While executives don’t often use computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software themselves, their goals and responsibilities can be impacted by how a CMMS is used. If the maintenance department uses CMMS software to its full potential, it can better the organization, giving upper management peace of mind. In order for executives to invest in CMMS software, they need to know how their team and organization can benefit from it. In this blog post, we will discuss what an executive is looking for in CMMS software and how executives benefit from the organization using the CMMS system.
The Role of Executives in Maintenance Management
There may be one or more executives that oversee the maintenance manager, such as the Plant Operations Manager, CFO, and CEO. Their role in maintenance management is to ensure the maintenance team has the resources, such as CMMS software, they need to do their jobs successfully and that they are performing to the requirements of the organization’s business plan. They also make sure maintenance stays within the budget for their department. Executives set standards and continually analyze information about asset performance and department costs. They are always envisioning the big picture and looking towards the future.
What Executives Need from CMMS Software
What do executives look for in CMMS software? Since they are often in charge of allocating funds for purchasing a CMMS system, they want to make sure that the software meets the needs of the maintenance teams that report to them. At the same time, maintenance teams will be providing them with a compilation of maintenance data that will allow them to make good strategic decisions.
Hit the Numbers
Like with many things in business, executives need to “hit the numbers” with CMMS software. That includes measuring and lowering operating costs over time using customized reports that compare key performance indicators (KPIs). These reports give them a guide map to finding ways to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Executives want to know the department-wide data averages, trends, and totals that can be readily compared against business plan metrics. They want to know average maintenance time/cost per machine to compare against the target cost and historical levels. They are very interested in trend data on technician labor costs, overall maintenance inventory levels, part order lead times, and asset down times.
Monitor Multiple Locations
Analyzing data from plant activities will help them figure out which processes work and which ones do not. Executives that run organizations with more than one location want to know which location is performing best and why. They also want to know which production line or machines are performing best. Then they can adapt what that location is doing for others so the organization can improve performance overall. Executives know being able to accommodate future growth or additional locations is also important when choosing CMMS software.
Read More: Scaling Your CMMS Software
Ensure Features Improve the Big Picture
An executive wants CMMS software to lower the risk of asset failure, lead to cost reduction, and increase productivity. They also look at the ROI from using the CMMS. Executives need features that allow them to analyze the big picture, which include reports encompassing high level data regarding:
- Maintenance task performance – efficiency, effectiveness, and cost
- Asset availability and lifecycles
- Maintenance inventory – availability and cost
- Labor resources – performance and cost
How Executives Benefit from CMMS
Even though executives rarely use the software themselves, there are benefits they experience from the maintenance department staff using CMMS software properly. Here’s how executives benefit from CMMS.
Helps Them Stay in the Loop
Having access to their CMMS system keeps executives in the loop about performance of maintenance operations. This includes key achievements and challenges. This information helps executives to make informed decisions. The software provides high level reporting capabilities to accomplish this.
Extended Asset Life and Increased Asset Availability
Another important benefit of CMMS for executives (and the maintenance department as well) is that it helps to extend asset life. When preventive maintenance is planned in advance and carried out systematically using CMMS software, major breakdowns occur less often. Assets that are better maintained last longer and perform better. Using CMMS software for asset management also increases the availability of all assets. When machines break down less often, production flows more smoothly and there is less downtime, which means products get made more efficiently.
Identifies Trends and Patterns
CMMS software helps executives identify trends and patterns. A CMMS will provide an executive with an overview of a department’s performance on all critical metrics.
Reinforces Standards and Procedures
Another benefit of CMMS software for executives is that it assures them that compliance with standards and procedures is reinforced and automated.
FTMaintenance is a Great CMMS Solution for Executives
As a busy executive, FTMaintenance is CMMS software that will meet your data and reporting standardization needs. Built-in maintenance reports, cost center tracking, and expense calculation features help you track maintenance costs to help “hit the numbers”. FTMaintenance also scales with your business so you can accommodate additional facilities or a growing staff. The work order management feature improves employee productivity and creates a digital history of maintenance work. To find out more about how FTMaintenance is a great solution for executives like you, schedule a demo with us today.