There are certain signs an organization should heed to make a change for the better. If these problems sound familiar to you, a better maintenance management software may be solution:
Sign 1: Equipment is Always Breaking Down
The mindset may be that frequent problems with equipment are just “business as usual.” But it doesn’t have to be. If equipment and important assets are always breaking down, it may be because the right preventive maintenance is not in place. The work being performed may not be correct, and there may be a lack of follow up work orders,
For example, a bakery group constantly had to fix an oven unloader that would simply never time out correctly. The maintenance techs would retime the machine every time the problem arose. After the bakery group got SOMAX CMMS software up ad running, it became apparent the cam that rotates around the shaft on that unloader was missing a key, so it fell off the shaft and go out of time every time it began working hard. Before using maintenance management software to run preventive maintenance on that unloader, and learning how to identify and document issues, the group would simply fix the problem as-needed, costing valuable hours of labor and production each month.
Ultimately if your equipment is always breaking down, and you don't have a way to track and organize all your work, it may be a sign that you need a CMMS.
Sign 2: You're Not Always Sure What Your Team is Doing
Maintenance managers and directors often have a tough time determining what their team is doing on a day-to-day basis, which is an issue. This doesn't necessarily mean that the crew is slacking off, but it does mean there is a lack of accountability. Plus, there is an opportunity to spend valuable time and resources more efficiently.
For example, there may be an opportunity to assign technicians worked orders in closer proximity, meaning their time is better spent doing more productive work rather than walking from job to job. Or maybe their particular skill set is being under-utilized as they are doing work for which they are overqualified. Or, perhaps certain tasks are routinely brushed off in favor of more enjoyable work. Any of these are sufficient reasons to ensure a CMMS solution can track what your crew is doing and maximize the efficiently and return on investment you’ve make in human resources.
The right CMMS solution facilitates this process by ensuring all work is planned, scheduled, tracked and completed with corresponding documentation by the crew. By using a mobile app for this process, you make the recording portion even easier for your team, as they just have to tap a few buttons and input work time on their phone or tablet and everything is recorded automatically.
Sign #3: Parts and Inventory are Always Missing
Parts and inventory go "missing" all the time, meaning the items are:
Missing parts can become a real issue when an important asset or piece of equipment goes down and it needs to be fixed as quickly as possible. What to avoid: rummaging through the storeroom for a similar part, calling nearby companies, sourcing local vendors, going online and paying same-day delivery costs. All of these activities can be avoided by having a system in place that keeps track of parts and inventory, sends notifications when stock is low and helps reorder when needed.
Sign #4: Experience is Walking Out the Door, and Inexperience is Walking In
It's no secret that baby boomers are beginning head toward a much-deserved retirement from the workforce, and maintenance departments will be amongst those most affected by this trend. One strategy to ensure younger, newer employees are brought up to speed is to assign mentors and have them observe and learn. However, the learning process can take a long time and will most certainly leave gaps of knowledge. Instead, accelerate the learning curve by using a CMMS system that offers comprehensive histories on each asset, step-by-step recommendations on how to fix common problems and an easy-to-use reference point on a mobile device that employees can follow with confidence as they learn new skills and how to identify potential problems.
For departments that integrate the Internet of Things into maintenance, employees will even be able to receive notifications of potential issues based on condition monitoring, with step by step instructions on how to avoid major issues, parts that may need to be used, and trend history of the asset or equipment. Essentially, the right CMMS solution provides the ability to store the knowledge of your best employees in your maintenance management system and make it available to your entire team.
Sign #5: You Want to Prepare for the Future
Preparing for the future in maintenance can mean many things, from buying new equipment to investing in assets; hiring for future skills or increasing budgets based on expansion. The right CMMS solution can also future-proof your operation.
The future is “smart,” which means more than just accumulating data. It means getting the right information to the right person, at the right time. The right CMMS solution, coupled with the Internet of Things, can gather vital information on the health of assets and alert technicians of problems, along with step-by-step recommendations on what to do next. It’s a simple yet powerful concept that will help you step confidently into the future of maintenance.
