Best-practice when Implementing a CMMS

There are a number of important considerations to be taken into account when implementing a CMMS like the Idhammar MMS in order to ensure best practice...

The bigger picture – impact on processes and culture

The planning and commitment required to implement a CMMS is arguably the most important determinant of its success and the return on investment in your environment. The importance of managing maintenance engineers and other associated personnel through this process of change should not be underestimated.

Make it a management priority

The Maintenance Manager is one of the main beneficiaries of a CMMS, helping them to gain greater control of their function, reduce time pressure, and alleviate stress. However, it is also inevitable that a CMMS will require more of this manager's time in the early phases prior to launch and for the first few weeks afterward as they reengineer processes and support the maintenance team members through training and the initial learning curve. It is therefore essential that the implementation of a CMMS has complete management buy-in right from the start.

Don’t miss out the ‘Evaluation Loop’

Setting some realistic goals and targets not only aids pre and post CMMS implementation, but over time helps to keep the team on track, collectively learning from mistakes and celebrating success. Idhammar MMS will provide management reporting and tracking to help with procedural audits, support analysis and ongoing control and evaluation loops.

Prioritise the functionality you need

Today's CMMS are rich in functionality, and it is easy to be swayed to purchase a system that has more bells and whistles than any other. However, in reality some of the functionality of a CMMS may be more important to you and your environment. It is good practice to think through your priorities in terms of functionality, both for today and for future growth. Contact us today to discuss your specific needs, or click here for detailed information about Idhammar’s CMMS software.

Training should not be optional

A CMMS is a powerful management information tool, and as with any tool it requires practice and dedication in order to use it proficiently and to best effect. Independent research has shown that companies which fail to gain the most from their CMMS do so as a result of limited training. Although thorough training programmes take place during system implementation, many maintenance teams fail to provide ongoing, regular training for new team members and as new functionality is added. Idhammar provides a range of services and support to overcome this problem

Involve other departments

Involving other stakeholder or collaborator departments, particularly production, in the new process design and selection of a CMMS will ensure more robust processes and the support of the wider manufacturing team during a time of change.