Three reasons why your maintenance team needs a mobile CMMS app

The world of maintenance management is moving at hyper-speed. While in the not-so-distant past, many facilities relied on a paper-based punch card system to track work orders, today’s maintenance teams need near-instant access to information in order to make decisions about their assets and facilities.

For most maintenance teams, this means going mobile—that is, choosing a CMMS that offers a mobile app that technicians can use in the field.

Three reasons why you need a mobile CMMS app

1. React faster when something goes down

Preventive and scheduled maintenance is one thing, but what if something goes wrong? Reactive maintenance is a reality—things break, and sometimes the only thing standing between a small repair and major downtime is how quickly you can notify the right technician for the job.

But sometimes this means physically tracking down technicians, which can take way too long.

Mobile CMMS apps let you avoid the wild goose chase by sending a notification straight to the technician, along with all the information about the damage, required parts, priority, etc.

Push notifications make it so that technicians don’t even have to open the app to receive an alert. Instead, the notification is pushed directly to the user’s home screen, ensuring the right information gets into the right hands even faster.

2. Spend less time logging work

Data entry should not be a full-time job for your technicians. They should be spending more time in the field than in the office. After all, that’s where the work is.

It doesn’t make sense for technicians to run back to a computer terminal to log their work. Instead, a mobile app will give them a powerful CMMS that they can carry around in their pocket, allowing them to log work in the field in real-time.

3. Stop wasting time and money on untracked maintenance

It’s pretty common for little tweaks, adjustments, and repairs to get dismissed as too insignificant to bother logging in a desktop CMMS. However, these small repairs add up, and while your assets probably end up looking great on paper, they might not be doing so well in real life.

When we look at untracked maintenance through the lens of asset lifecycle management or even audits, these small repairs and hours of work that have disappeared into the ether can come back to bite you.

But with a mobile app, a technician who spots a bit of work to be done here or there can log it instantaneously, with the click of a button. This gives you better oversight and a much clearer picture of what’s actually going on in your facility.

When should you implement a mobile CMMS app?

Implementing a mobile CMMS is a strategic decision that can enhance the operations of a maintenance team. However, timing is crucial to ensure the maximum return on investment and efficient adoption. Here are some situations and indicators that suggest it might be the right time to implement a mobile CMMS:

• Growing operations: As your business grows, the complexity and volume of maintenance tasks can increase. If your team is expanding, or the number of assets you manage is growing, a mobile CMMS can help streamline processes and ensure everyone stays on the same page.
• Need for real-time information: In dynamic environments where real-time data is crucial for decision-making, a mobile CMMS can be invaluable. If delays in receiving updates or reporting can hamper operations or lead to increased costs, it’s a sign that mobile CMMS could be beneficial.
• Issues with spare parts inventory: If you’re facing challenges with spare parts inventory, like frequent stockouts, overstocking, or lack of clarity about what’s available and where, a mobile CMMS can provide efficient inventory management solutions.
• Increased asset downtime: If you’re experiencing an uptick in equipment breakdowns or increased downtime, a mobile CMMS can help in preventive maintenance, leading to reduced unplanned downtimes.
• Need for enhanced accountability: Mobile CMMS often comes with features that allow for tracking of task completion, time logs, and user-specific activities. If you’re seeking better accountability and clarity about team performance, a CMMS can be the answer.

Even more benefits of a mobile CMMS app

There are lots of benefits for maintenance teams to begin using a mobile CMMS outside of our three main reasons. Some additional benefits include:

1. Asset maintenance and management is easier

Mobile CMMS apps often come with features like barcode scanning or RFID tracking. This makes it easier for teams to track and manage assets on the go. They can instantly pull up an asset’s maintenance history, check its warranty status, or update its location.

2. Reduce downtime

When you have all the information you need at your fingertips, maintenance teams can diagnose and fix issues a lot faster. A mobile CMMS provides instant access leading to quicker resolutions and minimizing downtime.

3. Efficient spare parts inventory management

With a mobile CMMS app, maintenance teams can check the availability of spare parts, wherever they are. They can see which parts are in stock, which are running low, or if a specific part is located at a different site. Real-time inventory visibility helps minimize stockouts, reduces excessive inventory costs, and ensures that technicians always have the parts they need to complete a job.

Want to learn more about must-haves for any CMMS?

Read our guide

Going mobile for your maintenance team

The way we handle maintenance is changing fast, and clinging to old methods just doesn’t cut it anymore. No more chasing down technicians, slogging through mountains of paperwork, or playing guesswork with spare parts. Instead, you’re arming your team with a tool that makes their job way smoother and your assets run much better.