POWER UP A WINNER - Plant Services

Power Up a Winner
How to find the right asset management system
By David Berger, P.Eng., Contributing Editor
So, you’re thinking about a new or replacement computerized
maintenance management system or enterprise
asset management system (CMMS/EAM). Have you thought
about what could go wrong I hate to be negative about it,
but many studies over the years put the odds at more than
50% that your CMMS/EAM system implementation will end
in failure – even if this isn’t your first time trying.
It’s therefore worth your while to try to understand the
typical problems that companies face when selecting a CMMS.
Choosing the right software is by no means a guarantee that
you’ll be successful through to the end of implementation and
beyond, but at least you’re off to a great start. The more time
and effort you put into the initial planning, design and selection
phases, the greater your prospects for success.
Top 10 selection miSTakes
Some of the typical blunders made when selecting a CMMS/
EAM are described in a recent white paper titled, “10 Pitfalls
to Avoid When Selecting a CMMS/EAM” (www.plantservices.
com/knowledge_centers/infor/assets/wp_ten_pitfalls.pdf). This
white paper, based on a reader survey Plant Services conducted
in December 2008, details the top 10 selection mistakes:
1. You’re far too focused on the software’s “look and feel.”
2. You’re purchasing software based on functional fit only.
3. You think your CMMS/EAM is just a static data and
reporting system.
4. You’re hung up on the slicing and dicing of CMMS/
EAM data.
5. You believe that “green” functionality is just today’s
“flavor of the month.”
6. You’re focused solely on how the CMMS/EAM will
satisfy your current needs.
7. You tend to focus on how the CMMS/EAM benefits your
location, instead of what benefits the organization overall.
8. You think implementing a single-vendor ERP/EAM solution
translates into the most “fully integrated” solution.
9. You think it’s always better to own and control your
hardware, software and support services.
10. You celebrate the day the CMMS/EAM system goes live.
Do any of these mistakes sound familiar Your best defense
is to allocate adequate time for the right resources in the early
planning and selection stages. This can save you years of aggravation
during and after implementation. Follow a solid, stepby-step
methodology for designing new processes, developing
the system requirements that support them, and selecting the
right combination of CMMS/EAM package and vendor. Thus,
to increase the odds that your CMMS/EAM software implementation
will be a success, consider following these steps:
24 APRIL 2009 www.PLANTSERVICES.com