CMMS Software Helps Public School District Take Maintenance to the Next Level
School maintenance isn’t just about taking care of buildings and equipment. Maintenance plays a huge role in the well-being of students, teachers, and administrators. When school districts like St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) use facility maintenance software to manage maintenance tasks, they are protecting the taxpayer’s investment in public education. “We have a great team that’s committed to safeguarding the mission of SMCPS, which is to provide the best learning environment that we can,” said Sharon Dvorak, SMCPS work order specialist. “Our goal is to always ensure the comfort and safety of all our students and staff, and provide the best possible outcome for our community. MPulse helps us do just that.” Fixing What Broke For many years, the SMCPS Department of Maintenance operated in the way it knew best. The phone rang. Someone answered it and took a few notes, and then a maintenance technician went to fix the problem. There was little documentation, no preventive maintenance program, and limited historical data or background information. SMCPS wasn’t unusual. Many school districts adopted a maintenance strategy of simply fixing what broke to work within budget restrictions. In July 2004, Sharon Dvorak, work order specialist, was tasked with improving the way the Department of Maintenance handled the growing needs of the school system. Sharon implemented the biggest change just a few months later—the department’s first CMMS software system, MPulse Silver. MPulse Silver gave SMCPS the ability to schedule preventive maintenance tasks and manage work orders as well as the capacity to receive, manage, and update service requests from unlimited requesters. Sharon started using MPulse’s school maintenance software the same way most new CMMS users do—setting up the database with all the district’s building assets, employees, maintenance tasks, work order types, trades, and departments. In the autumn of 2004, with the basics in place, SMCPS began receiving and processing their first computer-generated work orders with school CMMS. By 2006, MPulse CMMS maintenance software was widely accepted throughout the organization. Fast forward to August 2016, and Sharon hit a major milestone—surpassing 100,000 opened work orders. Work Order Management Like most MPulse administrators, Sharon’s day centers around work order management. MPulse helps the SMCPS maintenance team get the highest priority work done while making sure lower priority work doesn’t slip through the cracks. “We needed to prioritize,” Sharon said. “Over the years our budgets have started to dwindle, so we needed to make sure we were spending our time—and our money—wisely.” Prior to their MPulse implementation, 100% of the Department of Maintenance’s repairs were unplanned. “Our scheduled maintenance program has taken us from a completely reactive work force to a balanced 48% planned and 52% unplanned,” Sharon said. “It’s taken our organization to a whole new level.” Download our customer success story or contact us to learn more about how MPulse customers are using our CMMS software to improve their maintenance operations.
Next Level Maintenance Reports with Turn-Key Data Integration
CMMS software captures key maintenance data to help you create reports or documents with details of your team’s maintenance work. But often other departments need access to that data, or have their own data that’s useful to maintenance managers. That was the situation facing Saint-Gobain Ceramics High Performance Refractories (HPR) maintenance department in their Worchester, Massachusetts, facility. At the request of the management team, application developer Gary Potter was tasked with finding a way to integrate data from the company’s SAP ERP system with CMMS data in their MPulse Maintenance Software. Gary needed a simple solution that was effortless for users and integrated easily with the company’s local network. Data Integration Solution Since 2014, Saint-Gobain Ceramics HPR has used MPulse Platinum—our most comprehensive software package designed for the largest, most complex maintenance operations. Gary worked closely with MPulse during the initial implementation process, and he turned to MPulse again for a data integration solution. Working with our support team, he quickly determined the MPulse DataLink Integration Adapter was the way to go. DataLink offered Gary a way to easily move data in and out of MPulse using a familiar, intuitive interface. Now when maintenance technicians create a purchase requisition, the company’s SAP ERP software associates the purchase order with the specific work order. When the parts are received, SAP sends the costs and stock information to MPulse, giving managers access to the numbers they need to make important decisions. As a result, the maintenance crew and the accounting department are in sync and their inventory stock levels are updated and accurate. Best of all, “it’s all automatic,” Gary explained. “MPulse DataLink checks for new information every few minutes. We don’t have to do anything else.” Benefits of Turn-Key Data Integration DataLink enables Saint-Gobain to leave the accounting to the financial application, and synchronize the results back to MPulse for informational and reporting purposes. As a result, Saint-Gobain maintenance managers can use financial data and CMMS data to accurately calculate maintenance costs. After an easy implementation process, Saint-Gobain plans to expand the use of DataLink by using MPulse’s advanced inventory capabilities in the future. The company anticipates big benefits, like the ability to… Accelerate and track the complete purchase lifecycle Leverage MPulse’s reporting and forecasting capabilities to drive business intelligence Eliminate manual double entry of inventory and purchasing information Increase accuracy and freshness of data Reduce emergency non-stock situations by improving usage planning Implement standardized data and improve vendor management And Gary emphasized something else that is close to any IT professional’s heart: “It just works.” Download our customer success story, or contact us to learn more about how MPulse customers are using our software to improve their maintenance operations.
Achieving 100% Preventative Maintenance Completion Rate
Preventive maintenance scheduling is one of the top reasons maintenance departments buy CMMS software. Everyone’s goal is to accomplish achieving 100% Preventative Maintenance completion rate. Many MPulse customers want a 100% preventive maintenance task completion rate. We asked a new MPulse customer, Matt, how his team achieved it. Matt’s goal when his organization purchased MPulse was to move from reactive approach to a more balanced proactive approach. With more than 1,200 assets at his company’s plant, however, his old method of spreadsheets and a homegrown database couldn’t get him there. CMMS software was clearly the way to go. But after buying the software, what’s next to have that success? Set Up PM Schedules Setting up his CMMS software properly was the first step. Matt had some asset information in his old spreadsheets, so that was easily imported into MPulse. He took the time to add new information as well—including warranties and parts information. Then for each asset, he set up a schedule of PM tasks—changing oil and filters, cleaning vents and screens, inspecting equipment, checking performance metrics, replacing parts, etc. Here’s the magic of CMMS software. Automated scheduling meant that every time a task was completed, MPulse simply used Matt’s parameters to determine when it needed to happen again in the future. Matt didn’t have to do a thing. The task popped up again at the appropriate time. “It’s tough to get much easier than that,” he said. PM scheduling helped in another way as well. Matt’s team spent less time on paperwork—entering information and updating spreadsheets—because everything was captured in one place at one time. “Not to mention, we had fewer complaints because paperwork is definitely one of the less popular parts of the job,” he said. “Reducing the data entry alone was enough to get the team’s buy-in.” Spot Issues After the PM schedules are set up, it was easier for Matt to spot problems with the workflows. Using his MPulse CMMS data, he changed a few things in his department, by… Redistributing some tasks to employees with stronger backgrounds in that skill set Training other employees so they could take on new and different tasks Hiring another tech to focus primarily on PMs for key assets Streamlining the inventory ordering process so his techs weren’t waiting for frequently used parts After a few months, Matt succeeded in his goal to get to 100% PM completion rate. But he also discovered that his metric didn’t give him the whole picture. Next time, we’ll share another PM performance metric that helped Matt—and can help you too.
Why Spreadsheets Don’t Cut It Anymore
Maintenance management in the past relied on pencil and paper and/or spreadsheets to track maintenance work. And it worked. But maintenance management has changed. Organizations have discovered maintenance affects the entire operation. And that means they’re paying attention in ways they weren’t in the past. You used to get phone calls when something broke. Now you’re getting phone calls asking for details about your maintenance operations: costs, productivity, inventory turnover, replacement forecasting, etc. That means you need a new approach. As one MPulse customer said, “Our spreadsheets just don’t cut it anymore.” Maintenance Management Has Changed As more organizations move from a reactive maintenance strategy to a proactive one, the focus of maintenance teams has changed too. It starts with preventive maintenance (PM). PM is one of the biggest reasons maintenance managers turn to CMMS software because it simplifies creating PM tasks, automating PM schedules, and building maintenance reports to find areas that need more attention as well as those that are working well. And that’s just the beginning. From inventory control to condition-based maintenance to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), CMMS software helps maintenance managers improve reliability and take their operations to new levels. Technology Has Changed Once computer technology was scarce in the maintenance department. Those days are long over. Now even desktop computer systems are passé and mobile devices are commonly found on the shop floor, at the construction site, or in the plant. And it’s still changing. IIoT devices are opening up new opportunities for monitoring assets and automating data collection. That means maintenance work will shift even more from reactive to preventive… and towards predictive maintenance. CMMS software gives you the information you need to meet the challenges ahead. Workforce Has Changed It’s tough to find the right people with skills we need in the maintenance department. If that wasn’t hard enough, our aging workforce requires rethinking your recruitment strategies. Maintenance managers need to reach out to younger employees, who expect modern technology in the workplace. Emphasize the technical aspects of this career path, and create a professional growth/training program for your maintenance staff. These things are important to younger workers, and they’ll make your positions more appealing. The Future of Maintenance Management So, what does the future of maintenance management look like? It’s going to involve more technology and a stronger push towards data-driven decision making. So maintenance managers need to adapt. Starting now means you’ll be in a good position down the road. Ready to ditch the spreadsheets? Contact us.
Is the MPulse 0% Finance Program Right for Your CMMS Software Purchase?
If you’ve been researching your first CMMS software purchase (or an upgrade), you’ve realized most vendors want you to buy software as a service (SaaS) solutions. But here at MPulse, we believe SaaS isn’t for everyone. So if you’re looking for a way to purchase CMMS software outright, take a look at our new MPulse 0% Finance Program. Is SaaS Right for You? First, let’s look at SaaS. Simply stated, SaaS is just another method of paying for CMMS software. When you opt for a SaaS subscription you’re choosing to rent software for a specified period of time instead of buying a license to use it indefinitely. The licensed purchase price for a maintenance management software package is typically equal to two or three years of SaaS payments. If you’re on the fence about a new solution, SaaS may provide you a beneficial trial period to determine if the software meets your needs. You can change vendors at any time without abandoning a large investment—or you can purchase the software you’re using. It also may allow you to pay for software without going through a formal procurement process. If your company divides departmental funding into operational expenses (OPEX) and capital expenses (CAPEX), you may be able to spend OPEX money on your software without making a CAPEX request. SaaS has advantages, which is why MPulse offers our SaaS option to customers. In particular, those lower initial costs are attractive. But the disadvantage is you never really own the software—so you need to keep paying for your subscription. And if you stop paying, you lose access. Is MPulse 0% Finance Program Right for You? Here at MPulse, we believe our customers should have purchase options that fit their needs. So we launched a new program that allows our customers to enjoy the lower upfront costs of SaaS, but to own the software outright in just 36 months. MPulse provides financing through Marlin Business Services Corp.®, a nationwide provider of equipment and software financing. With the MPulse 0% Finance Program, you’ll have better payment terms than most SaaS contracts, and the software will be yours to keep. Benefits include… Finance 100% of your purchase 0% interest rate for 36 months No substantial cash outlay or down payment Finance training and support services too Monthly payments Instant financing approval process Easy electronic application Turns your CAPEX into OPEX for easier management approval in many organizations Significant tax advantages No effect on your bank lines of credit How Long Does It Take? With our expedited approval process, we can get most financing approved in less than one business day. Because our financing is lease-based, inquiries don’t impact your credit rating. We can finance many businesses who may not qualify for traditional bank loans. Contact us to learn more about the MPulse 0% Finance Program. We’re here to help.
What Are Your CMMS Reports Telling You?
With CMMS software, every work order builds up a treasure trove of maintenance data in your CMMS database. The next step? Turning your maintenance data reports into actionable insight. That’s the real value of CMMS software. Read on for this CMMS solution. Find Out What’s Working… and What’s Not CMMS reports help you see your maintenance operations in a new light. It’s easier to see what’s working… and what needs more attention. That was Miguel’s experience. Once his MPulse Software, Inc was working, it didn’t take long before he saw his operations in a new light. CMMS maintenance data reports helped Miguel understand… What work is getting done. And what’s falling through the cracks. Who’s doing what and how long it takes them to do it. How much that asset really costs, and when it’s more cost effective to replace it. Which parts are overstocked, which parts are understocked, and which parts need longer lead times. What’s the inventory turn rate. How much the department is spending and on what. Which assets are pulling their weight, and which ones aren’t. How much a breakdown really costs. What to do to prevent those breakdowns before they happen. Make Good Decisions Based on Hard Data CMMS reports aren’t just about the numbers, however. It’s what those numbers mean. “I knew MPulse would help us manage work flows and track inventory,” Miguel said. “But the data showed me things I didn’t anticipate, like which asset was costing us more than it’s giving back.” Here’s where the real value lies. Armed with solid data and strong reporting features, CMMS software enables you to make good decisions based on hard evidence. No assumptions. No guesswork. Just data. That means you’ll know what’s working well in your maintenance department—and where you should focus your efforts to make improvements. We call that data-driven decision making. In modern maintenance organizations, it’s this type of maintenance management that helps organizations compete in increasingly complicated and competitive markets. Set Up Your CMMS Software for Success It takes more than just buying software, however. Miguel set up his team for success with our CMMS solutions by defining what he wanted to know from his CMMS software, so the work orders collected the data he needed. For example, “we knew we needed to get our inventory costs under control,” Miguel explained. “So we made sure our work orders including parts and supplies information. That extra effort paid off later when we got deeper into inventory management.” You don’t know what you don’t know. Maintenance data reports can help you see what you’ve been missing. What do you want to know? Contact us to see how CMMS software can help you find the answers.
Time for a Parts Room Audit? CMMS Software to the Rescue!
It’s common for public agencies to have their parts inventory audited on a regular basis. Typically, these audits occur annually by taking a random selection of items and comparing the inventory numbers in the computer to the actual items on a shelf. The purpose isn’t really to find problems or assign blame. Instead, the goal is to use our software audit tools to determine if an agency’s inventory audit procedures are in place and effective, so you can make changes to improve. An audit also can reduce overstocking and understocking because of inaccurate data, plus it helps reduce the opportunity for theft. CMMS Software Helps You Prepare Inventory has a reputation for being “a can of worms” in our field. And that’s not without reason. The key? Finding the type of inventory audit procedure that works for your organization and using the power of your CMMS software audit tools to implement it. CMMS software is the best way for maintenance and facility management teams to prepare for inventory audits. CMMS software helps in several ways… Preparation Time: Scheduled audits require gathering paperwork beforehand, which can be tedious and time-consuming when it involves sifting through stacks of paperwork. With CMMS software, accurate reports are easy to pull together in just minutes—saving a lot of time and frustration. Verifiable Data: CMMS software records all your parts tracking, stocking, ordering, and inventory processes with every work order. When it’s time for an audit, the data is easier and faster for auditors to verify. Easy Access: Instead of pulling out binders of paperwork, auditors can sit down at a computer to find the information they need. With CMMS software, the answers are at their fingertips. CMMS Software Improves Inventory Management Here at MPulse, we recommend making inventory as easy as possible with barcodes, scanners, and our new smartphone camera barcode scanning feature. Scan the part. Scan the asset. That’s all you need to do to link inventory to a new or existing work order record. Plus, your team can enter inventory items as they arrive and automatically track who is performing work. Often, I hear customers worry about the effort involved in implementing an inventory control management system. Setting up the system does take time, but the gain far outweighs the initial pain. Let the power of CMMS do the hard work, and you’ll see the rewards when it’s audit time. As with most things, being prepared makes the experience easier and a positive outcome more likely. How can CMMS software help your maintenance department improve inventory management? Leave a comment below or contact us.
CMMS Implementation Services: What Maintenance Managers Should Know
Maintenance managers know it’s critical to have the right tools—and the right skills—for the job. The same is true when it comes to CMMS implementation services. That’s what Nick told me. As the maintenance director for a large, multi-site corporation, Nick knows his maintenance strategy is only as good as his people and the tools they use. “I don’t send my plumbing guy with a pipe wrench when I need to replace a circuit breaker,” he joked. Nick isn’t new to CMMS software. But when it was time to upgrade recently, he wanted his team to focus on their jobs, not configuring software. So, Nick decided to let the MPulse experts do what they do best—set up his CMMS software exactly how his team needed it. Which means his techs could do what they do best—maintenance. Smooth Transition, Strong Foundation MPulse has different levels of CMMS software implementation, and each customer’s needs are unique. Nick went for turn-key implementation, so our MPulse team helped him with everything from planning, data migration, and installation to training and “go-live” day. “It made financial and operational sense,” Nick explained. “Our CMMS software was set up correctly from the beginning, which reduced frustration during the transition. We also had the support we needed if we ran into any problems.” I’ve shared my perspective before about the value of CMMS software training and implementation services. It’s something that, honestly, you can’t afford to not do. Nick agrees. “It was more than just setting up software,” he said. “MPulse helped us set up measurable goals and create reports to track our progress. Now I know at a glance where we’re meeting expectations and what we need to focus on.” The seven implementation mistakes that derail rollouts, and how to avoid each one, are covered in the seven mistakes that sink CMMS implementations. Compounding Benefits While reducing disruptions during the upgrade was a major advantage, there’s another one. The value of Nick’s investment grows every day. Nick describes it as “compounding benefits,” like compounding interest. “We started strong by investing in CMMS implementation, and we add to the value of our CMMS data with every work order,” he said. “Now our crew has a solid foundation that we’re still building on today, just like interest earned in a bank account.” CMMS software is a tool. And just like a wrench or a hammer, it only works when the right person is using it for the right job. Give your organization the best chance to make the most from maintenance software. Explore MPulse’s implementation services and see how we can make your maintenance team the most productive they’ve ever been.
Investing in Maintenance Software Pays Off in the Long Run
Investing in maintenance software pays off in the long run. Several years ago, my town was struck hard by a recession. Businesses closed. Unemployment grew. You could see the effects in the business district—empty storefronts and office buildings. The town had a glut of business space. And, as demand fell, so did the prices. My friend and MPulse customer, Rebecca, owns several properties downtown. But Rebecca stayed afloat when many others did not. Over coffee recently, I asked Rebecca how she survived when others failed. Timing and sound business practices helped. But so did something else that was much simpler. “We kept up on our property maintenance,” she said. “It makes a difference when you need to attract and keep tenants.” Facility Maintenance is an Investment Buildings are assets, and nothing is better for managing assets than CMMS software. Rebecca invested in MPulse CMMS software about 10 years ago before the downturn hit. “But when things were tight, it became more important,” she said. “It was easier to see where we need to spend money to keep things up, and we also knew where to cut back to stay solvent.” Rebecca used MPulse Software, Inc for… Employee schedules Elevator inspections HVAC maintenance Security Landscape Vendor management Custodial services Repair cost history Documentation Service requests Keeping her properties in good condition helped Rebecca maintain the value of her investments. Her current tenants were happy and more likely to stay. And new tenants were attracted to the property. This strategy sounds simple, and it is. But it’s a business practice that not everyone follows—which gives property owners like Rebecca a competitive advantage. The proof lies in similar properties that weren’t maintained. When the market turned a few years ago, their owners had to spend more to make sure their facilities could compete. At least, those that survived. Plenty did not. CMMS Software Improves Service Request Management Rebecca’s facility management strategy included something else that often gets overlooked—good customer service. “Responsiveness is a big part of property management,” she said. “MPulse helped our maintenance manager track service requests and communicate with tenants. Our track record of good customer service kept us operating during a difficult time.” Rebecca’s investment in maintenance is paying off now as the market continues to expand. Her buildings are full, and she increased her rates as demand grew. It’s a position too many others failed to achieve. How could CMMS software help you stay competitive? Leave a comment or contact us.
The Hidden Costs of Free Maintenance Software
You’ve heard the saying, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” That’s what a new MPulse customer, James, said to me last week. James is researching maintenance software—his team still uses mostly paper and pencil. He knows it’s time for a change. So, he did what many maintenance managers before him have done. He typed “free maintenance software” in a Google search box. I get it. When you’re new to CMMS programs, you want to test them out. Take it for a test drive, so to speak. And free maintenance software from the Internet seems like an easy way to do that. But also like many maintenance managers before him, James discovered that free maintenance software isn’t always what it seems to be—and its hidden costs sometimes mean paying a higher price. Why Don’t I Want Free CMMS Software? It’s hard to get a realistic perspective on the true capabilities of maintenance software with free CMMS software. “Free” sounds like a great deal, until you consider… Limited tools and functionality Lack of scalability No training or support Absence of security features to protect data Inability to sync with other business systems So, after all that effort, you’re missing out on finding the right maintenance software for you. Not to mention, you’re wasting time and energy—two things typically in short supply for maintenance managers. That’s what James discovered. “I’m trying not to think about the time I’ve wasted testing out software that didn’t have the features we really needed,” he told me. “That was an expensive lesson.” But What If I Just Want to Try It Out? I understand why James wanted to try out free maintenance software. But there’s a better way—free software demos. When you test drive a car, you don’t just randomly take any car you found on the Internet out on the road. You don’t want to waste time test driving station wagons when you really need a 4-wheel drive with a 6.0L, 8-cylinder engine. Your time is valuable, and it’s important that you spend it wisely. When you do your research on CMMS software, you’ll soon see the benefits of scalable CMMS software with an easy-to-use interface and advanced tools. That’s why MPulse Software, Inc offers free trials and great customer service to make sure your software purchase means your needs. Because we know how to make your CMMS implementation a success—and we’re happy to share our experience with you, so you’re on the right path from the very beginning. And that’s something you can take to the bank.