How to Choose the Right CMMS and Other Frequently Asked Questions

Whether you’re consider working with a solutions provider or actively searching for the right one to support your organization, Transcat’s Solutions team can provide insights and expertise on the benefits and opportunities of a CMMS, as well as everything you need to know to go from quote to implementation.  

Here are some of the questions we’re asked most frequently:

A: CMMS is the acronym for Computerized Maintenance Management System, a type of software that helps organizations manage and automate their maintenance operations. 

A:  A CMMS will aggregate all of your maintenance information into one system to help you streamline your processes and improve efficiency. A CMMS makes it easier to track work orders, schedule and track equipment maintenance, and manage your assets.

A:  A wide range of industries utilize a CMMS to support their maintenance teams and operations. Industries like manufacturing, healthcare, facilities management, utilities often need a CMMS to help them maintain equipment and facilities and ensure regulatory compliance.

A:  There are multiple opportunities that come with implementing a CMMS. Chief among them are improved equipment reliability, reduced downtime, streamlined maintenance processes, better inventory management, compliance with regulations, cost savings, and data-driven decision-making.  Great examples of how a CMMS can benefit your organization include: 

• Equipment Reliability: Helping ensure regular preventive maintenance, which minimized unexpected equipment failures and may support compliance  
• Reduced Costs: Efficiently managing resources can support cost savings 
• Increased Asset Lifespan: Regular maintenance can prolong the life of your equipment  
• Compliance Support: Facilitates adherence to regulatory standards through automated tracking and documentation 
• Data-Driven Decision Making: By aggregating your data in a centralized system, your team is able to track and report analytics and use them to drive business decisions

A:  Both a CMMS and an Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system can help your organization improve and manage maintenance operations. EAM systems typically offer broader capabilities, including asset lifecycle management and strategic planning, while a CMMS has a more specific focus on day-to-day maintenance activities.

A:  The features that define a CMMS include:

• Asset Management: Tracking and managing equipment and facilities 
• Work Order Management: Creating, assigning, and tracking maintenance tasks 
• Preventive Maintenance: Scheduling and automating routine maintenance tasks 
• Inventory Management: Managing spare parts and supplies 
• Reporting and Analytics: Providing insights into maintenance performance and asset health 
• Mobile Access: Enabling remote access across single and multiple sites 
• Integration: Integrating your system with other business systems to enhance functionality 

A:  The role of a CMMS is improves efficiency in your every day processes by:

• Automating workflows such as work orders and preventive maintenance 
• Centralizing all maintenance data in one accessible location 
• Improving communication between maintenance teams and other departments 
• Ensuring resources are allocated efficiently based on real-time data and priorities 

A:  CMMS supports compliance and safety by:

• Automating compliance tasks such as scheduling inspections, as well as ensuring that regulatory requirements are met 
• Maintaining documentation, including monitoring and recording maintenance activities and inspections for use in audits 
• Enhancing safety protocols by standardizing procedures and ensuring timely maintenance of safety-critical equipment

A:  Yes, a CMMS can benefit small businesses as well as larger organizations. Here’s how:

• Helping manage assets and maintenance tasks effectively despite limited resources 
• Streamlining processes and reducing operational costs 
• Growing with the business and supporting expansion (scaling) without sacrificing efficiency 

A:  CMMS solutions are flexible. Transcat routinely customizes CMMS solutions to help customers meet their specific goals, such as: 

• Adapting workflows to align with unique processes and requirements 
• Tailoring reports and analytics to focus on key performance indicators 
• Integrating with other systems and software to enhance functionality and data exchange 

A:  Yes, many CMMS solutions are available as cloud-based solutions, which provide opportunities such as remote access, scalability, automatic updates, and more.

A:  CMMS solutions can benefit all industries that manage assets and maintenance. Some of the most common industries to utilize a CMMS (and how it benefits them) include: 

• Manufacturing: Managing production equipment and minimizing downtime 
• Facilities Management: Maintaining buildings, HVAC systems, and utilities 
• Healthcare: Ensuring compliance with medical equipment maintenance and patient safety standards 
• Transportation: Managing fleet maintenance and regulatory compliance 
• Hospitality: Supporting maintenance of guest facilities and enhancing guest experiences 

A:  The Transcat team will work closely with you to gain insight into factors like your organization’s size, the industry you’re in and our experience supporting customers like you; your specific maintenance needs, budget, how easy it will be for your team to use it, and whether the system is scalable and can be integrated with other systems as your needs evolve.  The team will also take into consideration factors like:

• Support and Maintenance: Research supplier support, updates, and ongoing maintenance services offered 
• Training and Account Management: Ensure it is not ‘plug & play’ and that your chosen supplier will provide ongoing training and account management to maximize your software use 
• Consultancy Support: How can our team provide continued support as your business evolves and grows

A:  Implementation time varies based on the system’s complexity, the size of your organization, and the scope of deployment, but it typically ranges from a few weeks to a few months. The Transcat team will create a thorough implementation plan with timeline that outlines key steps like data migration, training, and system configuration.

A:  Training is essential for successful CMMS adoption. Our team will provide training during implementation to help your organization’s administrators and users with adoption. We’ll also provide ongoing training to address new features, best practices, and system updates.

Choosing – and implementing – the right CMMS requires expertise, experience, and a comprehensive and collaborative approach. Transcat will work closely with you to understand your needs, goals, and how your organization operates, and communicate and collaborate with you at every step of the process.  
Connect with our team today to find out how a CMMS could benefit your organization and support your team.