Computerized Maintenance Systems – Do They Help?
By now you have heard about the computerized maintenance systems that are available for incorporation into your business’s maintenance department; however, all of the information can be somewhat confusing if you don’t know too much about either the software program or the maintenance department itself. So, basically you want to know: does it work and is it worth the price that you have to pay to get it up and running in the department? The answer is yes to both of these questions.
As we all know, paperwork can stack up fast and become a major headache for everyone. When it comes to the maintenance department, it is not only a headache to them, but to the other departments that have submitted a work order (which has now become lost in the piles of paperwork). Computerized maintenance systems can and do help with this problem. Work orders are computerized and sorted and are guaranteed to never become lost again (as long as it gets entered into the system).
Besides the paperwork, computerized maintenance systems allow for better record keeping for maintenance procedures that have been performed or will need to be performed in the near future. If your business relies heavily upon machinery, the worst thing that can happen is that the equipment breaks down and production is slowed or even halted. But with this new system, accurate records will be kept. Alerts will be given when equipment is coming up ready for a preventative maintenance procedure, which will virtually eliminate unplanned downtime. You can now schedule downtime of equipment in order to prevent the loss of production and a decrease in your bottom line at the end of the year.
A decent software program that has all of the capabilities that this software program does will not be cheap, and actually you don’t want it to be. It has to be able to keep track of very important processes and information that is pertinent to your business; therefore, you will want to spend the extra to ensure that the program is of quality. But, with that being said, you don’t have to purchase the most expensive program either. You do want to make sure that the program comes with a 24/7 program and customer support service and make sure that a representative will come to your place of business and help install and set it up properly for you.