MPulse CMMS Blog

Thoughts and commentary about CMMS Software, the Industrial Internet of Things and Maintenance Management.

Three Big Maintenance Management Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them

Three Big Maintenance Management Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them

Hey, we all make mistakes.

The point is not that we make them. It’s what we learned from those mistakes.

If you can, however, it’s easier to learn from other people’s mistakes.

To help, we’ve shared three of the most common mistakes in maintenance management and offered tips to help you avoid them.

1. Making Decisions Based on Assumptions

While there was a time that maintenance managers needed to make assumptions about what worked for their operations, those days are gone. New technology (i.e., CMMS software) and tools make information available for data-driven decision making. Which means your decisions are backed up by hard data, not guesswork.

This is particularly helpful when sharing maintenance information with other managers who don’t have hands-on maintenance experience. It’s hard to argue when they can see the facts—and the figures—right in front of them.

2. Skimping on Training

No investment pays off as readily as training. Yet many maintenance managers feel they don’t have the time or the budget for training.

These days, however, training is available in all kinds of formats that fit all kinds of budgets. While on-site or classroom training may not be realistic for your organization, you have plenty of other options—including online training and mentor programs. Some training programs are just an hour a week.

And your investment in training pays off with every work order as your team becomes more efficient.

3. Refusing to Change with the Times

Maintenance management has changed rapidly in a short time. And while you might feel like things worked just fine before, staying the course means missed opportunities.

Technology has taken the maintenance professional by storm, and it’s not going away. In fact, it’s now a “must have” in maintenance departments.

And the type of technology has changed too. Where just 5-10 years ago, you were probably tapping away at a desktop computer or implementing your first CMMS software, now you’ve got a mobile phone or tablet in your hand checking for information while you’re walking around the plant or facility. Take advantage of these technology advances to make your department more productive.

Plus, your maintenance team has changed too. Your older employees are retiring. And finding replacements isn’t a simple task. You’ll need to make your maintenance positions appealing to a different generation with a different mindset, particularly because they’ve grown up with technology and are extremely comfortable with it.

What maintenance management mistakes have you made? How did you fix them?

Contact us.

Latest Post

Building Maintenance Lowers Utility Bills

How Building Maintenance Lowers Utility Bills

What Does Preventive Maintenance Mean?

What Does Preventive Maintenance Mean?

What Does CMMS Stand For?

What Does CMMS Stand For? Here’s Why It Matters for Your Maintenance Team

Scheduled Maintenance and CMMS Prevents Backlogs

How Scheduled Maintenance and CMMS Can Reduce Your Backlog

Related Posts

Building Maintenance Lowers Utility Bills

How Building Maintenance Lowers Utility Bills

Keeping a building in good shape does more than just make it look nice. It helps your equipment work better,..

What Does Preventive Maintenance Mean?

What Does Preventive Maintenance Mean?

Preventive maintenance means taking care of equipment, systems, and facilities before problems happen. If you’ve ever had something break unexpectedly,..

What Does CMMS Stand For?

What Does CMMS Stand For? Here’s Why It Matters for Your Maintenance Team

If you’ve ever worked in facilities maintenance or manufacturing, chances are you’ve come across the acronym CMMS. But what exactly..

Can't Find What Your Looking For?

Our team of experts is happy to assist with finding the maintenance management software resources you’re looking for!