Selecting a Computerized

Maintenance Management
System (CMMS) Guide
5 Questions to Ask of Your New CMMS
There comes a time in an operations manager’s Additionally, you will encounter costs to power
career when they know it’s time to stop running and maintain essential hardware. This means you
their operations on a system that wasn’t built for have to tackle IT updates, upgrades, repairs and
them. If you’ve reached the point where you’re tired replacements all on your own, which can pile on
of sifting through piles of printed work orders, bills unforeseen expenses.
and other systems or documents you need in order
to manage your facility, then you might be ready to
implement a CMMS. Or maybe you have a CMMS L E A R N M O R E A B O U T H OW CLO U D -
that’s difficult to use, hard to learn and virtually B AS E D VS. S E RV E R- B AS E D SYST E MS
collecting dust. CO M PA R E

In order to make the best selection for your

organization, you need to ask yourself these
crucial questions as you explore your options:
O RGA N I Z AT I O NS T H AT U SE A CM MS
> WHAT’S THE REAL COST? REPORTED AN AVERAGE OF:*
> WHAT DOES IMPLEMENTATION LOOK LIKE?
> WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT ARE YOU GETTING?
> WHAT CAPABILITIES DOES THE CMMS HAVE?
28.3% increase in maintenance
productivity

> HOW CREDIBLE IS THE COMPANY?

20.1 % reduction in equipment

Harnessing the power of a CMMS that’s a fit for downtime
your organization can really help you and your team
start working more proactively and productively.

19.4
savings in lower material
% costs
What’s the real cost?
Not all CMMSs are created equal, and certain reduction in

17.8%
service providers tack on additional fees for maintenance, repairs,
necessary features and support. It’s important to operation (MRO)
identify the hidden expenses tied to each option, inventory
as these can tally up over time.

Some systems require you to store all your facility

information on on-site servers. These so-called
14.5 months average
payback time
“desktop” solutions come with unpredictable
expenses. First, you have to shell out funds to buy Source: 8 ROI Stats on the Benefits of a CMMS
the necessary servers and devices.

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Keeping this in mind, cloud-based solutions can � You need to verify that the software is
be an excellent choice. They eliminate the need compatible with your computer, operating
for on-site servers and prevent you from spending system and network.
money on IT support and maintenance. � You may need the assistance of your IT staff.
� If your computer gets updated, you may no
Some CMMSs have even more add-on costs that
longer be compatible with the software.
facility managers have to take into account. Service
providers often charge you based on the number � Access to the software is limited to that specific
of users of the software. This means you will need computer.
to calculate how many users – both current and � If the CMMS vendor makes an update, you
future – your organization will have to give yourself have to perform upgrades yourself – which
an educated estimate of these costs. leads right back to the original chores. You are
rarely on the latest version, and it’s difficult to
Even though your staff may not be responsible manually keep up.
for making updates and fixes to your systems,
software companies may charge you for support.
On the other hand, with software delivered from
In some cases, service providers could be banking
the cloud:
on your facility incurring these expenses to make
a profit, so you should look for a company that � All you need is internet access and a browser.
includes instant updates and offers support as � You should never need assistance from your IT
part of the package. department.
� You are always on the latest version.
If you consider all of these factors, you can make a
well-informed investment in a CMMS to maximize � You have access from anywhere and typically
your long-term savings with a reliable vendor. any device.

What does implementation With a cloud-based provider, you want to make

look like? sure they have a solid implementation plan.

Once a team decides to adopt a CMMS, they

You may want to ask:
must tackle the implementation process. While
desktop software systems can often be a hassle to � How long does a typical implementation take?
get up and running, cloud-based systems can be � How many clients have they successfully
substantially easier and less time-consuming to implemented?
implement.
� Do they have a documented process for
implementation?
Consider the steps you need to take when setting
up on on-site (or on-premise) system:
� You have to either wait for the vendor to mail Knowing this upfront can help you feel secure in
you CDs or download the installation files from your vendor’s ability to prioritize your success and
their website. ensure you have a smooth implementation.

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AT DUDE SOLUTIONS, WE USE A 3-STEP What kind of support are you
IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS THAT INCLUDES:
getting?
When you’re depending on a certain software
PLANNING
system to store all of your facility’s data and
Orientation calls to define roles, daily work, you need reliable, knowledgeable
identify critical business goals and professionals providing you support. If something
map out your implementation process. were to go awry or you just need to learn
something new, you want to know that you can
reach your CMMS service provider for backup as
ONBOARDING
soon as possible to ensure minimal downtime.
Implementation begins with
interactive classes, online help It is very important to assess the support
content, 1:1 consultative sessions and services offered by each software company you
support as you need it to build your are investigating. Given that a new CMMS is
account (and even soft launch it). uncharted territory for your staff, you should look
for a CMMS service provider that will train your
ONGOING SUPPORT team, guaranteeing that your facility has a handle
on all of the functions available through your new
Start using your product to reach
system.
your goals, while we ensure all key
milestones have been executed and
Each CMMS service provider offers a different way
continue to offer ongoing support.
of getting support – some have online tutorials
You and your team will have continual
(which can be useful, but limit the ability of your
access to unlimited interactive
staff to ask questions and cannot present multiple
online classes, as well as a project
ways to learn a task), others send representatives
collaboration tool for implementation
to your facilities to walk you through these tools in
management.
person (highly effective but time-consuming).

WE OFFER UNLIMITED SUPPORT TO

I M P L E M E N TAT I O N CH ECK L IST EVERY CLIENT, INCLUDING A HELP
SITE, TRAINING VIDEOS, VIRTUAL
 ow long should we expect
H CLASSROOM TRAININGS AND
implementation to take? SUPPORT VIA PHONE, EMAIL OR CHAT.
Do they have a documented process
A good option can be online interactive training,
for implementation?
as these sessions can be slotted in to a free hour
Do they have a good track record of instead of monopolizing an entire workday.
successful implementations?
After you’ve learned the ropes of your CMMS,
Are there options for on-site vs. you may still run into bumps down the road. If you
remote implementation? have problems or questions, you should be able
to contact your service provider in a convenient
How much support will we have or
need during implementation? manner – whether that be by phone, through email
or via chat.

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ONGOING SUPPORT You want to look for a CMMS that your team,
The Dude is beside you with personal service that’s department and organization can grow with.
got your back no matter what: An all-in-one solution is always better than a
one-off one.

Phone calls answered within 3 rings Ask your provider if the CMMS has functionality
around not just maintenance management but also:
� Enterprise asset management

Support emails answered within 1 hour � Inventory tracking

� Compliance and safety documentation and
protocols
97% client satisfaction rate � Extensive analytics and reporting
� Energy management
� Event management
Always speak to a human

If you find a system that can expand as your

business and efficiencies do, then you will benefit
We handled from having one system of record and intelligence
to guide your operations. This also makes the

100Ksupport cases
with a 99%
client support
learning curve much easier for your team when you
can just add to your current system.

last year satisfaction rate

C M M S C A PA B I L I T I E S C H E C K L I S T:

Does the system offer more than just

What capabilities does the basic maintenance functionality?
CMMS have?
What do the reporting, analytics and
insights look like?
There are a number of different CMMS softwares
and providers out there, but they can vary wildly in Do we have the availability to easily add
their capabilities. functionality on to the platform?

What’s the full scope of solutions that

they offer?

For the lifetime of your products we will support, train and

help you. We are always just a call, chat or email away.
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What integrations are available? � Trustworthy with many good reviews and client
success stories
A CMMS that integrates with other operations � Focused on your organization’s success
management software is an ROI no-brainer.
Connecting your essential operations and Lastly, the company you choose for your CMMS
managing them in one centralized place greatly needs to prioritize data security. The benefits of
helps to streamline workflows, provide more the cloud are abundant – as long as the system is
thorough and accurate reporting, improve protected. Service providers should make regular
communication between departments and simplify updates to their software and incorporate new
capital planning. features that will keep your facility’s information
safe, in addition to backing up your data so nothing
Imagine gaining the visibility into how your disappears. By pairing with a provider that stays on
maintenance, energy, events and capital planning top of data security, you can adopt a CMMS that is
operations work together. You would be more both effective and safe.
able to see true cost and time investments when
operations overlap, as well as have the organization
to provide better service. With operations LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR DATA
connected, when an event or energy manager SECURITY PRACTICES
needs support from your maintenance team, they
can easily create a work order that automates a
maintenance work request in your CMMS. Both
parties can see what work is needed and stay in the C O M PA N Y C H E C K L I S T:
loop about what work has been completed.
How long has the company been in
And as for capital planning, wouldn’t it be nice to business?
have a capital plan that reflects your maintenance
How many clients do they support?
work, and maintenance work that reflects your
capital plan? A CMMS that integrates with these Do they have client success stories or
other operations systems allows for that kind of references?
clean workflow, cohesion and visibility.
What are their data security practices?
How credible is the company?
You also need to evaluate each software provider to
make sure they are a safe bet. When you’re looking
to put your workflow and operations data into the
hands of a third party, you want to be sure that
company is trustworthy and dependable.

You should look for a company that is:

� Established and knowledgeable in the industry
with a long-standing market presence
� Innovative and always improving their products

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Your Turn
We’re passing the baton over to you and letting you run forward in your search for the best CMMS.

We hope our list of questions and checklists can help guide you to finding software that fits your goals and
pushes your organization to the next level of operational excellence.

We’re cheering you on!

ABOUT DUDE SOLUTIONS

Dude Solutions is a leading software-as-a-service (SaaS)

provider of operations management solutions to education,
government, healthcare, senior living, manufacturing and
membership-based organizations. For 20 years, Dude
Solutions has inspired clients to create better work and better
lives. We combine innovative, user-friendly technology with the
world’s smartest operations engine, empowering operations
leaders to transform the most important places in our lives. Today,
more than 12,000 organizations use our award-winning software to
manage maintenance, assets, energy, IT, events and more. For
more information, visit dudesolutions.com.  

866.455.3833 / [email protected] / dudesolutions.com