UpKeep vs Maximo: Which CMMS Solution Is Best for My Business?

UpKeep vs. Maximo: Which CMMS Is Right for Your Business?

It’s time to bring your business into the 21st century. Is it too much to ask to maximize efficiency and optimize time and asset resources across your operations and maintenance departments? 

We think not. Work orders are supposed to make things easier and not waste time. They should be integrated with inventory, asset management, reporting, and safety considerations, and they should be accessible anytime, anywhere. 

The great news is that they can be! Let’s look at two of the top CMMS programs on the market, UpKeep and Maximo, to compare the main features of each. Then we’ll let you decide which is right for your business needs.

UpKeep vs. Maximo: An Introduction to CMMS Solutions

UpKeep vs Maximo are both solid and highly rated CMMS options, but let’s dive into what distinguishes one from the other. 

UpKeep is a comprehensive CMMS software solution that offers user- and mobile-friendly platforms to companies of all sizes. It has top-rated work order and inventory management features. It simplifies preventive maintenance tracking and makes reporting and safety compliance a breeze. Pricing varies based on the level of services needed and the number of users on the system. 

Maximo is a highly customizable CMMS option for large and complex businesses. It offers many features that can be tailored to individualized work order, inventory, and reporting needs. Maximo may offer a wider range of features than UpKeep, including deep analytics. These features can be a huge benefit depending on your needs, but are not needed by many businesses. 

At the end of the day, you want to consider what will be the best overall option for your business. You want something user-friendly with all the features to simplify and optimize your operations and maintenance functionality. 

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Comparing the 6 Main Features of UpKeep and Maximo

#1: Work Order Management

Work orders are the tried-and-true way to run maintenance departments. You need a user-friendly work order management system that is easy to implement and improves the efficiency of current systems. This way, your maintenance team is all-in on the process and can help management with better transparency, tracking, and accountability. 

Here are some of the primary features of UpKeep and Maximo’s work order management.

UpKeep: 

• Simple

• Intuitive

• Streamlined

• Assigns tasks efficiently in real-time

• Tracks maintenance costs

• Simplify maintenance scheduling

• User-friendly mobile app to manage work orders — UpKeep offers mobile-first software

Maximo: 

• Supports large-scale projects and advanced work order management

• Includes a mobile app feature, but the mobile app isn’t the priority so the integration isn’t as user-friendly 

#2: Asset Management

Effective asset management is required for your business to improve efficiency and save money. With so many resources in your assets, you want to know what’s what quickly and easily. It’s important to have an efficient preventive maintenance schedule that maximizes personnel resources and prevents reactive and emergency maintenance.

Let’s learn more about what UpKeep and Maximo’s asset management CMMS systems offer.

UpKeep: 

• Streamlines the work order process for optimal asset management

• Offers easy-to-track, real-time performance data

• Optimizes asset utilization

• Easily tracks depreciation of assets

• One easy-to-use tool drives efficiency and effectiveness

• Helps avoid stockouts with clear notifications

• Provides business intelligence to reduce asset downtime and costs

• Purpose-built to manage multi-location, day-to-day maintenance life cycles 

• Mobile-first CMMS

Maximo: 

• Manages asset resources and schedules

• Delivers sustainable maintenance operations

• Drives value from maintenance activities

• Integrates across the enterprise

• Mobile CMMS option, but software not designed to be mobile first

#3: Preventive Maintenance

It’s essential to predict, budget, and efficiently manage assets across all teams and divisions within your company. Reactive maintenance costs millions versus utilizing intuitive technology to stay on top of preventive maintenance. You need to maximize the useful life of all your assets and plan for maintenance repairs and replacements. 

Here’s a bit about how preventive maintenance is managed by UpKeep and Maximo CMMS.

UpKeep: 

• Intelligent and intuitive preventive maintenance tool

• Prevents asset breakdowns before they happen

• Eliminates unplanned downtime

• Streamlines efficiency utilizing the mobile system

• Meters feature creates preventive maintenance schedules and work orders based on machine cycles, vehicle mileage, or any other unit of measure, which offers a flexible maintenance program that can be set by various triggers

Maximo: 

• Designed for complex, large-scale operations 

• Maintenance teams can use automation, the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline maintenance workflows

#4: Parts & Inventory Management

Managing inventory is a critical component of a smoothly running business, increasing efficiency across every team and division of your operation. You must be able to track equipment and parts efficiently and easily. Choose a CMMS that makes this simple and straightforward. 

UpKeep: 

• Number one-rated inventory management software

• Easily tracks parts quantities and costs

• Automatic updates to inventory levels tied to work orders

• Avoids costly overnighting of parts and downtime of your machines

• Utilizes an integrated barcode system that ensures the use of proper parts by technicians and accurate tracking of parts quantities

Maximo: 

• Uses MRO cloud-based inventory optimization platform

• Provides a clear view of inventory

• Mitigates risk and minimizes cost by continuously optimizing stock

• Specializes in large operations

#5: Reporting & Analytics

Much time is wasted in reporting and evaluating data. Imagine a CMMS that seamlessly tracks all the data for your company’s maintenance and repair operations. Beyond that, it makes it possible to generate useful reports and graphs in seconds. Both UpKeep and Maximo offer advanced CMMS solutions for reporting and analytics. 

Let’s learn a bit more about each system. 

UpKeep: 

• Allows creation of custom dashboards

• Lets you export graphs and PDF reports

• Helps identify issues at a glance

• Eliminates manual reporting

• Comprehensive and user-friendly reporting and analytics management

• Allows users to quickly generate a maintenance report to evaluate work order completion rates, maintenance costs, technician productivity, inventory levels, and more 

Maximo: 

• Scheduled report outputs are generated by the controller event processor

• Control Center Monitor uses the Jasper Reports Library as the reporting engine

• Lets you generate customizable reports on maintenance and repair operations

#6: Safety & Compliance

All businesses deal with audits and compliance regulations. Imagine a system that makes these processes simple and efficient. With the right CMMS, your management staff no longer needs to waste time gathering the necessary documentation to provide the reports and information required for compliance and audit demands.  

Ease of adhering to safety and compliance with regulatory mandates should be a major consideration in deciding which CMMS is right for your company. Let’s dive into how UpKeep and Maximo can help your business stay on top of safety standards and reporting requirements. 

UpKeep: 

• Allows users to quickly generate reports and documentation in PDF format 

• Lets you easily access data, preventive maintenance plans, and more to give to auditors

• Keeps a history of all safety guidelines, work orders, and asset inventory

• Easy-to-use, mobile-first solution

• Users can provide historical documentation and upload easy-to-find safety and regulatory manuals

Maximo: 

• Very detailed and extensive capabilities for all manners of record-keeping

• Generates reports with stored data from the complete CMMS 

• Includes a feature called Lock Out/Tag Out (LOTO) within IBM Maximo Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE)

7 Key Differences Between UpKeep and Maximo To Consider

There are pros and cons to both programs, no doubt. The best way to know which system will work better for your business is to ask the questions that pertain to your specific business needs. A representative from UpKeep will be happy to answer all your questions and allow you to try our software for yourself today. 

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#1: Target Audience

It’s important to consider who is the target audience for each option, as the CMMS software is designed accordingly. 

UpKeep works well for all sized businesses, but is primarily useful for small and medium-sized businesses. UpKeep has a number of very happy clients at large Fortune 500 businesses and thousands of small to medium-sized businesses.

Maximo, on the other hand, is designed for large enterprises with complex asset management needs. As a result, the software can be a bit complicated to learn and use. Small and medium businesses may find themselves paying for special features that they don’t need and will not use. 

If your business is large and has complex asset management needs, a good option is to consult with a representative and try the free trial of both options. This way you see which will be the better choice for your business. 

#2: Ease of User and User Experience

UpKeep is regularly reviewed by users as being intuitive, easy to set up, and well-liked by the staff who use it every day. It is designed to be mobile-friendly, with many features that are top of the market and uniquely designed for mobile use. 

Maximo seems to have a steeper learning curve because of the numerous and complex features. Reports vary from users about ease of use and their user experience. 

#3: Functionality

UpKeep is designed to be functional. Today’s business world demands seamless mobile access and function, whether in the office, the warehouse, or the field.  Core maintenance functions like work order management, asset tracking, and predictive maintenance are functional and accessible through the mobile app everywhere you do business. 

Maximo offers a wide range of features including AI, Internet of Things (IoT) integration, and deep analytics. These features can be a huge benefit depending on your needs but are not needed by all businesses. 

#4: Use and Integration

UpKeep offers cloud-based use and system management with Application Programming Interfaces (API) integrations. It is functional for use and integration among as many users as needed, with the mobile app function seamlessly connected to the larger system. 

Maximo software offers options of on-premises, cloud, or hybrid with deep enterprise system integrations.

#5: Customization

UpKeep is simple and easy to use with many customizable features. It does not offer as many customizable features as Maximo. An UpKeep representative can walk you through exactly what features are customizable and how to optimize the use of the CMMS. 

Maximo is highly customizable and scalable, and again, as a result, is much more complex and less user-friendly than UpKeep. 

#6: Pricing

UpKeep is the more affordable option of the two and offers subscription-based pricing. Maximo comes at a higher cost and is structured with tailored enterprise pricing.

UpKeep’s pricing starts at only $20 per user monthly for the Lite version, with another popular option, called Starter, available at $45 per user monthly. There are additional Professional and Business + levels of service also available. 

IBM Maximo’s pricing is a bit harder to navigate online, but they offer one example of a plan for up to 25 users that costs $3,150. 

Both companies advise a free consultation to get accurate pricing based on your specific business needs. 

#7: Customer Service

UpKeep offers highly rated customer service options available via phone, email, forums, in-app support, and live chat features. The in-app support and live chat options are not available with Maximo. 

Maximo has several tiered paid support plan options (basic, enhanced, premium) which are offered through phone, email, and their online customer service portal.

UpKeep: Offering Optimal CMMS Features for Your Business

Both UpKeep and Maximo are great programs, but when you break down all the features, UpKeep comes out as the top option for most businesses. Unless your CMMS needs are highly complicated and individualized, UpKeep offers all that your business will need. UpKeep also offers a number of features that aren’t available with Maximo — particularly as it relates to user-friendliness — and at a lower price point. 

UpKeep can answer all the questions you still have and offer a free demo to try it out for yourself. Please click the button below or give us a call to try out UpKeep today. 

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