Business support software like work management, asset management, capital program management, and billing management have more in common than they are different. A management system is how an organization manages the interrelated parts of its business to achieve its objectives. A management system is more than software.
Seven Tips for CMMS Success
Creating a system of integrated parts that achieves common objectives is necessarily hard work. It takes structure and discipline. Here are seven tips if you are considering modifying or purchasing new software:
Do a Formal Assessment
Do a formal assessment before purchasing a different software because it is usually not the software that is the root cause of your problems.
Pause to Make Sure You Have the People
Organizational capacity is the primary reason most systems fail.
Do a Formal Implementation Program
Every organization's context is different. CDevelop a configuration document. Plus, you can use your organization-specific configuration document as the cornerstone of your training program.
Find Your Champions
It is not the software or the written procedures that make or break your program.
Success Must be Driven from Top-Down
Most people have enough work to do already so they know that the extra time and paperwork are valuable to senior management.
Fully Integrate Across All Business Units
Work divisions migrate into their own ‘stove pipes.' This is especially true if the CMMS is used for budgeting and capital project development. Standardize for consistent results.
The Organization Will Never Be Integrated Until Everyone Is Bought In
We all tend to migrate to the approach that creates the least amount of effort.
The Software is Not the Most Important Aspect
Remember that most business support software is a relational database that can do whatever you wish to do – at least with enough time and money. The key is knowing what you want at each key step in the journey.
JD Solomon Inc. performs assessments of business support software and root cause analysis of failing business processes. Contact us for more information on our standard 6-step approach for CMMS assessment and implementation or our FAST approach for root cause analysis.
