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. For the business case and the numbers leadership will ask for, see getting CMMS budget approved.
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.
