Choosing Fleet Maintenance Software
Servicing and maintaining a fleet of vehicles can be a costly, time-consuming, and labor-intensive endeavor. Fleet maintenance software can lighten the load by automating a number of tasks and keeping maintenance costs under control. A fleet maintenance system helps you avoid unexpected repairs and increases your fleet maintenance department’s productivity and efficiency. Choosing fleet maintenance software that will provide the highest return on investment in key.
Features and benefits of fleet maintenance software include the following:
- Measures performance of maintenance technicians and tracks the time they spend on assigned tasks
- Decreases labor costs
- Tracks the work history of specific units
- Tracks parts purchasing and inventory
- Schedules inspections
- Tracks accidents and insurance claims
- Maximizes equipment up time
- Extends the life of equipment
- Manages fuel costs
- Integrates with other systems to eliminate double entry
Once you get the green light from senior management to purchase, the next step is choosing fleet maintenance software that best fits your organization’s needs. But how does one go about choosing an appropriate fleet maintenance system? Every vendor takes a different approach, so it’s important to carefully evaluate both the software and the company behind it.
What to Look for in Fleet Maintenance Software
One of the most important qualities to look for in maintenance software is ease of use. A CMMS/EAM should be easy to learn and have an organized, intuitive user interface. Flexibility and integration are other important qualities to look for in a CMMS/EAM because they are essential to its successful implementation and help ensure greater acceptance by end users.
Flexible software can be tailored to your organization’s present and future needs and allows users to enter information in a manner that is unique to your organization. The ability to integrate maintenance software with other information systems is also paramount because information sharing facilitates better business decisions. One software package cannot be all things to all users – a growing number of organizations are employing specialized, best-of-breed software and sharing information between systems rather than employing an all-in-one solution that is a jack of all trades, master of none. A fleet maintenance software program’s reporting capabilities should also be carefully considered because the data that the software collects will only benefit your organization if it enhances business intelligence through reporting.
Process for Choosing Fleet Maintenance Software
To achieve your organization’s CMMS implementation goals, it’s best to follow a structured process when selecting a fleet maintenance system. After assigning a project leader, assemble a team to evaluate and select a suitable software package. The team should be comprised of a maintenance manager, maintenance employees and representatives from IT, purchasing, accounting, and other key departments. Getting employees involved in the software selection process can help decrease resistance to the new software.
Define the problems you’re currently facing and then determine how a CMMS could resolve them in order to identify the goals and objectives of the new software. Obtain input from all areas of your organization that will interact with the CMMS to figure out what you need the software to accomplish. After you agree on the system’s goals and objectives, the next step is to identify the specific features required. Create a system specifications document that you can send to maintenance software vendors in order to obtain information about their systems’ pricing and features.
Compile a list of no more than 10 to 12 vendors and gather their product literature. Go through your list and eliminate systems that do not meet your organization’s requirements. It’s also important to select a knowledgeable and experienced vendor with a proven track record. A CMMS requires a significant investment of time, money, and resources, so it’s crucial to choose an established vendor that will be around for years to come. The quality of the support and training a vendor offers is also important because it can save you major hassles in the long run.
Implementing the right fleet maintenance software can bring major improvements to your organization’s efficiency while quickly paying for itself through cost savings and enhanced productivity. iMaint Fleet is an easy-to-use fleet maintenance system that can be customized to meet your organization’s specific needs. Contact us today for more information about choosing fleet maintenance software and how it streamlines your operations.
