Is it Time to Replace your Maintenance Management Software?

There are many reasons to replace your maintenance management software. This article will address a few of the common reasons why you should consider replacement

Perhaps the number one reason to replace your maintenance management software is to move to cloud computing. If your existing vendor hasn’t made the change and isn’t going to anytime soon, then perhaps you’ve outgrown that system. The advantages of being in the cloud are numerous.

Here’s just a few reasons:

• Increased speed in responding to unforeseen events
• Easy to get the latest and greatest updates
• Adoption is quick and simple
• Improved information security
• Deployment time decreases from years to months
• lover risk with subscription-based cost model

Is your system mobile? Can you access it from anywhere?

In today’s world, most employees either have a personal mobile device or a company-issued mobile device. Are you taking advantage of this? Can your maintenance management software be distributed to these mobile devices? Using the mobile device in the field can improve data collection and most certainly improve information distribution. If a mechanic can access the parts list for an asset in the field and source where they can get the part, there can be considerable time savings.

Is your maintenance management software keeping up with technology?

There have been significant enhancements in industry over the years. Is your maintenance management software taking advantage of this? One example of this is Predictive Maintenance. Now, more than ever, we use devices at the machine center to monitor asset health. Your maintenance management software should be linked to these remote devices to receive and gather information relevant to the maintenance and upkeep of the asset. If the asset is in an alarm state, does your maintenance management software automatically notify you via email and create a corrective work order to start the process?

Is the maintenance management software flexible?

Modern software systems now have the capability of allow the user to design the end user interface (the screens.) This feature simplifies the use and makes the software easier for users to use. You should be able to adjust your software as your needs and requirements change over time.

Does your maintenance management software take advantage of other desktop applications you run?

For example, can you export a report to Microsoft Excel to do some extra analysis? Does the software use your mail client to send and receive notifications that keep your maintenance process from stalling. Good maintenance management software allows the user to setup email or text notifications based to actions that occur in the software. One example, is an email that is automatically sent to the inventory manager when a part is needed to complete a work order.

If you answered no to most of the questions above, then you probably should be considering a replacement system. If only a few then you might be able to contact your supplier and put some pressure on them to get moving. It’s always a difficult decision and a fairly major undertaking to replace a software system but there comes a time when it’s simply not cost effective to keep beating the same dead horse.