Why Use Industrial Maintenance Software?

Budget Management – Because plant maintenance software provides much data about assets, work orders, and production, project budgets are easier to create and costs are easier to analyze. The software aids managers in forecasting future financial outcomes, and identifying with great granularity the source(s) of inefficiency that prevented the budget goals from being accomplished.

Cost Management – Every demand that is placed on a facility has a cost associated to it. This ranges from the hiring of staff, focusing on customer satisfaction, brand building, repairs and maintenance, to safety and security. The different modules that the CMMS application contains help keep the costs down in all areas including both administrative and operational costs.

Equipment Management – Not only will plant maintenance software provide insight into employees’ performance and productivity levels, it will also enhance understanding of assets and equipment. The software can be programmed to automate maintenance activities, and allow these tasks to be completed during hours or months in which there is less of an impact upon the business as a whole. The reduction in downtime that results clearly affects the bottom line and marketplace decisions.

Inventory Management – Substantial supplies may be needed to be kept on hand for facility management. Different supplies may be required for the maintenance and repairs of equipment. The CMMS module for inventory management allows all of the different types of items to be properly categorized, allowing for accurate inventory counts. When indicated products need to be reordered, the CMMS will produce the notification.

Mobile Management – Another significant benefit of plant maintenance software is the flexibility it provides to maintenance managers, allowing them to leave their desk and still have necessary reports and information at their fingertips. Using maintenance software on a mobile device, this information is readily available through a tablet or phone. The availability of this data at any location will free plant management from being stuck in the office, and will instead give them the opportunity to keep track of their facilities and employees while on the go.

Operation Management – When the maintenance operations are highly organized, this allows maintenance staff to be more productive. A CMMS application has the ability to set up a work order system that can go through different processes automatically. It can generate the work order, assign it, prioritize it and then identify who and when it was completed.

Resource Management – Facility managers have to rely on many resources to operate the facility efficiently. This includes both full and part time staff. It also requires different types of service providers. The resource management segment of the CMMS allows for recording the resources as well as their contact information, so they can be scheduled as needed.

Project Management – One of the benefits of using industrial maintenance software is a radical increase in the data available to project and maintenance managers. Through robust reporting on any trackable component of the manufacturing process, stakeholders are able to access real-time data and evaluate the status of any project. Immediate availability of relevant information allows leadership/management to analyze and adjust priorities when needed, while allocating additional resources to problem areas in order to reduce actual or predicted bottlenecks in production.

Process Management – Industrial maintenance software automates any number of processes that may have previously been handled manually, or not at all. Using maintenance software removes the guesswork from repetitive processes ranging from inventory management to work orders, while ensuring that no steps are missed. Once the software is implemented and employees are trained, the gains in efficiency are demonstrated over time, errors nearly eliminated and analysis easily available.

Security Management – Safety and security is a big responsibility for the facility manager. This can range from physical security to data security. The program ensures that equipment is regularly inspected which lends to the safety of both guests and staff. Plus being able to track all of the inspections helps with regulation compliance.

Time Management – One of the biggest loss creators in plant maintenance is poor time management. When staff doesn’t have a clear schedule of what their tasks are, then time is wasted. Poor productivity occurs and this can cause a large turn over in staff, which generates its own costs. The entire CMMS program allows for optimized time management through resource scheduling, inventory control, vendor tracking, and inspections.

Vendor Management – The vendor management module of CMMS can significantly help to cut costs. With proper data entry, inventory can be easily searched and vendor prices and quotes compared.