You need a new CMMS.
But, you’re hesitant about pursuing a new solution.
You’re always telling your team, “Purchasing a new CMMS is a stressful and overwhelming process.”
Operating an existing system already gives you enough headaches.
You know it could be worse too.
We get it, which is why we knew we had to help make your life easier.
We know you probably think that there’s no way to make this process an easy one and certainly no way that choosing a new CMMS will be close to enjoyable!
We have some insight to share with you today.
After many years, we discovered 14 rules that’ll change the way you purchase a maintenance solution for your needs.
Our insight comes from the years that we’ve worked with industry experts and the countless hours we’ve spent building our CMMS.
Now, there is a reason we call them rules.
You must live by them.
If not, you’ll select the wrong system, and your operation won’t become a profit center if you don’t.
It’s that simple. But, we don’t ever want that to happen.
Let’s begin!
5 Rules for Pragmatic CMMS Selection
To ensure your steps to success remain well managed, we made the actual selection process a set of rules to strictly follow.
Selecting maintenance software can be detrimental to your operation.
This result is why we only want you to focus on making the right decision for your property.
Ask yourself, should you stay with what you’re currently using, or should you move on and find a new system?
It’s vital to understand why you’re better off moving forward.
The reason? You’ll know what’s holding your operation back, which means you’ll know what “qualities” to avoid.
Are you going to continue with complacency or clean your slate and move forward?
Using these very disciplined steps will allow you to stay focused and choose the right maintenance software.
Remain methodical and make selection decisions that are:
- Objective
- Logical
- Data Driven
Use this efficient selection process:
- Organize a Motivated Selection Team
- Define Your Needs
- Compare Vendors
- See All Options
- Make Your Decision
1. Organize a Motivated Selection Team
You’ll need the help of your team.
These are the people already familiar with your maintenance operation.
Your current maintenance team is the one that knows what they need as an operation to remain whole.
Your team understands your goals and what’s required to be successful too.
More importantly, they’ll know what the system will need to be successful.
2. Define Your Needs
Decide on the needs and wants for the new system.
This guideline will give you the critical info you need for rejecting solutions that aren’t a fit.
You’ll know the non-negotiable functions.
These are your must-haves.
You’ll also know the ones you can pass on and the possible upgrades you’d like if the ROI is right.
3. Compare Vendors
It’s essential to have a purpose when examining potential vendors and solution providers.
Make a list and answer these questions:
- What’s their track record and credentials?
- How well do they know what facility managers need?
- Are they capable of educating you on how to improve your operation while keeping everything safe and compliant?
Target the facts.
What do they have to offer? Then, study the good and bad, the pros and cons of each solution.
4. See All Options
Trust us; there’s nothing better than a live demo.
How do we know?
That’s all we provide for our solutions.
A demo is a real-time engaging way for you to see the real value of a solution – tailored to your operation.
A tailored demonstration should be quintessential to your decision.
The vendor should fully understand your needs before demonstrating the value of their product.
They should even be asking the right questions during the demo conversation to uncover your operational needs.
When done right, they’ll show you how their software will be the perfect solution to help you achieve your goals.
A superior vendor, the ones we’re talking about, will help you understand how to reduce task and activity oversights along with equipment downtime.
Two factors that are a critical difference between a cost center and a profit center.
You must stop relying on software reviews!
At this point, you’ll want to skip the software reviews and ask the vendor for high-quality referrals in your industry.
You need real-life testimonials from people who use the system in the same capacity.
Did they deliver?
If not, you’re wasting your time.
The best software review is a customer referral.
We swear by this, and we can prove it.
5. Make Your Decision
You have a budget. Everyone in this industry does.
Our biggest concern is whether you’ll make a purchasing decision uniquely based on budget.
Please don’t; we don’t want you to regret that decision three months into a three-year purchasing agreement.
It’s time to choose your solution.
To help you, we have our remaining nine rules waiting for you below.
Use them to objectively complete the purchasing process and start using your maintenance solution.
9 Rules That Lead to Getting What You Need
Outlined is your process for purchasing your maintenance system.
The time has come to examine the potential suppliers using your nine remaining rules for making the final decision.
Use them as a standard for what your property requires.
Finding the right CMMS system to purchase isn’t easy.
These will help you figure out the best one, with the most value, to implement.
Are you ready for the final rules that’ll take you one step closer to getting what you need?
- Create, track, edit and automatically communicate work orders.
- Create web forms for vendors, technicians, and your engineers to submit work orders for approval easily.
- Provide your team with the ability to create a unified chain of command for approvals based on specific criteria you’ve identified in the system.
- Manage all preventive maintenance in a calendar format efficiently. You’ll need to be able to drag and drop to change dates for maximum efficiency.
- Create digital checklists for consistency, efficiency, and control of your assets and maintenance.
- Alert you and your staff when you’re close to running out of what you need. It must make reordering material easy.
- Let you generate one-click reports and charts. You’ll need to be able to see the info the way you need to, especially if you want to move from a cost center to a profit center.
- Alert you when any vendor insurance or warranty expiration are nearing.
- The vendor must offer unmatched implementation training and continued support. We’re talking training, unlimited support, 24/7 support, software updates, online sources, and an expert community to share insights with along the way.
If the solution provider you have your eyes set on meets these requirements, then you have a winner.
That’ll be the solution your selection team chooses.
No additional questions needed.
Now, if you’re faced with a situation where none of the vendors meet these requirements, remain calm and keep your purpose on track.
Over to You
Getting the best CMMS software for your needs can be a struggle.
But, done right, you can implement a solution that has everything you need and brings tremendous value to your operation.
Use every ounce of advice we provide in this article to deploy a solution that removes the standard stress related to selecting software and running a first-class property.
Editor's note: This post was originally published in November 2016 and has been updated for comprehensiveness and freshness.
