CMMS - A Holistic Solution for Public Works Departments

by ell brown

Article by Ajax

There is constant financial strain on Public Works Departments due to a combination of routine and not so routine maintenance work required, along with capital projects, managing suppliers, vendors, and maintaining compliance. Continuous budget limitations can result in even simple unexpected repairs and replacements a cause for fiscal concern. To add to the woes, periodic snowstorms, or worse, hurricanes and floods, damage roads, contaminate water and sanitation systems, and another level of expense is required to restore these situations to normalcy.

Materials, equipment, and supplier costs are part of what weighs heavily on a department's budget. However, inefficient processes and communication tools can be a significant factor in terms of HR related expenses that impact budgets. These costs tend to rise exponentially during emergencies.

Inefficient processes and communications do not automatically mean software. Certainly many examples exist where a Public Works Department has implemented an enterprise asset management system and yet the solution did not produce effective and productive results. In fact, costs are escalated due to mismanagement of processes and people, as a result of complicated or inadequately deployed software.

When information is not easily shared among systems, any potential for coordination between units within a municipality is lost. In order to attain high levels of efficiency for the maintenance of civic infrastructure and assets, an administration needs to employ a holistic approach that fosters integration of technology, applications, processes, and people.

To ensure successful implementation of an asset management system within the enterprise, the Public Works Department must choose a competent computerized maintenance management (CMMS) software that forms a core part of the daily operations for regular maintenance management, in conjunction, one that enables ease of communications and workflow among all entities impacted by the condition! or avai lability of assets.

Preventive maintenance software that provides labor allocation, and flexible scheduling of work orders, must also enable this information to be visible to all relevant personnel and departments. A simple and uncomplicated user interface provides easy data entry forms and dialog boxes, as well as a clear view of key metrics and KPIs throughout the work order, asset, and supply chain lifecycle. Compact, responsive, and easy to use mobile components of the maintenance management software can dramatically maximize productivity for the field workforce, by providing easy monitoring of assets and processes while on the move.

An enterprise asset management software implementation that accommodates a municipality's work processes and departmental communications realities is a solution that will produce a streamlined system that accelerates productivity. A system that will assure a smooth running maintenance management process and administration's ability provide the best services to its citizens, even during emergencies and natural disasters, without wasting resources, time or money.

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