4 Reasons Your Business Needs A Computerized Maintenance Program
A computerized maintenance program refers to the set of standards and procedures used by your company as it maintains its assets and equipment. However, this is more advanced than the usual manual maintenance recording and program. It’s digital, completed through a central database, which helps manage the operations and maintenance of equipment in a manufacturing plant.
When your company opens up the discussion about the possibility of implementing the use of a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), it’s also fitting to also understand the reasons why it’s an important thing to have. That way, you can be more convinced about the merits of using a computerized maintenance program for your company.
1.You Have Parts And Inventory That Always Go ‘Missing’
If your company often has missing equipment or inventory, your manual maintenance records and systems no longer work well for your needs. You have to use something better, which can be fixed by automation.
Note, however, that ‘missing’ here doesn’t always mean that equipment or assets are always lost or stolen. It can also mean either of the following:
- Untracked
- Returned to the wrong place or location
- Used, but not properly recorded
- Checked out, but not returned
With a manual system, it’s expected for parts and inventory to go missing all of the time. After all, it will be challenging to keep track of every single one. Almost every maintenance team has been there, and it can be a costly experience to have many missing parts frequently. That scenario should form reason enough for your company to use a computerized maintenance program, so it’s easier to track even the smallest item used in your business.
2. You Want To Prolong Your Asset’s Life Computerized Maintenance Program
It’s no secret that one of the best ways to prolong your asset’s life is to have a preventive maintenance system. Better yet, move from manual to automated. This can help you stay updated with all of the necessary maintenance work to be done, so you won’t forget those dates.
This may sound simple, but only if you’re managing less equipment. What happens now if you have to work with more equipment? This is when it can get harder to remember every single schedule, even if you’ve organized them all on a spreadsheet.
With a computerized maintenance program, you’ll have a centralized record of all the information on maintenance. This is possible through advancements like the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence. This makes it easier for the maintenance manager and the respective team members to determine what maintenance work is needed and when, based on previous records.
3. You Want To Reduce Employee Overtime
There are many reasons employees go on overtime work, but one of the most compelling is that of high downtime. This can happen when equipment regularly gets destroyed, which is preventable if it’s properly maintained. A higher downtime means higher chances of overtime so employees can keep up with any missed work.
Overtime work can be expensive for companies, however. First, there’s the unexpected cost of equipment repair subject to downtime. On top of that, you’ll now have to pay for the overtime work rates and night shift differentials (if such apply) to employees who have to do more work than usual.
Thus, it pays to have a reliable computerized maintenance program to avoid that situation from happening too frequently. With one, your team can communicate more effectively and efficiently, with work completed within the deadlines.
4. You Want Real-Time Asset And Facilities Management
When you use a manual system, the recording and tracking of assets and facilities aren’t done in real time. Those are only updated after the maintenance work is completed. A computerized management program can be the solution if you’re itching to have real-time updates surrounding assets and facilities management.
You can create technical records for each asset and equipment in your company, plant, or fleet through warranties, images, certificates, and technical specifications. Moreover, with real-time updates, you’re also ensuring that everyone across your team is updated immediately to avoid miscommunication and misinformation.
Key Takeaways
It’s normal for many companies to turn to programs and software if they need extra help to improve their maintenance operations. There’s a good reason for this, considering how reliable modern-day computerized maintenance programs are. However, implementing one isn’t necessarily the easiest thing to do, so companies need convincing reasons why installing a computerized maintenance program would be beneficial to them. The list discussed here isn’t exhaustive, but it should be enough to make your business reach out for a computerized maintenance program.