documents and records, invest time and staff-power to digitize the data to use it in your analyses and graphs.
Investing in CMMS software is an intelligent decision no matter the sub-specialty of your facility, size, and current condition. Consider the vast array of product models these platforms have to offer before making a purchase. And don’t expect results from the first day. You and your staff will need sufficient time to get used to using the CMMS software to the fullest. Once you do, you will start noticing considerable improvements in your facility.