CMMS Implementation Tips from Existing Users

Is your organization ready for a CMMS implementation? It is a big step – but it is a step in the RIGHT direction.

The CMMS Software Market was valued at $0.92 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach $1.77 billion by 2027. Sooner or later, every maintenance department will have to go digital. This article will help you get there as soon and as smoothly as possible.

We ran a survey of our existing customers to identify the most common challenges maintenance and facility managers face during the implementation and transition process. 

Knowing the issues is one thing, understanding how to solve them is another. Our customers were kind enough to also share their best CMMS tips, mistakes, and insights, offering you a gold mine of wisdom as you embark on your own digital upgrade.

Without further ado, let’s dive straight in.

The most common CMMS implementation challenges (and how to manage them)

Some organizations have a smooth transition process when digitizing their maintenance operation, while others experience a very bumpy road. Most fall somewhere in between.

Here is what Limble CMMS users reported:

It seems we have the path cut out for us. Let’s start with the most common problem and move on from there.

1) Difficulties getting maintenance personnel on board

Older technicians that are less tech-savvy are rarely thrilled about your brilliant idea to implement CMMS software. And that is only natural. Doing things the old-fashioned way is familiar and comfortable. Their spreadsheets rarely hold any unknowns that can complicate their day. 

Even if things aren’t perfect, they would rather deal with the devil they know.

Getting maintenance personnel on board requires changing that mindset. It is not always easy, but it absolutely has to be done. CMMS is extremely useful, but only when people commit to learning how to use it. 

Here are some things you can do to get different stakeholders on board:

• Include the maintenance personnel in the review process when selecting your maintenance software. This will give technicians and mechanics some ownership of the process and expand the time window they have to get on board with the idea.
• Select a software that is easy to use. Trying to implement maintenance software that requires months of training is the most common reason why CMMS implementations fail.
• Demonstrate how CMMS will make their life easier. A good CMMS is going to help eliminate or downsize many of the problems your maintenance personnel are regularly complaining about. Your job is to explain how.
• Acknowledge their hesitancy and offer continuous support. People are more open to changes if they know that someone has their back. Assure them that nothing is going to happen overnight and that, if they are willing to cooperate, you will adjust the pace of implementation to match their capabilities.

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2) Data management challenges

Having quality (accurate and up-to-date) data is paramount for optimizing maintenance operations, reducing downtime, and cutting unnecessary costs. 

Before you can fully utilize your chosen CMMS software, you have to populate its database. At the very minimum, you will have to enter basic details about your assets and your maintenance team. Here’s what that looks like in Limble CMMS:

It can take a while to gather all of the relevant information and enter it into the software. Here are a few tips to help speed up the process: 

• Streamline data gathering processes. Decide which data you actually need. This will help you decide where to look and what to look for. Define where and how the data will be stored during the gathering process.  
• Standardize data entry standards. Define which fields need to be populated (compulsory fields) and how (naming conventions, abbreviations, data formats, etc.).
• Clean up the data before entering it into the software. If you’ve gathered data from multiple sources, there is a high chance you have some overlapping, outdated, duplicate or straight up inaccurate data. MAke sure to do an audit before data migration.
• Delegate and prioritize. Entering hundreds or thousands of assets and other data points is not a job for a single person, especially not for a busy maintenance manager. Set an example, define guidelines, and delegate.

3) General difficulties with planning and organizing the transition process

The level of change your department will have to go through depends on where you are right now. 

If you are relying solely on reactive maintenance, sending out WOs in paper form, receiving Work Requests by phone, and if you have very little insight into your maintenance data and parts inventory, there is a lot of work ahead of you.

Balancing the transition without compromising existing maintenance schedules and ongoing work that needs to be performed requires careful planning. This especially holds true in the production environment, where KPIs usually dictate that the show must go on and you can’t just push tasks to the deferred maintenance backlog. 

The exact steps to take vary from organization to organization and could be an article for itself. Still, we can leave you with a couple of general tips:

• Delegate work to experienced maintenance personnel. List out everything that needs to be done. Split tasks between experienced personnel. 
• Someone has to actively lead the charge. The point is self-explanatory. As a maintenance or facility manager, this responsibility will likely fall on your shoulders.

4) Difficulties developing new procedures and workflows

Using mobile maintenance software will help you streamline and automate different parts of your existing maintenance processes and asset management. While this is a change for the better, it is still a change that needs to be planned out and managed.

You can look to adjust your workflow based on how the software is set up, or you can look to adjust the software based on how you want to work. A mixed approach usually works best. The CMMS system will generally push you to follow industry best practices, but it should still be flexible enough to adapt to the specific needs of your facility.

Here’s what you can do:

• Let the software guide you. If you do not know where to start, let the software guide your workflow.  
• Write or update your SOPs. It is never a bad time to document your maintenance procedures. Save them in your CMMS so they are easily accessible and use them while onboarding new techs and mechanics. 
• Cut out wasteful actions and unnecessary procedures. CMMS will automate some administrative work. Still, there are bound to be additional actions and procedures that add no value. Use this chance to create a leaner maintenance department.
• Aim for incremental improvements. You can’t change 40% of procedures from this to next week and not expect any problems. Focus on setting up core processes (work requests, work orders, parts inventory management). New procedures must be tested out in practice for a little while before you look to make additional optimizations.

5) Training workers to use the software

The level and volume of training your team will need to go through will depend on two main factors:

1. How easy-to-use the software is
2. How proficient your techs are with using technology in general 

One of the greatest benefits you get with a CMMS is the access to timely and quality maintenance data for making informed decisions. The only way to have accurate information is if everyone is using CMMS – and is using it the right way.

Here are some tips to get you on the right track:

• Consider your training options. One-on-one training, setting up a classroom-type environment to demonstrate different features, written guides, video tutorials, self-demo, (online) demos from the vendor – there are many training options you can opt-in for. Mix and match them according to your needs.   
• Evaluate individual needs. Different people will need different levels of support. Refer to the options outlined in the point above.
• Ask the vendor for support. They know their product the best – let them teach you how to use it and adjust it to fulfill the needs of your facility.
• Track compliance and offer additional training.  There is bound to be some misuse of the software due to a lack of knowledge and complacency. Watch out for that in the early months following the implementation.  

6) Problems with securing management approval and support

CMMS implementation, along with its pricing, is bound to introduce major changes into your maintenance department and plant floor. It is not a project you want to go into with a “maybe”. Top management needs to be aware that this is an ongoing process which needs to be properly supported (with funds and rhetoric alike).

From what we are hearing, the best way to gain management approval is to talk about benefits, with a focus on ROI and cost reductions.

For instance, below are the benefits and cost savings that an average facility experiences after a successful CMMS implementation and using Limble for 6+ months.

To help you define the actual numbers, we would like to refer you to our CMMS ROI calculator. However, before you start slamming the numbers into the calculator, it is recommended to read this associated guide first. 

7) Technical difficulties with the hardware and software

Cloud-based solutions like Limble which do not have to be installed on your internal servers are less likely to come with major hardware or software issues. Certain problems can still happen, and when they do, your vendor should be ready to offer prompt support.

There are two main things you can do to alleviate such problems:

• Talk with your CMMS vendor about hardware recommendations/requirements. If a mobile device can run Facebook and Instagram smoothly, it should be able to do the same with your CMMS. Still, it doesn’t hurt to check that with your vendor. Some CMMS solutions are poorly optimized for mobile devices. 
• Choose a vendor that offers support during and after CMMS implementation. We often like to say that Limble is a customer support company that just so happens offers a CMMS software. We think support is THAT important, and our reviews confirm it. 

Common CMMS implementation mistakes to avoid 

At one point in the survey, we asked Limble users if there is anything they would do differently if they had to go through the whole CMMS implementation process over again. 

Here are some general notions that could be picked up from their answers. Don’t skip them. After all, it is best to learn from other people’s mistakes.

Lean more on the vendor during the CMMS implementation process 

Lean on Limble staff for software usage training and support. They are fantastic at providing support and training. Lean into that: invite them to face-to-face meetings and have them attend virtual meetings to answer questions about Limble. Make it clear to your staff that Limble staff can answer questions about how to set up and use the software. They cannot answer WHY your company requires that step 5 of a specific PM that tells technicians to lubricate a bearing – that is an internal question. Their expertise lies in how to use the software and understanding the difference between a PM, a WO and a Work Request, how to set up assets, and other software-related configurations. Using them as instructors on these aspects will allow your team to focus on the key metrics of concern in your business where you are the expert.

Dustin Kersey, Operations Manager at Rubis Cayman Islands Limited

The Limble team did a great job throughout the whole process with implementation and support questions. This is definitely one of the easier systems to use and train technicians on.

Dan Messerli, Assembly Manager at Frontline Bioenergy

Request more time with a Limble support staff member during the trial period. I spent a tremendous amount of time attempting to build the system during the trial phase so that I could utilize it for presentation to the owner to show what it was capable of. Problem was, aside from your videos, I had to trip and stumble my way through some of the processes. I will say though, your system is great for a small company and very simple to manage.

Rick Batten, Maintenance Supervisor at Makmetals

I’d spend more time getting new members of my team trained directly from the Limble staff. We’ve experienced a lot of personnel growth, and leveraging the experts to train new employees on the full functionality of Limble would be extremely beneficial.

Bobby VerBrugge, Director of Operations at Alterra Energy

Start sooner and have a cohesive plan

I didn’t plan far enough ahead so now I am stuck with a few things. Plan for the big picture and for the expansion.

Joe Feltman, Director at Tom Wood Group

I would have gathered all the information needed ahead of time when adding assets to the system, such as model numbers, serial numbers and any repair manuals. Not that it is hard to add any information but it would be quicker if I would have had everything ready at the beginning.

Robin Hollenbach, Divisional Lab Technician at Blackhawk Technical College Manufacturing Division

I would have a change management plan in place with executive support. Also, I’d suggest you pre-plan delegation of duties to make assignments easier to manage.

Davey Ortiz, Maintenance Manager at Cirkul Inc.

I would have made clear dates for the transition process and avoided creating any overlap time between systems. When you go live with Limble CMMS you can simply import the current open work orders from your old system.

Jonathan DiBenedetto, Operations Solutions Developer at Grove City College

Coming from Maximo to Limble I learned that, sometimes, less is more. I wish I had paired the data down a bit more before inserting it into Limble. For the most part, it was an easy transition into Limble and found our choice to be the right one.

Donny Craven, Manager at Rite Aid

Try to involve other team members earlier in the implementation process. 

Adam Majtyka, Director of Facilities and Construction Aquarium of Niagara

Finalize a standardized plan/ template for assets before adding data. Doing things on the fly often leads to a loss of standardization. Everything will connect better if it shares a common format.

Steve Course, Facilities Manager at Mid Atlantic Retina

I wouldn’t have transferred information from the horrible CMMS program we were using to Limble. If I would have started from scratch it would have been a much cleaner process. Entering assets and information in Limble is very easy.

Mario Ochoa, Maintenance Manager at Grower Direct Nut

I would get QR/assets codes set up more completely and way sooner.

Mike Hill, Facilities Director at Children’s Home of Lubbock

Place a strong focus on CMMS training

Offer more training to each department using the program. Weekly at first, then monthly (since Limble is always updating it is good to keep the whole team in the know). Make sure there is better communication as to what fields will be used for assets, parts, etc. so that everything stays consistent.

Tracy Bowling, Purchasing Manager at MidWest Materials

Push harder in the first few months after implementation to make everyone use it more (and in the right way).

Taylor Field, Plant Manager at Windmill Plastics LTD

Set up a classroom-type atmosphere where we could do examples of building the system and using it. E.g. build PMs, Asset List, WO, WR, and Dashboards.

Collin Redden, Jr. Project Engineer at Rubis Cayman

I would implement a more in-depth and longer ongoing training class.

Zach DeBartolo Fleet Supervisor at Georgia’s Wildcat Paving

Additional CMMS implementation mistakes to avoid

Getting everything right on your first try is nearly impossible. But you will be just fine as long as you avoid major pitfalls. 

Here are some additional mistakes to watch out for that haven’t been mentioned directly in the quotes above:

• Rushing the process. Cutting corners during CMMS implementation and training phases puts you on the express line to failuretown. This is the perfect time to optimize existing workflows and define automations and best practices – use it wisely.
• Choosing the wrong CMMS (provider). You need a CMMS whose pricing is in your budget, has all of the main features you need, is easy to use, and offers good customer support. Here is a great guide on how to choose the best maintenance software for your facility. 
• Using CMMS as a strategy instead of a tool that supports a strategy. Computerized maintenance management software can be an immensely useful tool, but it is still just a tool. In other words, it is a means to an end, not an endpoint itself.
• Not utilizing the software fully after implementation. Modern CMMS solutions have quite a lot of features to play around with. Use vendor support to teach your team best practices and tricks on how the software can be adjusted to supplement your workflows. For example, Limble users can track recent updates here.
• Watch out for misuse. In the first ~3 months after implementation, be sure to regularly check if the techs are using the software the right way. The goal is to identify and correct common usage mistakes before they become ingrained.  
• Not going for a mobile CMMS. The ability to access maintenance data through a mobile device unlocks significant workflow improvements. In this day and age, having anything less is simply not worth considering.

Best CMMS implementation tips for new and prospective users

We promised you some CMMS implementation tips in the title of this article and we are not a brand that will leave you hanging. Here is what Limble CMMS users had to say when asked to share tips with other users.

Choose your CMMS software vendor carefully 

Have a defined list of goals and expectations from a CMMS.

Mark L. Chappuies, CMMS Program Manager

Get the right option for your environment. Do not waste time with just choosing the cheaper option. You will be glad to spend a little more and have better tools at your disposal to make your preventive maintenance and spare parts inventory save you a lot of money in the long run. Limble’s ability to connect your suppliers with spare parts lists will definitely save you time and give you peace of mind knowing you will always have the correct spare parts for the machines required. CMMS has completely transformed and streamlined the way I manage maintenance now.

Marius Alberts, Maintenance Manager at Dartcom Fibre Solutions

Make sure you trial the software live in your working environment during the review process. This will outline the ease of use for your staff.

Dale Kenyon, Eng & Facilities Manager at INX International

I have found Limble to be the easiest and most user friendly platform, I tried a couple others that seemed very overwhelming immediately. This was not only for myself setting it up, but when the users had to input information, it was not an easy process. With Limble it is.

Taylor Field, Plant Manager at Windmill Plastics LTD

The software can do much more than you originally expect it to be able to do, we started with the entrance level software. I would recommend the business or professional level because of what it can do at those levels.

David Cook, Maintenance Manager

Do your homework, there are many CMMS solutions out there. Finding the right one that will work with you to create the best working system is very important. Limble has been great at getting us to where we needed to be.

Donny Craven, Manager at Rite Aid

Aim for incremental changes

Give yourself time to build the system the right way from the beginning. Limble is amazing and makes you think outside of the box for overall improvements.

Kendell Moffitt Sr, Maintenance Supervisor at SPM Oil and Gas

Don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress. If you don’t have a detailed asset list ready to upload, don’t sweat it. Set up a location and just select that asset for now. You already know what equipment needs some TLC in your facility. Start by setting up those assets and linking them to PMs. It can be easy to get lost in the weeds of making sure you have every motor, generator, pump, etc. set up in the system. The fact of the matter is that your asset list is a living organism that grows, shrinks and evolves over time. The asset list will never be DONE… it will constantly EVOLVE. Embrace that and give yourself permission and comfort in the knowledge that you can always work to improve the accuracy of the asset list. The little changes you make toward improvement may not be perfect, but they will be an improvement over what you were doing yesterday.

Val Harris, Admin Assistant at United Hardware

Start small and then keep adding more to it. But start!

Angela Meier, COO at Manitoba Water Services Board

Build good structures/processes and stick to them. Talk to your account manager regularly to make adjustments. They know Limble better than you do and can prevent you from overcomplicating things.

Steve Course, Facilities Manager at Mid Atlantic Retina

Take time and learn the system yourself. Be as prepared as possible so you can tackle any problem that comes.

Zach DeBartolo, Fleet Supervisor at Georgia’s Wildcat Paving

Write down the steps and tackle one piece at a time. Think out how you want to set up your assets and what info you’re looking to get from the system.

Shawn Aungst, Maintenance Manager at Adhesives Research

Early on, focus on data entry

Dedicate one person to sit down uninterrupted and get all the data(assets, pms, etc.) entered into the new software before migrating to it.

Mike Stoecklin, Maintenance Engineer at Rockford Acromatic

Either go big and input everything all at once or start very small and only input the smallest amount of assets. We tried to do only half of our assets and now we are trying to play catchup.

David Tryon, Facilities Director at Siegel Jewish Community Center

Teach everyone the process of using the QR codes when implementing Limble. Most will try to photograph the code instead of just scanning it.

Robin Hollenbach, Divisional Lab Technician at Blackhawk Technical College Manufacturing Division

DO IT!! Just be careful of the promises to those above you. It takes time to input all of the parts into inventory.

Steve Brownlee, Sr. Maintenance Technician at Burnbrae Farms Ltd.

Miscellaneous tips

Make your case responsibly with management, identify all changes with costs and identify clearly how those changes will benefit the company.

David MacLaren, Director of Maintenance at Technologies Pte ltd

The Limble team offers a great customer support network with unmatched communication and timeliness. Make sure you don’t spin your wheels too long before reaching out. It has saved me a lot of potentially wasted time trying to self-solve.

Bobby VerBrugge, Director of Operations at Alterra Energy

Don’t sell short on the important things needed to do the job. A good CMMS is foundational to running an effective maintenance program in today’s world. There are plenty of places you can make shortcuts but don’t make this one of them. Have 3-4 meetings after the go-live date so your team can provide feedback. This was critical to adjusting the settings in the system and reduced the friction of using the new system.

Jonathan DiBenedetto, Operations Solutions Developer at Grove City College

Be very familiar with the software and have good mobile devices for your team.

Don Trauntvein, Energy Manager at Bonneville School District

Work with the tech and listen to their feedback. Make sure they have permissions to all the software features they really need, don’t make it more difficult for them then it needs to be. I find that if you can use Limble from the internet instead of the app the techs can view more items that can make it helpful for them, so make sure they are taught both ways.

Tracy Bowling, Purchasing Manager at MidWest Materials

Establish a sound CMMS implementation plan

CMMS implementation process can slightly differ based on the features you plan to use. 

For instance, if you are not going to use the spare parts inventory module, you’re going to skip that. On the other hand, if you plan to connect your CMMS to condition monitoring technology, that will add some extra steps.

In the image below, you can see our recommended CMMS implementation outline for new Limble users. It can be used in conjunction with our self-implementation guide.

We are big proponents of an iterative approach, of continuous improvement, and not trying to do everything at once. With enough personnel, you can condense these four weeks into one. However, the question is will your employees be able to keep up with the changes. It is better to master one thing, then move to another.

We understand many prospective users are afraid they will not be able to manage the transition and that a new CMMS won’t lead to a positive return on investment. This is why every Limble customer gets a dedicated person that will lead them and offer support throughout the entire process.

Regardless of whether you will follow the steps outlined above or not, you should sit down and make a plan.

Review your internal resources. Review your business processes. Outline the steps that need to be done and roughly estimate how long each step will take (you can always consult your vendor representative). Who on your team can spend time on implementation and how much? 

Use all of that info to decide on the initial tempo of the implementation.

Looking for a CMMS solution?

Going through this article didn’t convince you that Limble can answer your maintenance needs? Good. That wasn’t the purpose of this article.

That being said, we do hope you’re open to learning more about Limble and the features it offers. 

If Limble CMMS is on your shortlist, you can get some hands-on experience by requesting a demo, starting a free trial, or playing around in a test environment.