In the quest for the ideal CMMS solution, there are many questions for companies and their CIO. Both general and industry solutions flood the market, and promises, while attractive, can only be realized if the tool is truly adopted by teams. In order to choose a tailor-made CMMS, it is therefore essential to ask yourself the right questions.
1. What issues will CMMS address?
Listing your goals will be decisive in selecting a tool that meets the need. Will the chosen CMMS have to ensure the overall follow-up of the maintenance or a particular process? To limit costs, to guarantee a certain level of compliance, to better allocate staff or to add analytical value?
Based on clear objectives, a list of CMMS and adapted functionalities will be defined. We will then prioritize each of these objectives in order to compare the CMMS solutions most relevant to its activity.
2. How do I choose a CMMS adapted to my activity?
Priorities differ across sectors and company sizes. Rather than opting for a very complete or generalist solution, we will list the main expectations and the CMMS tools capable of treating them.
Small structures will most often look for an easy handling and a quick return on investment. Highly regulated sectors will have a strong need for rigour, traceability and interfacing between CMMS and IS.
In any case, it is preferable to opt for a modular CMMS, whose functionalities can be adjusted by activity or sector.
Find the solution adapted to your activity
3. What features are essential when choosing a CMMS?
If the CMMS solutions on the market generally offer a common base of functionalities, not all have the same importance according to the publishers.
Key features include job planning, equipment management, automation of the programming of facility maintenance actions, maintenance work history and reporting.
The choice of features will depend on the objectives to be achieved (cost optimization, better internal communication, complete monitoring of equipment, more proactive maintenance, etc.). You can opt for essential functions and enrich your CMMS over time and needs.
4. Should I opt for a SaaS or local CMMS solution?
The question of hosting often arises when choosing a CMMS software.
SaaS solutions will provide a lot of flexibility with:
- Rapid deployment
- Less need for infrastructure and minimal IT team engagement
- Centralized information, easy to consult from the outside and share
- Automatic updates
On-premises solutions allow a very complete configuration according to the sector of activity and the requirements, offline work and a great mastery of the software.
5. How easy will it be to get started?
The transition to CMMS alone represents a major cultural change for the company. To convince teams, the tool must be simple to deploy and offer an intuitive experience. Adding equipment and users or scheduling should be accessible to both experienced and novice users.
FIND OUT HOW THE DMD GROUP HAS DEPLOYED ITS CMMS
In the field, the CMMS must allow well-documented jobs and real-time updates. A CMMS solution that is quick to learn will be more easily adopted by the teams.
6. What mobility for my CMMS solution?
Mobility is a major criterion for choosing a CMMS. The agents – 80% of the users of the tool – work in the field with the obligation to easily access information to carry out their job.
A CMMS application on smartphone or tablet will allow you to:
- View history and dashboards in a matter of moments
- Access information from any job site
- To enter a job or place an order in real time
Like intuitiveness, mobility is an essential factor in the adoption of the CMMS solution.
7. Will the CMMS solution be interfaceable with the existing IS?
Maintenance is no longer an isolated subject: departments (purchasing, inventory accounting, human resources, etc.) communicate closely and the IT infrastructure must facilitate this communication.
The CMMS software must therefore interface naturally with most business software. The diversity of connectors, APIs or web services offered by the publisher will be decisive to ensure continuity of information with the tools in place.
8. What are the KPIs and dashboards to follow in your CMMS?
Tracking the right KPIs is crucial to know the performance level of your maintenance. The CMMS facilitates the consultation of personalized indicators in reports and dashboards.
To understand and continuously improve its maintenance, we will look at:
- The overall return rate
- Planning rate
- The completion rate of the maintenance plan
- The cost of jobs
Adapted KPIs will provide more flexibility and will be a source of continuous improvement.
Prefer the choice of a CMMS 4.0
In a process of maintenance digitalization, it is essential to have a long-term perspective. In addition to the performance gain, your CMMS solution must give you a head start and evolve with your structure. Ergonomic and flexible, the CMMS 4.0 must streamline the exchange of information and actively guide the management of your maintenance.
Thanks to its high interoperability with a very wide range of business software, the DIMO Maint CMMS integrates with the IS and ensures true data continuity. This continuity is the foundation of maintenance 4.0: a source of understanding and anticipation, the next-generation CMMS will provide teams and the company with unparalleled agility.
