The Facilities Management industry is evolving rapidly. CMMS systems that you may have deployed 5 years ago may no longer be the best solution for you currently. In this article, we explore indications that you may need to consider a new CMMS system, and how the switch to a new CMMS system can be best handled.
Indications That You Need A New CMMS
(1) Doesn’t Work On Mobile Devices
CMMS software that supports mobile devices will greatly increase the productivity of your whole maintenance department.
Without a mobile-friendly CMMS, nothing can be done when you are out in the field and not behind your desk. Many more trips will need to be made by requestors, responders and management staff for simple tasks like starting new service requests or tracking the progress of ongoing tasks and reporting updates.
Timely notifications will not be received and crucial information cannot readily be accessed. These deficiencies result in longer response and task completion times, loss of productivity and ultimately low client satisfaction.
(2) Not cloud-based
Legacy CMMS software may require on-premise servers and hardware. Such requirements not only make the software more difficult and expensive to deploy, but maintenance requirements are also higher.
Newer CMMS systems are all cloud-based. Cloud-based solutions tend to be more reasonably priced and there would be no need for any equipment maintenance or vulnerabilities introduced by on-premise servers.
(3) Difficult to integrate
To support Smart Cities and Smart Buildings, CMMS systems must also be “Smart”. Integration with IoT sensors and other building systems is a crucial element of Smart Facilities Management.
If your CMMS system cannot be easily integrated with other systems or put barriers, such as costs to access APIs or consultancy fees, in the way of such integration, it may be time to consider CMMS systems that are more “integration-friendly”.
Some signs that CMMS systems are “integration-friendly” including
- There is the publicly available API documentation
- There is an integration page on their website showing systems with which the CMMS is already integrated
(4) Critical Features Are Not Available and Customization is Impossible
This is a no-brainer. If the system you are using does not have the features you need then you should be looking for something else that does.
As technology progresses, CMMS systems should also be improving constantly. Newer CMMS systems such as FacilityBot are not only mobile but are Messaging-First, doing away with the need for voice calls to report issues. You should see new features becoming available to you, hopefully without the need for additional costs.
If you are not seeing new features and if all your customization requests are ignored, then it is time to look for a CMMS system.
(5) Too Expensive
SaaS CMMS systems tend to be more reasonably priced. With more SaaS CMMS systems like FacilityBot becoming available, prices have come down and pricing structures have become more flexible.
If your CMMS system is currently not deployed as a SaaS, you should definitely review the prices for SaaS CMMS systems. Amongst SaaS CMMS systems, look out for those that are transparent and flexibly priced. Avoid CMMS systems that require high setup and training costs.
So, take your time to review what’s out there before selecting the right maintenance software for you.
(6) Doesn’t Offer Good Support
Does your current CMMS provider take ages to reply? Are the issues that you raised not adequately addressed? Does every change require additional fees? If you say yes to any of these, then you might want to rethink your partnership with your provider.
Getting the Most out of Your CMMS
Your CMMS software is a powerful tool that if used correctly, allows significant efficiency improvements and costs saving in your Facilities Management operations. Just as you should periodically review the equipment installed in your building, you should also review if your current CMMS software is delivering the desired outcomes for you.
New Maintenance software like FacilityBot has features that surpass your average CMMS. As a Facilities Management Chatbot, it can act as the primary communications channel with building users. FacilityBot also offers features like facility and room booking, visitor management, automated FAQ responses as well as custom broadcasts.
If you are considering moving to a new CMMS software, feel free to contact us.
