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The quality of your work depends largely on the operational efficiency of your workplace. Against this backdrop, it is of utmost importance to you to keep your equipment and systems in top condition through regular and thorough maintenance. However, the maintenance process can be overwhelming, especially for small companies. If you do not have adequate manpower or technical skills, you may find it difficult to delegate tasks to your technicians and keep track of which equipment has been repaired. To simplify and speed up these tasks, having a maintenance management software solution available can go a long way. Preventive Maintenance For Small Companies Preventive maintenance software is a strategy that teams and managers employ before a failure or outage actually occurs. The main goal is to reduce the likelihood of failure or deterioration of equipment, components, or spare parts. To perform this type of maintenance, the team must consider the history of the equipment and track its previous failures. This paves the way for determining how often equipment is likely to fail and require repair/maintenance. Preventive maintenance is a planning strategy for maintenance operations as it is based on well-established maintenance facts, reports, equipment history, and needs of the organization working as efficient equipment maintenance software. With preventive maintenance as part of the CMMS functionality, small companies can easily organize their maintenance tasks and ensure continuous productivity. There is no doubt that preventive maintenance is one of the most popular and effective maintenance methods. However, this may not always be the right choice, as each organization has its own idiosyncrasies. Sometimes the cost of preventive maintenance is much higher compared to other possible methods. See more at preventive maintenance services and repair programs. What Are The Different Types Of Preventive Maintenance? There are 3 types of preventive maintenance: Systematic Preventive Maintenance Preventive maintenance is carried out according to a schedule established according to the time or the number of units of use (produced). Even if time is the most common unit, other units can be used such as the number of products manufactured, the length of products manufactured, the distance traveled, the mass of products manufactured, the number of cycles carried out, etc. This frequency of intervention is determined by commissioning or after a complete or partial overhaul Condition-Based Preventive Maintenance Preventive maintenance is subject to a type of predetermined event (self-diagnosis, sensor information, wear measurement, etc.). Condition-based maintenance is therefore maintenance that depends on experience and involves information gathered in real-time. It is also called predictive maintenance (non-standard term). Conditional preventive maintenance is characterized by the highlighting of weak points. Depending on the case, it is desirable to put them under surveillance and, from there, to decide on an intervention when a certain threshold is reached. But the controls remain systematic and are part of the non-destructive control methods. All materials are affected. This conditional preventive maintenance is done by relevant measurements of the equipment in operation. Predictive maintenance Predictive maintenance consists of anticipating future failures on equipment, an object, a system, etc. Concretely, it is a question of anticipating a breakdown or a malfunction thanks to the accumulation of a set of data. Booming in recent years, predictive maintenance has several advantages. It avoids, for example, the immobilization of a broken-down production system (with the resulting financial repercussions). Predictive maintenance makes it possible above all to anticipate breakdowns and offers the possibility of intervening while avoiding a much more expensive repair. With predictive technology, maintenance costs are reduced by 10 to 40% and the number of breakdowns is halved. See the difference between reactive and preventive maintenance. Is Preventive Maintenance Cost Effective? Preventive maintenance has long been the most popular maintenance strategy for manufacturers. In industrial maintenance, 60% of companies associate preventive maintenance with increased productivity, and over 60% associate preventive maintenance with reduced downtime and increased safety. It has long been believed to provide better cost savings than reactive maintenance. While preventive maintenance software still involves machine downtime, it is scheduled for a more convenient time and preferred over unplanned reactive maintenance, where the cost and time until the problem is diagnosed and repaired is unknown. Benefits of Properly Implementing a Preventive Maintenance Program For Small Companies: Reduce maintenance costs Depending on the type and complexity of the equipment a company uses, maintenance costs can be one of the largest financial drains. Preventive maintenance can help avoid this problem by reducing the likelihood of catastrophic failure or equipment degradation. Additionally, small companies can now benefit from predictive maintenance software. These systems create regular maintenance checklists and help coordinate company-wide maintenance schedules. Early detection of faults One of the most basic preventive maintenance tasks is dismantling and thorough inspection of equipment and plant installations. While this is the most effective way to clean and polish your equipment from the inside out, it can also help identify some hidden flaws that surface diagnostics might miss. Production lines can benefit from early detection of problems as they are the cause of prolonged downtime. Regularly replacing dirty or partially damaged parts can eliminate many major defects in the long run. Managers can upgrade or install new functional software to realize automatic diagnosis and error detection. Additionally, some CMMS products can perform maintenance checks of an entire facility in a single cycle. Some systems are even building IoT infrastructure to incorporate device performance data. A single administrator can spot vulnerabilities before they cause significant damage. Reduce downtime For maintenance operations, both static systems and running machines must be partially or completely shut down. Preventive maintenance is almost always faster and uses fewer resources than other maintenance methods. Most modern operating systems, such as production lines and electrical equipment, include performance management sensors that identify specific problem areas. In this case, instead of shutting down the entire system, these problems can be isolated and fixed. With predictive maintenance, you can schedule maintenance work at convenient times, such as when employees leave the building or when the day's operations are over, reducing disruptions to production and efficiency. Longer asset life Every piece of equipment has a finite useful life after which it needs to be repaired or replaced to varying degrees. Small companies typically purchase such equipment after determining its potential operation and potential production. Most small companies already factor in repair or replacement costs. Still, preventative maintenance can provide an extra layer of protection to prolong the life of your equipment. A preventive maintenance program ensures equipment is performing according to manufacturer and consumer specifications. Challenges of Preventive Maintenance For Small Companies: May exceed expectations With preventive maintenance software, there is still a risk of over-maintenance. Some failures are less dangerous to your operation than others. If you dedicate resources to avoiding every single problem, you're probably wasting resources on PMs. Finding a balance between proactive error prevention and reactive remediation efforts is critical. If a preventative maintenance program is too extensive, it can lead to serious financial waste. In some cases, you should test components, parts, or even entire machines for possible failures. Unexpected failure Certain components and parts may fail randomly such that preventive maintenance cannot permanently prevent the failure. In such cases, it may make more sense to think about effective ways to deal with the consequences. You should not base the frequency of preventive maintenance calls on the usual metric of mean time between failures. Instead, the lifespan of the component should be considered when making this decision. Continuous training for technicians Another downside of some preventative maintenance systems is that field technicians don't always keep their knowledge and training up to date. The bottom line is, if your maintenance professionals don't understand the need for preventive maintenance, or aren't adequately trained to perform it, they won't be able to do it properly. High upfront costs When you first implement a preventive maintenance program, it can cost more to service equipment and assets on a regular basis than to wait for a power outage. Small companies may find the initial cost of deploying a CMMS for preventive maintenance prohibitive if they have a limited budget for asset management and equipment maintenance. Since facilities are regularly inspected for maintenance, you may need to invest in the latest tools and equipment to properly carry out the repair work, which will undoubtedly add to your overall business expenses. Consider reading a step-by-step guide to choosing the right CMMS. Benefits of Preventive Maintenance Software for Small Companies (CMMS) Integration of maintenance management information Planned maintenance and predictive maintenance data are multidimensional. It is impossible to represent everything in a single two-dimensional table. You have at least a few workbooks. You most likely have a bunch of linked files, all of which need updated information. CMMS software and preventive maintenance eliminate this by storing all relevant data in one place. Prevent errors Errors can easily sneak into maintenance management spreadsheets. A simple copy-and-paste error or missing parentheses can throw off your entire maintenance plan. Bugs may go undetected for months or even years.  CMMS software protects formulas and calculations from user error. [cta title="If you want the success of any maintenance action, you should try a WorkTrek!" text="Book a WorkTrek demo to see how a CMMS can help your maintainability." link="https://login.worktrek.com/Account/Register?_gl=1*fpersd*_ga*MTcwMjE1OTkzNy4xNjU0NTA3NTI2*_ga_8N6446P9LX*MTY3Mzk2ODEzNS4yNi4xLjE2NzM5Njg4MDAuNDguMC4w"] Automatically trigger notifications and work orders Even the best-designed spreadsheet can't send ticket reminders to technicians.  A major advantage of CMMS software is that workflows are easier to manage. Predictive maintenance tasks can be automatically scheduled based on manufacturer recommendations and previous maintenance dates. Task completion is recorded instantly and your planned maintenance records are updated. Compile audit history Using CMMS software can simplify maintenance audits. While audit data can be easily stored in spreadsheets, extracting relevant information from multiple files at the time of an audit is a time-consuming manual task.  A CMMS system keeps a complete digital file record of every action, including when it happened and by whom. Preventive and planned maintenance history is fully transparent. Since the software has been specially developed for maintenance managers, inspection reports are always at hand. Reporting and analysis Weak analysis and reporting are other problems with maintaining administrative spreadsheets. Experienced users can create their own custom reports, but this takes time to set up and maintain.  CMMS providers know which metrics and KPIs are most important. Overdue work orders and predictive maintenance forecasts can be generated instantly. Real-time accuracy As a manager, it is critical to have an accurate and comprehensive understanding of your operations. Manually entering information into multiple spreadsheet files naturally introduces delays between action and reporting. Urgent tasks and emergencies may not become apparent until the damage has already been done. Reduce administrative burden Many maintenance managers report being "drowned in paper." The inherent under-specialization of spreadsheets places an additional burden on users. You might even have a spreadsheet to keep track of your spreadsheets. By automating most of these manual processes, a CMMS allows maintenance managers to focus on their jobs. See also what is CMMS? - Features and benefits. Things to Consider If Preventive Maintenance Software (CMMS) for Small Companies Is Right for You Business complexity It's not as simple as "big companies need CMMS solutions, small companies need spreadsheets." Yes, a small company with only 30 assets can manage them from a spreadsheet. Yes, large enterprises with hundreds of assets spread across dozens of locations would benefit from CMMS software to manage them. However, large enterprises face higher setup costs, training costs, and user resistance. It is much easier to develop good habits and grow with them than to digitally transform a large enterprise. Assess administrative burden How much time do you spend on labor-intensive manual typing? How long does your technician need? If you find that you spend more time on spreadsheets than growing your company, the ROI of automating these processes may be worth it. Get an honest estimate of how many hours of productivity are lost to paper and compare the hourly rate to a monthly CMMS subscription. Impact of unplanned downtime A GE study showed that predictive maintenance based on data analysis and monitoring can reduce unplanned downtime by approximately 35% compared to reactive or time-based approaches. When unplanned downtime significantly impacts your business, turning to a predictive maintenance system should be a top priority. Managing a predictive maintenance program through a spreadsheet is much more difficult than through specialized software. Every hour of unplanned downtime costs more for larger companies, but smaller companies experience lower operational error rates. The loss of productivity and customer trust that comes with downtime can decimate a business that is already on the verge of collapse. In summary, this decade's changes in the CMMS (and preventive maintenance software) software landscape have made it an option for companies of all sizes to consider. The main hurdles for small companies are the time it takes to set up and train, and the risk of being locked into the wrong choice. Company owners should always check the ease of exporting maintenance data and changing suppliers before committing. After all, a vendor with a large number of satisfied users, an active support team and knowledge base, and a clear onboarding process is a better bet than a shiny new startup.

In today's fast-paced and technology-driven workplace, computerized maintenance management software (CMMS) has become an essential tool in streamlining maintenance operations, increasing productivity, and ensuring asset longevity. Since its introduction in the mid-1960s, CMMS has evolved from its original mathematics-based system for documenting, standardizing, and validating manufacturing processes to today's powerful and sophisticated system capable of managing entire plant operations and facilities for use by maintenance and facilities departments in real-time management of multiple users. Future Market Insights conducted a historical analysis of the global CMMS market and found that the market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.0% from 2018 to 2022, proving the attractiveness of CMMS to companies across all industries and business sectors. The growth rate over the next 10 years is 9.1%. While these numbers are impressive, they do not reflect the high error rates in CMMS implementations, which can range from 50% to 70% depending on the reporting source. One of the main reasons for high failure rates is low user adoption. Employee resistance to change is a real barrier to CMMS adoption. Before we dive into how business owners can drive user adoption and the value CMMS software offers, we'll take a closer look at the reasons behind employee resistance to adopting maintenance management software. What Qualities are Required to Master the Operation of CMMS? People wishing to learn how to use the CMMS maintenance solution must be rigorous and thoughtful. Faced with an unknown situation, they must be able to take a step back to find the right initiatives. Relationships can also be sought by employers. Their work is often part of a collaborative process with technicians. As part of a project, it will also be necessary to communicate with other stakeholders. To be able to learn how to use CMMS, you will need to master certain basic computer skills. For example, it is useful to know how to operate a computer, a smartphone, or a tablet. The equipment on which the solution may be available must be understood by the person wishing to train in this type of solution. Using this type of tool also requires perfect mastery of the different functionalities of the software. Good data analysis skills can be essential for performing preventative maintenance operations. Managing costs, or even working times, can be essential within the framework of a project. Why Learn to Use CMMS? There are many reasons to train to learn how to use CMMS. For an employee, this represents the opportunity to improve their skills. By having this type of specific training, it will be possible to qualify for positions of responsibility. For people looking for work, mastering this type of work tool in the field of maintenance allows them to benefit from better employability. It will be possible to respond to offers requiring mastery of the functionalities of this professional software. For companies, having employees trained in the use of CMMS makes it possible to better anticipate maintenance and repair operations. The software actually makes it possible to optimize this type of mission. It offers the possibility of managing the work of one or more people in the blink of an eye. Prevention also makes it possible to prevent situations where production is blocked due to machine breakdowns. Companies therefore have an interest in having people who have mastered this type of solution. Some of them also choose to offer in-house training to people working in this field. Others finance external training to ensure the skills development of their employees. Reasons for Low User Acceptance of CMMS Systems Resistance to change Like most of us, we find comfort in what we already know and are good at. This does not apply to employees who are accustomed to traditional maintenance management methods that have been used for years. When a company first adopts a CMMS, it makes sense that maintenance personnel would be skeptical about the benefits of implementing a CMMS. Not familiar with Employees who are accustomed to using existing systems and processes may resist change because they feel comfortable and competent with their current processes. When introducing new technology, there is no avoiding the learning curve. When it comes to a CMMS, employees need to be familiar with new technologies, workflows, processes, and hardware. This can be intimidating and overwhelming, especially for those who are not tech-savvy. Feeling a lack of control If employees are not involved in the decision-making process or understand the reasons for technological change, they may lose control of their work environment. This can be highly destabilizing and lead to resistance to change because employees value a sense of autonomy and influence over their work. Disrupt routines Change often disrupts established routines and work patterns. Maintenance teams may resist new technology if they believe it will disrupt their daily tasks, resulting in a temporary loss of productivity and increased workload during the transition. Doubts about the benefits of CMMS If maintenance personnel do not see the direct, tangible benefits of adopting new technology, they may resist change. You may wonder whether new technology will actually improve efficiency, productivity, and overall work quality. Without a clear understanding of the benefits of CMMS, employees may view the change as unnecessary, onerous, and not worth learning. [cta title="Supercharge your maintenance game with WorkTrek CMMS!" text="Book a WorkTrek demo to see how a CMMS can help your business." link="https://login.worktrek.com/Account/Register?_gl=1*fpersd*_ga*MTcwMjE1OTkzNy4xNjU0NTA3NTI2*_ga_8N6446P9LX*MTY3Mzk2ODEzNS4yNi4xLjE2NzM5Njg4MDAuNDguMC4w"] Insufficient training and support Insufficient CMMS training and support during the implementation phase of new technology can lead to disaster and negatively impact adoption. If employees feel they are not competent enough to use the technology or do not have access to the resources they need to learn and troubleshoot, they may resist changing out of frustration or fear. Organizational culture Some organizations may have a culture that is resistant to change or prefers traditional approaches. In this environment, employees may resist new technologies due to prevailing norms, attitudes, or resistance from influential individuals or groups within the organization. Fear of losing your job Maintenance personnel may worry that new technologies will automate the tasks they currently perform, resulting in job losses or reduced job security. They may also worry about their ability to adapt to new technology or acquire the skills they need to remain valuable in a changing work environment. For some employees, this can be a source of extreme anxiety and another reason to resist change. Challenges of Training New Systems and Technologies As we all know, every industry has endless new technologies covering every possible process. That’s why you take the time to research the features and benefits of different software and carefully choose the one that’s best for your business. You know very well that this technology will help your company grow and succeed, so your employees should see that too...right? Well, not exactly. Because many industries experience near-constant change, some employees experience frustration and burnout when learning new CMMS software or updating systems. Maybe it’s when people at the top step down and make changes that they feel good. Additionally, existing technical training sometimes needs to be updated to reflect changes in components, versions, or updates. They always strive to keep their training up to date, which can be a chore for employees. Effective Ways to Maximize User Adoption and Value of Your CMMS System We’ve identified the top reasons why employees resist using a solid CMMS solution, so here are actionable strategies companies can use to increase user adoption and promote successful implementations. These strategies enable maintenance departments to effectively utilize their CMMS systems and gain tangible benefits in less time. The trainer must understand the software or system itself: A solid change management training program requires trainers to be experts themselves before developing the training. If a trainer doesn't know the software or isn't interested in the program, employees will know immediately. When designing training, consult subject matter experts (either inside or outside the organization) as they can be very helpful in developing technical training. If you conduct training in person, choose your trainers carefully and provide them with the training they need to help employees take the next steps to implementation. Define clear goals and benefits: Clearly define the goals and benefits of implementing a useful CMMS system. Communicate these to all involved, emphasizing the positive impact of the software on their roles and the organization as a whole. By aligning user expectations with system functionality, business owners can inspire enthusiasm and motivation for adoption. Communicating information to all employees throughout the facility via email, text messages, and posters is an effective way to disseminate information while keeping all employees informed about the entire process. Include key stakeholders: Another way to prevent employee resistance is to involve key stakeholders early in the implementation process, including maintainers, supervisors, managers, and IT staff. Listen to their input, address their concerns, and provide early opportunities for training and collaboration. Now is also the time to identify and prioritize quick wins that demonstrate the immediate value of your CMMS system. By focusing on achievable goals and demonstrating expected early success, business owners can increase excitement, build trust, and encourage wider user adoption. Once key stakeholders gain buy-in by actively participating in the early stages of a CMMS implementation, they are better able to confidently drive user adoption, communicate the technology's benefits, and ensure a smooth transition. Comprehensive CMMS training and onboarding: This is one area where entrepreneurs shouldn’t take shortcuts. Because employee buy-in is critical to a successful CMMS implementation, it is imperative to invest in a comprehensive training program that covers all aspects of the CMMS system's functionality. Consider offering a combination of on-site, virtual, and self-paced training options to accommodate employees’ different learning styles and schedules. Ongoing support is also provided through documentation, FAQs, user forums, and a dedicated support team to assist users with any questions or challenges. Consider offering additional options for mobile access to your CMMS system through a dedicated app. This is another way to reduce employee resistance by building trust with real-time capabilities. Mobile access allows users to access and update information or request assistance anytime and anywhere. This increases productivity, saves time, and proves the value of a CMMS. A friendly user interface makes it easier for users to interact with the system. Finally, continue to maintain open lines of communication with your users throughout the implementation, onboarding process, and beyond. Regularly inform your employees about system improvements, new features, and success stories. Users are encouraged to provide feedback, suggestions, and ideas for improvements. Actively incorporate user feedback into system updates and demonstrate that their input is valued and acted upon. The phased approach to CMMS implementation: Implementing the system requires a lot of planning and hard work. In addition to what has been stated, if the company has other existing systems, such as an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system or equipment monitoring system, these should be integrated before going live. This important step enables efficient data exchange and automation and eliminates redundant tasks, making the CMMS system more efficient and valuable to users. When it comes time to roll out a CMMS system company-wide, a pilot implementation is best. This means initial deployment is limited to specific departments or areas within the facility. This approach allows all issues encountered along the way to be tested, refined, and resolved on a smaller scale. The advantage of fine-tuning the system during this pilot phase is that it reduces employee frustration from dealing with disruptive outages. The final step is to incorporate feedback from pilot users to further refine the system and optimize its usability before expanding the implementation to the entire organization. Performance tracking and incentives: As an ongoing practice, regularly utilize performance tracking mechanisms within the CMMS system to monitor key metrics such as asset availability, maintenance response times, and cost savings. The information provided by these audits provides objective feedback on the organization's operations and productivity. It also provides insights into processes that may need improvement to improve workflow, resource utilization, preventive maintenance schedules, and more. Share performance reports with users and teams while recognizing and rewarding top performers. By introducing incentives and recognition programs, users will be motivated to continue using the CMMS and recognize the value it brings to their workplace. Let them do it: One of the best teaching methods when learning new software is to let employees try it themselves. Sure, you can show them how to do it and how to do it correctly, but there's no reason not to give them practical experience. According to some statistics: “People watching a software demo might be able to reproduce 10 percent of what was shown to them, calculate 20 percent, learn another 20 percent from their peers, and then completely forget the other half to learn slowly later, or not learn at all.” It is best to follow a repetitive series of teaching methods. Just like learning a musical instrument or driving a car, if you do something over and over again, it will eventually become second nature to you. Give yourself about half an hour for them to use it and then do it another day. Spending a lot of time will only make them tired or bored. Benefits of CMMS Training When everyone completes a comprehensive training program on using a CMMS, you and your team can reap these four specific benefits: Help everyone get used to using the software faster: Not everyone is quick to accept and use new technologies introduced into the workplace, no matter how valuable they may be. A formal user training program can educate your employees on the benefits of a CMMS program. In addition, they can experience concretely how the use of the software can help streamline work and improve processes. Because of this, they will be more open to accepting this new technology. If your employees understand the value of the program, they will work hard to understand it so they can use it properly. Let all users understand the functions of the program: CMMS programs have a variety of features and tools that many new users find difficult to use or even impossible to find. If your team has used a different system before, this can present a doubly challenging situation. If your team is trained before fully implementing the software, make sure they fully understand the interface and various tools before starting to use it. From creating and managing work orders, maintenance schedules, and reports to organizing assets, your employees will know how to do it all after completing the introductory course. With adequate training, your team will be fully prepared to use the software. You'll feel safer and less stressed when using it. Easier to use consistently: Another benefit of providing CMMS readiness training for your employees is that you can ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to using the CMMS. If you let your team research and use the program themselves, they may develop specific procedures or techniques for using it. These methods can lead to errors that affect important data and, in turn, various operations. To ensure that everyone follows the correct steps, instructions, and best practices for using a CMMS program, have a trainer conduct a proper tutorial before implementation. Not only do they reduce the frequency of errors, they help set your team up for consistency and success. Promote the speed and efficiency of software implementation: Learning the details of a CMMS system can take several days. It takes some people hours to master the steps required to perform a single function. Trying different technologies can lead to your employees making a lot of mistakes, and wasting time and resources. Trying different technologies can lead to your employees making a lot of mistakes, and wasting time and resources. Conclusion From manufacturing to healthcare facilities, the goal of a CMMS is to increase efficiency, thereby saving time and costs. Use these savings to increase employee satisfaction. High employee satisfaction leads to employee loyalty. Satisfied employees will talk to their friends, which may even lead to hiring new employees. Overall, implementing a CMMS or making the most of your current CMMS is a great way to keep your employees happy and on your team. With proper training, your team can avoid spending a lot of time guessing and making critical mistakes. You can learn to use the CMMS system correctly and efficiently in less time, which means your business can take advantage of all the benefits of the technology faster.