Maintenance Management Software

Maintenance Management Software Basics

Growing businesses accumulate equipment and maintenance management quickly becomes a challenge. Fortunately, a good maintenance management software package can greatly simplify equipment maintenance.

As a business owner, you appreciate the direct correlation between asset performance and business performance.

Yet maintaining your company's capital assets is no simple task, especially when equipment and facilities take a beating from multiple users and work requirements.

Maintenance management software can make the job of asset management a lot easier. Instead of relying on a decentralized or outdated maintenance process, your maintenance system is conveniently focused in a single software application. Better yet, most commercial maintenance management solutions come with additional features that you probably never even thought about automating.

But before you run out and buy the first software application you find, it's important to understand the big picture and get a grasp on maintenance management software basics. Here's the info we think you need before you plunge headfirst into the marketplace.

What is maintenance management software?

Maintenance management software is an application that can be either web-based or installed on a company server. It links several core functions including asset management, maintenance management and inventory. Although companies use it as a preventative maintenance resource, many applications also include features like facility/equipment scheduling, tracking and fuel monitoring.

Why do I need maintenance management software?

Commercial maintenance management software solutions make sense for companies of all shapes and sizes. But for businesses that involve manufacturing, fleet maintenance, or facilities management, a decent maintenance application is a must. Many small to medium sized companies rely on outdated or mismatched (e.g. MS office) software that isn't capable of meeting their current capital asset management needs. The hesitation to update their technology is often based on the misperception that new software will be expensive and difficult to implement. But with the number of options available on the market these days, it's not difficult to identify an easy-to-use solution for almost every budget.

Which maintenance management software application is right for my business?

Maintenance management solutions fall into roughly 3 price categories. At the top end of the spectrum are enterprise-level applications suitable for high-end manufacturing and complex business entities. Mid-level solutions are appropriate for businesses that need to manage assets and a handful of locations. However, most basic solutions are more than adequate for single location manufacturing or service companies.

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