La función de la tecnología de sensores en la revolución de la mantención preventiva.

Moving to Level Three of the Maintenance Maturity Model: Successful CMMS Adoption

Companies who have successfully moved beyond the first two stages of the Maintenance Maturity Model, which included both the transition away from pen, paper, spreadsheet and other manual systems as well as the actual implementation of a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), are ready for this stage. In Level Three, we focus on extracting valuable insights from the CMMS and ensuring that the new system is fully embraced across the business.

Here are the eight steps required to complete Level Three successfully.

Step One: Access current CMMS usage

Businesses typically have a few major pain points that instigated the purchase of the CMMS in the first place, and the components that address those pain points are likely the first ones to be embraced. In addition, certain technicians will be more drawn to technological solutions while others may be hesitant to change tried-and-true practices.

By taking an inventory of who is actively using the CMMS, which features are most popular, and what components may be underutilized or not used at all, you can set the stage for targeted improvements as well as training and education needs.

Step Two: Conduct training

Making sure your team understands both the importance of using the CMMS and how it will make their work easier is the key to greater adoption. Besides offering some general overviews of the CMMS solution, it’s important to provide hands-on training and real-world application so that technicians can practice how the CMMS integrates into their daily workflows.

In addition, remember that training and education must be an ongoing investment, not only refreshing seasoned employees on how to use different aspects of the system but also to introduce new features and updates. By investing in training, you will build proficiency, enhance confidence, ensure consistency, and accelerate adoption throughout your organization.

Step Three: Communicate benefits and objectives

After providing training and education that supports overall objectives of your CMMS, be sure to communicate team and company successes.

Begin by establishing clear channels for communication, which may include staff meetings, internal newsletters, or leaderboards. Then, be sure CMMS objectives connect with overall business goals as well as maintenance key performance indicators (KPIs). 

Ideally, you can illustrate how using the CMMS has not only helped your organization gain efficiency but also reduce downtime, leading to increased production and revenue. Creating a competitive leaderboard or tying financial bonuses to important KPIs can motivate teams to do even better. 

Step Four: Customize for optimal workflow operation

Understanding the best way your CMMS fits within your operation workflow and with your other solutions is critical to successful adoption and optimal efficiency. Be sure to involve employees who have boots on the ground in this step. They are the best ones to help you identify where bottlenecks and inefficiencies exist in the workflow. Once they understand how the CMMS can alleviate some problems, they will also be the ones responsible for incorporating the solution into their daily work.

Step Five: Foster user engagement

Unless your team is invested in making the CMMS solution work, it will likely fail. That’s why fostering user engagement is so important. No one likes to feel like a new system was thoughtlessly foisted upon them. Be sure to create a sense of ownership by engaging your technicians and team in a positive manner from the beginning. Frequently ask for their input and collect their suggestions. Create a list of desired features or customizations that can make their lives easier.

In doing so, you’ll build a positive culture around optimizing your CMMS system and your team will be more invested in making it work for them and the overall business.

Step Six: Provide ongoing support

One thing that goes hand-in-hand with user engagement is providing continuous support through help desks, online resources, continuing education workshops, and a responsive support team.

By providing assistance when your team needs it, you will likely reduce overall downtime, promote technician independence, grow employee confidence, and ensure that knowledge stays up-to-date throughout your organization.

Ongoing support contributes to a positive team-focused culture where employees feel like they are working together to achieve a common goal.

Step Seven: Recognize and celebrate success

Success begets success. Everyone likes to be recognized for a job well done. Begin by establishing criteria and channels for recognition. This may include individual recognition as well as team recognition. It can be as simple as a call-out at a staff meeting or as complex as a special annual recognition banquet and ceremony. Certificates, awards, bonuses or other gifts can help motivate employees to strive for success as well as exhibit your company’s appreciation for those efforts.

It can also be useful to have a channel where best practices or daily success stories can be posted and shared. This not only helps recognize a job well done as well as innovative applications, but also serves as a way to share ideas throughout the organization so others can easily adopt them in their particular departments. It also contributes to building a positive, team-focused culture.

Step Eight: Monitor and adjust

Just like any successful program, it’s important to monitor ongoing performance and engagement as time goes on and make adjustments accordingly. Establish an ongoing system of measuring important metrics, identifying areas for improvement, and processes for implementing needed changes.

Remember that over time, processes and people change. New CMMS features are released, and different challenges are discovered. By continuing to monitor all these changing factors and how they affect your CMMS system, you can be sure that you continue to adjust your team’s engagement to optimize the system’s performance and maximize your long-term return on investment.

Conclusion

By completing the third level of the Maintenance Maturity Level, your organization will have a greater chance of fully utilizing all the most important features of your CMMS both in the short- and the long-run. For a more detailed blueprint, download UpKeep’s Successful CMMS Adoption: Level Three of the Maintenance Maturity Level.