Companies both large and small recognize the importance and value of effective maintenance management. Maintenance software is an essential maintenance management tool that reduces equipment downtime and increases the capacity of your equipment by automating maintenance tasks. Below are some of the ways in which preventive maintenance software cuts costs and increase profits.
Prevent Equipment Breakdown and Failure
When equipment breaks down, it can lead to lost production time, additional labor hours and overtime, increased costs, and potentially late deliveries. Maintenance software cuts costs by preventing equipment breakdown. Computerized maintenance management software (CMMS software) reminds you when maintenance needs to be performed, ensuring that repairs are made before a piece of equipment begins to malfunction.
The key to minimizing equipment failures with CMMS software is to develop a strong and simple preventive maintenance software plan. Performing preventive maintenance is always less costly than taking corrective measures. Maintenance software also collects accurate, detailed information that you can refer to when equipment breaks down.
Extend the Life of Your Assets
While maintenance software isn’t capable of fully automating purchasing decisions, it does allow you to keep track of KPIs and develop a robust view of equipment costs. Typically, maintenance managers decide whether or not to replace an asset based on its age. However, this isn’t always the best or most cost-effective measure for deciding when to replace an asset.
Preventive maintenance software analyzes equipment based on operational information captured through PMs and work orders. With some analysis, a maintenance manager may determine that an older piece of equipment has more up time and requires fewer repairs than a newer model. As a result, the maintenance manager may conclude that equipment replacement could be postponed until a later date. This would enable the organization to shift asset capital spending to where it’s needed most, further contributing to the ROI of the maintenance software.
Ensure Regulatory Compliance
Fines levied by regulatory agencies are a hassle and expense that all organizations try to avoid. Much of the information needed to ensure regulatory compliance is already in CMMS systems. Maintenance software automates the process of defining, scheduling, and implementing preventive maintenance tasks and work orders to comply with safety and environmental regulations. Maintenance software also tracks the history of all maintenance work done on a piece of equipment.
Streamline the Repair Process
Maintenance software enables staff members to easily report problems to the maintenance team, so they can make repairs promptly. Work requester systems replace handwritten notes and emails as well as eliminate the need to retype work requests into the software. For example, if a piece of equipment breaks down and a staff member sends a work request describing the problem, the work request is routed to the maintenance manager for approval and processing. If the maintenance manager approves the request, a work order is generated and assigned to the appropriate maintenance technician. If a similar work request has already been made, the maintenance manager can reject the request. The person who submitted the work request can opt in to receive notifications regarding the work request’s receipt, approval/rejection, completion, or cancellation.
The benefits of maintenance software go far beyond its ability to track work orders. Maintenance software cuts costs and ensures your maintenance operation is a profit center, contributing to your organization’s bottom line. Investing in a CMMS solution is a must for companies that want to protect their assets and maximize their budgets. Sign up for a free trial of DPSI’s maintenance management software today.
