How to smooth the implementation of new maintenance management software
There are many reasons you may be on the path to implementing maintenance management software. One may be in response to fleet cost questions. You’re tired of giving or receiving answers that begin with: “We think it’s about…,” “We don’t have good reports,” or even, “I just don’t know.” Or perhaps your budget just got blown up (again) because of an expensive breakdown that could have been avoided if the preventive maintenance (PM) was done on time.
Whatever the reason, you’ve concluded that it’s time to move forward with some software. That’s a good decision, and a big one, but it’s only the beginning, as it brings with it some pitfalls that need to be avoided.
Pitfall #1: “Once I get the software I’m good to go”
Too often, once a fleet decides to get software, selects and buys/subscribes, it’s believed things will be golden and start getting better. True, a fleet is on the right path, but at the start, not the end.
The first step is to choose your maintenance partner and software. Why do you need a maintenance partner? Because fleet software is deep. Chances are that you’ll still be learning new things about it after using it for years. Whether you’re starting new or switching, a partner who really knows fleet operations, maintenance, shops, regulations, VMRS (Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards), etc., will be a huge asset -- as important as the software itself.
Where do you begin? You must make a clear statement of what you expect to achieve with your new software. At this point in the process, it’s crucial to form a project team of stakeholders which should include everyone with a key role. Identify these people and departments and review what you will need from them to operate the program effectively.
Make a list of the benefits they can expect to obtain to encourage their cooperation. Get their buy-in.
Pitfall #2: “I’ll have my IT person do the evaluation and pick something low cost and go from there.”
This is not a slam on IT. In fact, IT is among the most important of your stakeholders. But it’s absolutely critical that your fleet manager and maintenance manager, as well as the person responsible for profit and loss (P&L), feel comfortable with both your software partner and the software. For you to achieve your goals, your team will need to be working in the software, not around the software.
Resist the urge to buy the lowest price. Some people feel that since they are currently using a whiteboard or Excel to track maintenance, any maintenance software will be a step up. While that may be true, consider the investment you will make in planning, setup, configuration and training. In the long run, the cost of changing to a more capable product later certainly will outweigh the initial cost savings.
Plus, as your maintenance processes mature, you may find yourself frequently bumping the ceiling of a low-end product, especially in the reporting and analysis area which is critical for driving business results – reduced cost/mile, improved fuel efficiency, safety and reliability, increased warranty reclamation from both parts and OEMs, etc.).
If you have significant budget constraints, consider a hosted Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution. The up-front cost is typically much lower, plus all of the IT is off of your plate.
Make sure your stakeholders agree on future as well as present goals, and that your partner and software can help you achieve them. For example, your near-term goals may be to reduce breakdowns and violations. However, once you have that under control, you may want to start comparing asset ownership costs for different OEMs, and benchmarking your technicians against Standard Repair Times (SRTs). Be sure that what you choose can carry you into the future.
Once you make the choice and kick things off, how do you take it from purchase to implementation to fully operational and getting results and ROI? Think back to Pitfall #1. Choosing software is just the beginning. Now is the time to really bring your stakeholder team and maintenance partner to the table and make a plan. One of the first considerations is: avoid Pitfall #3.
Pitfall #3: “The software costs more than I had planned/budgeted, so I’ll cut training out of the project. The vendor told me throughout the process that their system was easy to use anyway.”
This may be the worst mistake of all. A good maintenance partner will not just have great software, but also knowledgeable people who help you with best practices, as well as guide you through the design and setup of the software. You should consider them part of your stakeholder team.
Your stakeholder team should define the project plan. Don’t let those words scare you. It doesn’t need to be complicated. Everyone just needs to understand their roles and responsibilities.
Tasks, target dates and expectations should be identified and documented. Even if it’s only a bullet list, you need a written plan with everyone understanding the expectations and timelines. It will make your implementation go much smoother and get you moving toward measurable results much sooner.
Your plan should address:
- The purpose and goals of the new system. Everyone needs to understand the reasons that the system was purchased, the benefits you expect to receive and how to get there. Recognize that to leverage the system for improvements, your processes and procedures, including shop floor workflow, will likely change. Your team needs to be engaged and on board, not fighting or resisting. Involve them up-front.
- Identify the expectations and the reservations or concerns of the team members.
- Get specific tasks identified. Identify dependencies. Assign target dates and an owner for each task.
- Define which staff and groups will have access to the system and with what security. Most systems have a vast array of functions with many security settings. It is best to work this out with your maintenance partner in advance of actually setting up user accounts in the next phase.
- IT considerations, if you are installing on premise on your own server(s). Implementing multi-user software will be more complex than installing a program on your local PC. Be sure that your IT team understands the platform and security requirements of your new software and coordinates with your maintenance partner’s support team.
Pitfall #4: “We’ll get the maintenance stuff planned first and come back to the accounting stuff afterward.”
If any data will be passed from maintenance to your business system(s), this should be considered as part of your plan. Payroll, payables, receivables and cost accounting frequently consume maintenance/cost data.
Even if the connection will be a second phase of the implementation, it’s good to identify the strategy up front so that the proper considerations are put into your new maintenance system. For example, if different VMRS part codes will map to GL (general ledger codes) in your accounting system, it’s best to have that planned so your inventory can be coded properly when it is set up.
A solid library of flexible, out-of-the-box reports is a must for a good maintenance product. Learning about them and how to use them should be a keystone of your training program.
However, if you are replacing an existing system, there may be certain reports or management tools that are used throughout your organization. In some cases, it may be easier to recreate a few such reports in your new system in addition to the standard reports. If this is the case, be sure that your maintenance partner has included creation of these custom reports for you in their scope.
Of course, the fact that you “always did it that way” may not mean it’s the best way. Work with your maintenance partner to determine the best path forward.
Remember, reports, dashboards and analysis tools that help you track and understand KPI’s and other business metrics are one of the main reasons to invest in software in the first place.
Pitfall #5: “We spent a lot of time on this plan. Now we just need to follow it to the letter.”
Having built a great plan is a huge plus, but you need to be aware that some things will not go according to the script. Also, since being involved in a project may be new to some on your team, you need to have regular reviews at each step of the process. You will need to be flexible without compromising the important elements of your strategy that you worked hard to develop.
By this point in the process, your software should be up and running. If your plan addressed the issues identified earlier, this stage mostly should involve loading data because the decisions have already been made. You will make some decisions on the fly, but this is where your plan pays dividends.
- Initial data. In loading the initial data for your fleet operation, you will need information on the vehicles and equipment, vendors for service or parts and your parts that you keep on hand. There are two ways in which to populate your master data into a new system. One is by manually entering information and the other is to import the data from spreadsheets. Both ways works and both options have merit. The decision typically depends on the quantity and quality of your data.
- Users. Set up users according to your organization and plan. If necessary, adjust individual user permissions as needed.
- Maintenance parameters. Set up maintenance parameters, such as PMs, warranties, standard repairs, SRTs, personnel, etc.
- Training. As noted earlier, this is key to your success. Train before, during and after. Not everyone needs the same level of training, however, training is imperative because it keeps everyone on a common playing field, delivers more consistent information and provides a path from which to make better decisions.
Be careful of the telephone or 15-minute web-based training models. Word of mouth passed from one new user to another also does not typically provide full training as they are just learning themselves.
Ongoing training allows you to grow into the system, have a chance to work with the system and make changes along the way. Remember that you have to have data in the system before you can have reports from the system.
Pitfall #6: “We have everything up and running. We’re done.”
Implementation is not just loading the software, training the staff initially and going live on the shop floor. It is an ongoing working relationship with your staff and your maintenance partner’s staff.
Your staff will change, your management will require additional or different information and reporting and your software partner will release new versions and features over time. Knowledgeable support should be only a phone call away.
Start over. Part of the post implementation process is to identify what-ifs and next steps. Business needs change, and no one will ever call and ask if you would like to spend more on managing the fleet. Plus, your fleet technology is getting more complex with new emissions equipment, telematics, onboard electronic logging, etc.
All of these things mean that you need to use your maintenance software more effectively to both demonstrate the real cost of operating your fleet year over year, as well as identify potential areas for savings. Once you have the basics running smoothly, identify opportunities to use your software to be more cost efficient and productive, then use this same model to implement your next strategy.
This is another area where a good choice of maintenance partner and software will pay dividends. You always want to have the tools to facilitate a program of continuous improvement and be able to effectively meet new challenges and succeed.
Bob Hausler is the vice president of marketing and technology for Dossier Systems and John Davis is principal fleet management consultant for the company. Dossier (www.dossiersystemsinc.com) is a provider of intuitive fleet maintenance management software solutions for the surface transportation industry.
