Related Posts
It might seem strange in some ways that in a world in which we have smartphones and tablets – essentially ‘mini-computers’ – in our hands, so many businesses and organisations are still managing their maintenance processes manually, such as with paper and spreadsheet-based systems.
This being the 2020s, the shift towards embracing digitisation; the automation of management processes, is clear to see.. but there’s still a way to go.
But is it something that would suit you and your organisation? Transitioning to computerised maintenance management systems, otherwise referred to by the acronym ‘CMMS’… what does this actually entail?
What is CMMS software, and what it is used for
A computerised maintenance management system, or CMMS, is software that is designed to optimise the process of maintenance management. After all, a business that is more proactive and organised in maintaining its assets is also one that will be able to gain greater performance, productivity, and lifespan from its assets, than a business that does not have such strong arrangements in place.
CMMS software provides a central place for the storage of up-to-the-minute maintenance information, at the same time as facilitating the processes of the given organisation’s broader maintenance operations.
Who uses CMMS software?
Computerised maintenance management systems are frequently used across a wide range of industries where there is a critical need for the ongoing maintenance of physical infrastructure and assets.
Businesses in such sectors as manufacturing, construction, transportation, power generation, and oil and gas production have put in place CMMS software to help optimise the utilisation and availability of crucial assets such as machinery, vehicles, and communications.
What are the benefits of using a CMMS?
The below are just some of the benefits that your organisation might soon unlock if it switches from what may currently be paper or spreadsheet-based arrangements, to a CMMS software platform:
- Improved asset lifespan and performance. The sheer wealth of real-time information that CMMS software can store about each asset on your organisation’s premises – encompassing the likes of the given asset’s purchase date, specifications, expected lifespan, service history, and more – allows you to make easier, quicker, and more informed decisions on the maintenance of those assets. It will enable you to be more proactive in your maintenance than reactive, so that you can replace a given asset when it is nearing the end of its expected operational life, before it has the chance to fail and cause unanticipated downtime.
- Lower repair and replacement costs. Related to the above point about preventative versus reactive maintenance – if you simply allow your business’s assets to fail or become outmoded for their required use, you will be forced to carry out repairs or replace certain equipment at what could be less-than-convenient times. The data contained within your organisation’s CMMS software, on the other hand, could greatly help you to plan, so that you can make the maintenance decisions that will help boost the longevity of your existing assets, while also allowing you to make informed choices on asset replacement.
- Better inventory control. A CMMS platform can also be invaluable for your organisation’s tracking of its inventory. It can help keep users aware of where parts and materials are physically located on the given site, or even across multiple sites, which can be very useful when items frequently move between different locations of your business. CMMS software can even help provide information about a given item’s cost.
- Greater reliability. When you have the right computerised maintenance management system in place at your business, you won’t need to remember to manually keep track of preventative maintenance management schedules, as would be the case if you were to continue simply keeping these records on paper or in a spreadsheet. The CMMS can schedule essential maintenance tasks on a recurring basis, so that you are able to allocate resources for use exactly when they will be needed.
- Enhanced safety and minimised risk. Equipment that has not been proactively maintained, and that may have fallen into disrepair as a consequence, can also be equipment that is increasingly dangerous for staff and operators. A CMMS platform can play a fundamental role in helping to ensure employee safety by providing confirmation that a given asset is operating within acceptable boundaries, and that safety features and components continue to work. CMMS software can also facilitate the management of safety procedures and your organisation’s compliance with relevant legislation, to further help keep staff safe.
- Accurate reporting and analysis. Your CMMS software will be able to serve as an indispensable repository of up-to-date, real-time data related to your assets and how their maintenance is being managed. Sure enough, our own Vision Pro software supports the generation of customisable reports that will greatly assist your efforts to keep an eye on the overall health and performance of your company assets.
- Document Storage and Audit Trail. All documents, schedules, certificates, guides, drawings, plans and even video footage can be uploaded to individual assets ensuring that all paperwork pertaining is kept in one place and made available to those who need access to it. In operating best practice through your CMMS, an audit trail is automatically produced; perfect if needed for accreditation or just to follow your own IMS (Integrated Management System).
Using Vision Pro for maintenance management in your organisation
If you are comparing your options for software packages that can cater to your full range of requirements and expectations from a computerised maintenance management system, you could have quite a few good reasons to consider our Vision Pro platform.
Vision Pro is a secure, cloud-based system that serves as a complete software solution for risk compliance and asset management. It provides a single, central location from which your business’s assets can be managed, encompassing tracking, tracing, and monitoring.
Our industry-leading software offers an impressive range of features and benefits. They include the use of Vision-tag (RFiD or Near Field Communication) technology for the tagging of assets, as well as the ability to upload documents, certificates, guides, images, and CAD drawings. Our software can also be used to easily assign expiry dates to assets for which regular maintenance checks are needed, as well as maintenance dates, significant findings, actions and to ensure compliance.
In short, you are very likely to realise that you don’t need to look elsewhere for CMMS software that will serve all your business’s needs in the 2020s. Call the Vision Pro team today and book a demo of this truly comprehensive software.