KISS Principle: Achieving CMMS Success is as Easy as 1, 2, 3
Yesterday I asked a new MPulse customer: “Jim, what’s keeping you up at night?” It’s same question I’ve asked our clients for years. Yet I’m still surprised at how often I get the same answer. Most maintenance managers say almost exactly what Jim told me: “Steve, I need to figure out where I start with this new CMMS software.” Jim isn’t alone. Many new CMMS users feel exactly the same way. The answer I gave Jim hasn’t changed much over the years either. The best way to start with a new CMMS is to follow the KISS Principle—“keep it specific and simple” or, more colorfully, “keep it simple, stupid.” The KISS principle maintains that most systems work best if they are kept simple rather than made complicated. Now Jim is a smart guy, like most maintenance managers I’ve met. But he’s overwhelmed at the thought of what he needs to accomplish—which is also true for a lot of maintenance managers. So how do we boil down a CMMS implementation plan to the simplest steps? Here’s what I suggest. 1. Focus on Key Assets Take 10 minutes and write down your top 10 to 20 assets. Think about the ones your team spends the most time or money on, and those most critical to your business’s success. Then, for each asset, set up the PM schedule in your CMMS software. Tell your team that it’s now mandatory to log all PMs and repairs on those key assets in your CMMS. And tell them that you’ll be checking to ensure it’s been done. 2. Provide Regular, Consistent Feedback Create a report in your CMMS that tells you when and if the PMs and repairs on your key assets are being done. Check it weekly and follow up with your team members with “atta-boys” for completing them correctly, or with reminders and corrections when they’re not. Post the reports in a public area. It’s imperative that you do this regularly and that you let them know you’re checking. Once you’ve proven it’s important to you, it will become important to them. And the feedback conversations will give you opportunities to fine tune and improve how you’re using the CMMS. 3. Slowly Add More Assets Now simply repeat step 1 with 10‒20 more assets. Over a relatively short period of time, something that was new and scary will become routine for all the assets you want to track in your CMMS. By keeping things simple with these three steps, you’ll be surprised how a seemingly daunting project turns into a successful implementation. Managing maintenance with a CMMS is the fastest way to get visibility into your operation, see where there’s room for improvement, and find out where you’re spending your dollars. Before you know it, you’ll be on your way to achieving the bigger goals of CMMS software—reducing failures and emergencies and increasing the usable life of your assets.
Downtime Calculator: How Much Does Equipment Downtime Really Cost You?
Yesterday was tough. My computer crashed, the copier broke, and our coffee machine went on strike while I was rushing to meet a deadline. I called our IT tech, the copier repairperson, and the local coffee shop to fix the problems (not necessarily in that order), and then my blood pressure spiked when I figured out how late I’d have to stay to get everything done. Maintenance managers know exactly what I’m talking about. The maintenance team is on the frontline when things aren’t working, and we spend lots of time talking to management about the cost of downtime in manufacturing. But do we spend the time to really understand what it is, or how it’s measured? According to Wikipedia, “The term downtime is used to refer to periods when a system is unavailable. Downtime or outage duration refers to a period of time that a system fails to provide or perform its primary function.” That definition covers the basics, but in the real world just about every organization defines and measures equipment downtime a little differently. Here at MPulse, we’ve learned to dig a little deeper when our customers start asking questions about metrics like mean time between failures (MTBF), mean time to repair (MTTR), or total downtime. We don’t just assume we know what they want—it’s our job to understand what they’re really looking for and show them how their MPulse Software, Inc can help them measure it on their own terms. Everyone needs a starting point to understanding downtime, and we thought this production downtime calculator recently published by Software Advice* was a pretty good one. (Click here for instructions.) Play around with it and ask yourself these questions: Does this production downtime calculator make sense for my operation? Is it missing anything? Do I know where to find the information it’s asking for? Do the results make sense? How could I improve upon the calculator to better understand the cost of downtime in manufacturing? Knowing how much equipment downtime costs your organization is just the beginning. Reducing equipment downtime—and the related loss of productivity—is one of the biggest benefits our CMMS users find with their MPulse Software, Inc. It all comes back to the basics: when your organization’s equipment hasn’t been maintained properly, you’re going to experience more downtime. That translates into lost dollars and intense pressure on the maintenance team to get production running again. The less downtime you experience in the first place, the better. The shorter duration of that downtime when it does happen, the better. I was lucky yesterday. I lost two hours of my time, plus $4.50 for an extra-large coffee. You can bet I’m gonna do a few things differently to prevent a day like that from coming around again soon. Proactive maintenance managers are doing the same thing. If you need help getting started, contact us to learn more about our equipment maintenance software. Calculator Instructions (courtesy of Software Advice): This simple tool allows maintenance managers to plug in estimates about their operations and generate an average cost of machine downtime per hour. Alternatively, manufacturing companies can enter information to find their estimated amount of revenue loss per hour of downtime. Simply click on the zeros on the right side of the tool to enter in your company’s information. (You can also download a version by clicking the download button on the black bar below the tool.) Employee costs per hour: The average employee salary divided by number of hours worked, multiplied by the number of employees. Average revenue per hour: An estimate of how much revenue your company generates in a given hour. Employees affected by downtime: An estimate of the percent of employees who would be unable to work due to shut down machinery. Revenue affected by downtime: An estimate of the percent of revenue lost due to machine downtime. Number of units produced per hour: An estimate of the number of units produced in one hour. Average profit per unit: The amount of profit earned for each unit produced. Number of hours of downtime: The number of hours of downtime expected. * Equipment Downtime Calculator provided by Software Advice. Visit MPulse’s company profile on Software Advice.
Get CMMS Buy-In from Your Toughest Stakeholders: Maintenance Technicians
Gaining buy-in from your maintenance technicians is essential for the successful implementation of CMMS, as their engagement directly influences the system’s effectiveness and long-term impact. After working hard to get purchase approval for his new maintenance software, Chuck called me up with a pretty typical problem. “Steve,” he said. “My maintenance techs are really making it difficult to get this CMMS project off the ground. All they do is complain about how much time data entry in the field is gonna take. This isn’t gonna work if my guys cut corners because they just don’t wanna take the time to use the system.” Oftentimes, maintenance managers focus so strongly on getting upper management to approve their purchase request, they forget all about other key stakeholders. One of the worst groups to leave out is the maintenance technicians who will use it every day. CMMS Buy-In from Stakeholders The people responsible for the bulk of the CMMS data entry are also the people who will benefit the most from it. But it’s your job to help them understand that. The key is showing them how to embrace the output. In other words, “What’s in it for me?” I call this the “WIIFM.” I believe maintenance techs get two huge benefits from CMMS software: More efficient workflows Less finger-pointing when things don’t go as planned. CMMS Makes Maintenance Work Easier CMMS software stores and organizes data gathered by your technicians, who in turn will use that data later on to do their jobs better and faster. Your maintenance techs will suddenly have access to key information that will become invaluable, including… Work history Condition monitoring Access to vendor information, guides, and manuals Inventory/parts availability. With CMMS data at their fingertips, your maintenance techs can answer questions quickly, access key information, see trends, and make faster decisions. They can do their jobs more efficiently and reap the rewards accordingly. CMMS Has Their Back Your techs know that when things go wrong, the maintenance department often gets the blame. Here’s how CMMS can support your maintenance techs when things aren’t going well: Validate the issue and provide the big picture Show who did what when Measure accomplishment Make the process visible Reduce stress level. With CMMS, it’s not their word against someone else’s. Now they have verifiable proof that they did what they needed to do when it needed to happen. Make Sure You Have Their Back Too If your maintenance technicians have concerns about your new CMMS software, make sure you hear them. Take the time to figure out what they are really worried about. Also, remember many concerns can be alleviated with good training, so make sure your implementation plan includes the funds to get them up and running. If you want your maintenance techs to support your project, make sure you have their back too. They may be your toughest stakeholders, but they’re also your most important allies. Have questions? We have answers. Contact us.
Are You Really Doing Predictive Maintenance?
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about a recent phone call I had with an MPulse Software user, a customer and friend for many years. “Steve,” Jim said. “My new boss says our shop needs to start doing predictive maintenance. I’ve been working this gig for many years, and I think we’re not talking about the same thing when he says ‘predictive maintenance.’ What do you think?” I totally understand where Jim is coming from. As a maintenance veteran, I’ve noticed some confusion about the term “predictive maintenance.” It turns out “predictive” means different things to different people. I’ve heard a lot of customers say “predictive maintenance,” when they really mean preventive or condition-based maintenance. It’s my job to understand our customers’ real goals, and then help them understand how MPulse Software, Inc can help them get there. So, let’s review the types of predictive maintenance plans and what they mean. Run-to-Failure (RTF) Maintenance is running an asset to failure. A simple example would be replacing a burned-out light bulb. An important goal of CMMS usage is to reduce run-to-failure maintenance in favor of a more proactive maintenance plan. Even if your assets have been maintained based on failure in the past, you can easily begin to use CMMS to collect important data that will help you predict future failures. Preventive Maintenance (PM) is triggered by time, meter, or event. This type of maintenance is common in most maintenance departments. Everyone understands it in terms of auto maintenance: changing your oil every 3,000 miles or every 3 months. (Which is far too often in today’s cars, by the way.) CMMS excels at helping maintenance shops schedule preventive maintenance tasks, preventing failure and prolonging asset life cycles. Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) allows you to track meters and gauges on assets, and to trigger work orders when certain numbers are hit. When an asset’s condition changes outside of a specified range, maintenance events are triggered in your CMMS. While the actual data can be gathered manually or automatically, you’ll need a CMMS to store the data and to alert maintenance staff when it’s time to take action. Because CBM monitors an asset’s real-time condition, there’s a predictive element to it. But true predictive maintenance is slightly different. Predictive Maintenance (PdM) is the scientific analysis of how long an asset will last using one or many types of measurement. A classic example of PdM maintenance is electrical transmission grids, where engineers are charged with analyzing detailed information about equipment failure rates, so they can program software to predict when similar assets will fail in the future. CMMS plays a role in PdM maintenance too. MPulse Software, Inc can capture, store, and organize data that can be produced into reports and fed into predictive analytical tools. It turned out that Jim’s boss really was talking about condition-based maintenance. He wanted to integrate sensors on key assets and use the power of the Internet of Things (IoT) to collect the data to feed into their MPulse CMMS software. I understand his confusion because CMMS combined with IoT is an excellent way to help maintenance teams to foresee asset failure and proactively perform maintenance. It’s not truly predictive maintenance, but it’s much more proactive that run-to-failure or preventive maintenance. Whether you’re really doing predictive maintenance or not, you’ve got have CMMS software to keep up with the large and growing number of data points in today’s industrial or facilities environment. If you need help getting started, contact us to learn more.
Is It Time to Schedule a PM for Your CMMS Software?
Your CMMS keeps your team on top of your preventive maintenance (PM) tasks for your assets and equipment. But when is it time to step back and perform a PM on your CMMS itself? Technology changes fast, and if your CMMS hasn’t had a good review in a few years, you’re probably missing out on updates that’ll make your team work faster and better. If there’s anything I’ve learned in this business, it’s that things change. When you’re caught up in your day-to-day work, it’s hard to step back and see the bigger picture. But that’s exactly what good maintenance managers do. It’s not enough to know what you’re doing now. Be proactive by making sure your maintenance team has the right tools to meet tomorrow’s demands too. Here are a few things to think about when crafting your “CMMS PM Checklist”: How Often Should You Schedule a PM for Your CMMS Software? I suggest checking in every six months. Schedule some quiet time away from your office to think about what’s going on and what you need to do. Make a list of the easy stuff first. If you’re on a software maintenance plan, have you downloaded any updates? Are there reports you need that you haven’t taken the time to set up? Are there reports you previously created that are really working for you anymore? Does your organization have plans to purchase new assets? Do you have enough user licenses for new employees? Ask Yourself the Tough Questions After you write down the easy stuff, don’t shy away from the questions with hard answers—or no clear answers at all. What’s making you nervous at work? What changes have you noticed and how will they impact your maintenance team? What resources might help you successfully navigate these changes? Get Feedback from Your Users Check in with your team to make sure they really are working as efficiently as possible. Do you have new employees who would benefit from some training? Could other team members use a refresher? Do you have new service requestors who need help on the best way to fill out work order requests? Does anyone have questions or ideas for doing things better? Ask for Help Pick up the phone and ask for help when you need it. Your CMMS vendor likely has some effective and affordable services to expedite your path to improvement. You don’t have to do everything yourself. Look for services like MPulse Reset, which helps our customers reconfigure workflows and benchmarks, and then determines where adjustments to your CMMS software can help. Good maintenance managers know that plans are fluid, and they need to adapt to changes in their organization. Scheduling PMs on your CMMS software has the same effect as it does on your other assets—protecting your investment and maximizing your maintenance savings for your organization.
Mobile CMMS Technology is Now a Must-Have
The future CMMS mobile technology is here. After more than two decades in the maintenance software industry, I’ve seen lots of technology changes. But I’ve never seen anything that’s been as readily and widely adopted as modern mobile technology. The smartphone I carry in my pocket today is far more powerful than my first desktop computer. It’s transformed the way I do business, from how I communicate with employees and customers, to how I track sales numbers and learn about what my competitors are up to. Mobile devices are clearly changing the way maintenance operations work, too. The recent Mobile CMMS Software UserView survey from Software Advice sought to understand how maintenance organizations were using mobile. It demonstrates why mobile CMMS functionality is now a “must-have.” Among its top findings, it showed that… Tablet users reported the greatest efficiency increases, Real-time data access and easy-to-use interfaces topped requirements lists, and Older users demonstrated the least improvement in efficiency from mobile tech. It’s clear that many organizations have discovered mobile technology is a natural fit with maintenance workflows—and mobile CMMS, specifically. It allows maintainers to access information and record data on the spot—where maintenance happens, instead of in a plant or campus office. I’m convinced every MPulse customer can benefit from mobile technology, and I think it’s on the cusp of transforming the way CMMS fits into maintenance workflows. Software Advice’s findings helped me better understand the ways mobile technology is being used in the maintenance world—and what maintainers should be thinking about as this technology becomes ever more commonplace. Here are a few of my key takeaways. Old Dogs and New Tricks Organizations using mobile devices in maintenance operations are reporting some impressive efficiency gains. 43 percent of respondents reported a significant increase in efficiency, with another 28 percent reporting a moderate increase. That’s encouraging, because increased efficiency is what CMMS users want most of all, and mobile devices are helping them get there. Dig a little deeper into the data, though, and you’ll quickly realize one of the key challenges in mobile adoption. It’s still hard to teach an old dog new tricks. As you might expect, younger employees account for the bulk of efficiency increases, because they’re more comfortable with the future mobile technology. Efficiency Increase by Age Group Part of the solution to this problem involves companies like MPulse continuing to make future mobile technology easier to use. And we’re working hard to do so. But you can get ahead of the game by ensuring your older employees get good, hands-on training on mobile tech. Don’t just assume they know how to use the latest apps—or that they’ll figure them out, like “digital natives” tend to do. Tablets Rock All mobile devices are not created equal, and maintenance technicians are already leaning toward tablets over smartphones. 44 percent of those surveyed report using a tablet, versus 34 percent who use a smartphone. Based on personal experience, I wasn’t surprised at this finding. A tablet’s larger screen size (when compared to smartphones) is easier on the eyes, and allows big, hard-working, indelicate hands to more easily work buttons and drop-downs menus. As smartphone screens (like Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus) continue to grow, though, we may see some changes to these numbers. Consider providing your employees with large-screen devices like tablets or big smartphones. It will go a long way to encouraging adoption of the technology and will eliminate some frustration along the way. Real-Time Data is King When it comes to what CMMS customers expect from mobile CMMS, real-time data tops the list. 40 percent of respondents said it was their number-one priority. Ease of use came in a close second. These top two requirements make perfect sense, when you remember CMMS customers strive for improved efficiency. Access to real-time data is the best way to save time and help your maintenance staff boost productivity. And an easy-to-use interface means better acceptance from your workforce and a better way for maintainers to quickly enter data on the job. Be sure to highlight these two key requirements to your CMMS vendor as “deal breakers” if they can’t provide them. You don’t want to get stuck with mobile technology that’s hard to use and doesn’t give you immediate access to the data you need. If they can’t fulfill these requirements, you should look elsewhere. Mobile CMMS is Here to Stay If these findings haven’t convinced you that mobile tech is here to stay, consider this sobering fact from a recent Boston Consulting Group study, titled The Mobile Revolution: How Mobile Technologies Drive a Trillion-Dollar Impact: Small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) “that are mobile leaders are winning. Typically, the 25 percent of SMEs that use mobile services more intensively see their revenues growing up to two times faster and add jobs up to eight times faster than their peers.” The organizations that aren’t? They’re falling behind. Truly capable mobile devices are still relatively new to the maintenance management world, but they have huge potential to change the way maintainers track data. Mobile CMMS can help your team spend less time on the computer and more time doing what you hired them for—maintenance.
How Can I Promote the Maintenance Profession to Attract Talented Employees?
In my last post, I discussed ways to find good employees for your maintenance positions. In this post, I’ll identify some bigger issues that contribute to the current employment climate, and how maintenance managers can make a difference for everyone in the field. Manpower Group recently surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. employers, and found respondents had difficulty filling open positions for skilled trades positions because candidates lack technical competencies/hard skills (48 percent); candidates lack workplace competencies/soft skills (33 percent); and because of a lack of/no available candidates (32 percent). Those numbers aren’t likely to surprise any maintenance manager. But what can we do about it? I believe maintainers are often our own worst enemy because we do not promote our profession. In this blog I’ll identify some of the problems and offer some suggestions for change. Problem #1: Poor Public Image Let’s face it—the public perception of maintenance personnel is poor. Maintenance technicians are the guys with the dangling tool belt and pocket ruler. Becoming a maintenance technician is not a job classification a young person aspires to. If they did, they wouldn’t admit it. Most people are simply looking for a job when they enter the maintenance field. They stumble upon our profession accidentally. Solution #1: Promote Your Team Raise the level of awareness of your maintenance program. Look for opportunities to share your projects, goals, accomplishments, and results. Don’t be afraid to self-promote wherever you can, from the local media to national trade press. (Because— trust me—the marketing department doesn’t even know where your office is!) Problem #2: Unclear Career Path The maintenance career path typically goes from custodian to technician to engineer to lead to foreman to manager to director to VP. That’s eight steps. But there’s no industry recognition of these steps or consistent requirements for moving from one to the next. That makes maintenance work a tough sell for young people who are looking for profession with a well-defined career path. Solution #2: Invest in Professional Development It’s time to define the maintenance career path ourselves. Join or start a chapter of a professional association (like the Association for Maintenance Professionals or the International Facility Management Association) in your area. Find out what’s going on at other plants or facilities. Get your staff involved in service clubs and organizations. Encourage your team members to give back to their communities. These outreach activities are great ways to promote what maintenance technicians do and how much people rely on them. Problem #3: Lack of Educational Requirements I mentioned how low pay is problem for recruiting new employees in my last post. One cause of low pay is the lack of educational requirements for entry or promotion within the maintenance field. We may call ourselves maintenance engineers, but very few have the credentials to back it up. Most of us learned on the job. Solution #3: Get Involved Get involved with your local education institutions. Advocate for trades and industry education. Find out what is happening in both secondary and post-secondary education related to our profession. Participate in work study and intern programs. Remember the only thing harder to do than find a good employee is to replace a good employee. Invest in the maintenance community, and we’ll all benefit!
How Can I Find Good Employees for My Maintenance Team?
Last week I was talking with a long-time MPulse customer about his top priorities as a maintenance manager at a large production facility. “Brad,” I asked, “what’s your biggest challenge in the next 12 months?” Brad didn’t mention common problems like technology issues or budget constraints. Instead, he said, “Two of my most experienced team members are retiring, and I need to find someone who can fill their shoes.” Brad knows that finding good people for maintenance jobs isn’t easy. And he’s not alone. [related-content] In the past, maintenance technicians were promoted from custodial or laborer positions and given on-the-job training in specific tasks. Today, though, it’s tough to find the right people with skills we need in the maintenance department. According to the Manpower Group’s latest Talent Shortage Survey, skilled trades positions are the most difficult to fill, and have ranked #1 for the past four years. So how can a maintenance manager like Brad find good people for his maintenance team? In this blog, I’ll identify some of the problems and offer some suggestions for overcoming them. Problem #1: Aging Workforce The average age of a maintenance worker is 50 years. Our work processes, requirements, and perceived value are seriously out of date for the Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook age. And many “old school” industrial employers are wary of mobile technology. So if we’re lucky enough to hire young people, we ask them to leave their tablets in their lockers and we restrict their cell phone use. Solution #1: Make Maintenance Work Attractive to Younger People Maintenance managers need to go out of their way to hire younger employees. Start by embracing technology, especially mobile devices. Empower your younger staff members by asking for their suggestions on better ways to integrate technology in your maintenance workflows. Eliminate paper. Promote the technical side of maintenance work. These things are important to younger workers, and they’ll make your positions more appealing. Problem #2: Low Pay Often, maintenance work is undervalued. As a result, the pay scale for maintenance personnel is typically lower than similar positions in production. Do you want to understand the real value of your maintenance personnel? Just ask yourself what they’re worth when a breakdown has your production line at a stand still. Solution #2: Promote Your Department’s Value Make sure the people in positions of power understand what your maintenance program does and the value you bring to the organization. Share your projects, goals, accomplishments, and results for both the department and for your team members. If you show your maintenance team’s impact on the bottom line, it’s easier to get approval for pay increases. Problem #3: Lack of Training Though the options for maintenance training are growing, few traditional educational tracks exist to prepare people for the maintenance world. Most maintainers pick up isolated skills from community colleges, trade schools, and on-the-job training. These skills include welding, metal working, carpentry, machining, mechanics, hydraulics, and more. Solution #3: Develop an Internal Training Program Create a professional growth/training program for your maintenance staff. Professional growth programs are a great recruiting tool. Work with management to provide compensation for tuition, books, and fees. Reward strong work performance with additional opportunities for education. These ideas are a good start, but I’m the first to admit change needs to happen on a broader scale. In my next blog, I’ll discuss how maintenance managers like Brad can tackle the bigger issues in our field.
CMMS Setup: Get it Right the First Time
Many MPulse customers get so excited about their new CMMS software they want to jump in with both feet and start entering data right away. I get it. I feel the same way when I start a new project. But the old adage “garbage in, garbage out” says it all when it comes to setting up CMMS software for the first time. It’s important not to get carried away importing outdated, incorrect, or insufficient information. To get the most out of your CMMS investment, you need to proceed carefully so you have a solid foundation of good data that will build in value over time. If your CMMS software gets bogged down with bad data, you’ll never get truly meaningful information about your assets—which is why you bought the software in the first place. So how do you setup your CMMS software right the first time? Here are a few tips I’ve picked up through years of experience. Step 1: Identify Your Key Assets Start by making a list of 10-20 of your important assets. You can always add more assets later, but first pick the ones that play the largest part in your operations. They’re likely to be the ones your maintenance team works on most, so a quick review of your past year’s work orders should show you where to focus. Step 2: Determine Each Asset’s Maintenance Policy Next determine the best maintenance policy for each asset. Plant Services contributing editor David Berger, in his 2013 article, “How to determine the best maintenance policy,” outlines three ways maintenance can be triggered: use-based maintenance, fail-based maintenance, or condition-based maintenance. Use-based maintenance (UBM) is triggered by time, meter, or event. This type of maintenance is pretty common in maintenance departments, as preventive maintenance programs are based on a certain time, meter, or event triggers—such as changing the oil every 3,000 miles or every 3 months. Fail-based maintenance (FBM) is running an asset to failure. A simple example would be replacing a burned out lightbulb. While the point of CMMS is to reduce fail-based maintenance in favor of a more proactive maintenance plan, there are some exceptions. Plus, if your assets have been maintained based on failure in the past, you have important data that can help you predict future failures. Condition-based maintenance (CBM) is triggered based on meters and gauges on assets. When an asset’s condition changes outside of a specified range, maintenance events are triggered. CBM data can be gathered manually or automatically. Step 3: Build a Work Plan Once you have determined each asset’s maintenance policy, you can use your CMMS to build work plans. For assets on a UBM policy, you’ll build a work plan and schedule maintenance tasks based on the factors you’ve chosen. For CBM, you’ll create a range of conditions that will form the basis of a work plan and schedule as well as forecast when CBM will likely occur. Last, but not least, while it’s hard to plan for FBM, you can forecast when failure is likely to happen and ensure you’re ready to react, with the right parts in stock and repair procedures in place. Step 4: Support the Maintenance Plan with the Right Data Next you’ll decide what data you need to capture to support your plans. Some may be available in your archives, but much of it will need to be collected from this point forward. And that’s okay, because over time, it will grow in quantity and in value. If you choose the right data, it won’t be long before you realize its value—and you’ll be glad you took the time to get it right. Creating a solid foundation with good CMMS data will make everything run more smoothly and successfully. Don’t create more work for yourself by taking shortcuts on the front side just because you’re in a hurry. Take the extra time to get it right the first time, and your CMMS investment will pay dividends for years.
How to Support an Asset Management Plan with CMMS
In an earlier post, we met Bill and John—two MPulse customers who discovered how their CMMS data could support long-term asset management planning. While Bill needed to make some adjustments to his approach, John made a proactive decision early on to set his CMMS up right—and it paid off. Of course, we’d all like to be in John’s shoes, so let’s talk about how he set up MPulse to support an asset management plan—and how you can too. If you recall, Keith Mobley, a member of the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP), defines an asset management plan as a comprehensive strategic plan designed to help your organization get the maximum value from the assets it owns. Asset management isn’t just for your accounting folks though. It affects your maintenance team because their work impacts the uptime and total lifecycle cost of those assets. And that’s valuable information for your whole organization. Start Your Asset Management Plan with Data Tracking While supporting an asset management plan might sound complicated, in John’s case—and potentially yours—it actually boils down to making a few key decisions about your MPulse data. Here’s what John did: Use Your Asset Management Plan to Make an Informed Decision When the time came for management to decide whether to repair or replace a failed asset, John had the data right in MPulse Software to make an informed decision. With MPulse’s easy-to-use User-Definable Graphic Reporting, John quickly calculated the cost of maintenance by month/year, and he saw the overall cost trends for the asset were steady. With a little help from his accounting department on the estimated replacement cost and productivity improvements, John saw it was better to repair the sheet metal press than buy a new one—at least this time. After this experience, John decided to take the next step by linking his MPulse CMMS data to his organization’s asset register software with MPulse’s DataLink Integration Adapter. He’s seen the value of his MPulse CMMS data, and he wants to take it even further by supporting a company-wide asset management plan. Whether or not you’re a current MPulse customer, you can learn from John’s experience. Take a look at your CMMS data with an asset management mindset. You can create a wealth of asset information, helping your organization make more informed decisions, and potentially saving it a lot of money. Give us a call anytime if you’d like to learn more about how to get it done. We’re here to help.