| Light Duty How to smooth the implementation of new maintenance management software By Bob Hausler, Vice President, Marketing and Technology, Dossier Systems, and John Davis, Principal Fleet Management Consultant, Dossier Systems Whatever the reason, you’ve concluded that it’s time to move forward with some soft ware. Th at’s a good decision, and a big one, but it’s only the beginning, as it brings with it some pitfalls that need to be avoided. PITFALL #1: “Once I get the software, I’m good to go” Too oft en, once a fl eet decides to get soft ware, selects and buys/subscribes, it’s believed things will be golden and start getting better. True, a fl eet is on the right path, but at the start, not the end. Th e fi rst step is to choose your maintenance partner and soft ware. Why do you need a maintenance partner? Because fl eet soft ware is deep. Chances are that you’ll still be learning new things about it aft er using it for years. Whether you’re starting new or switching, a partner who really knows fl eet operations, maintenance, shops, regulations, VMRS (Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards), etc., will be a huge asset -- as important as the soft ware itself. Where do you begin? You must make a clear statement of what you expect to achieve with your new soft ware. At this point in the process, it’s crucial to form a project team of stakeholders which should include everyone with a key role. Identify these people and departments, and review what you will need from them to operate the program eff ectively. Make a list of the benefi ts they can expect to obtain to encourage their cooperation. Get their buy-in. PITFALL #2: “I’ll have my IT person do the evaluation and pick something low cost and go from there.” Th is is not a slam on IT. In fact, IT is among the most important of your stakeholders. But it’s absolutely critical that your fl eet manager and maintenance manager, as well as the person responsible for profi t and loss (P&L), feel comfortable with both your soft ware partner and the soft ware. For you to achieve your goals, your team will need to be working in the soft ware, not around the soft ware. Resist the urge to buy the lowest price. Some people feel that since they are currently using a whiteboard or Excel to track maintenance, any maintenance soft ware will be a step up. While that may be true, consider the investment you will make in planning, setup, confi guration and training. In the long run, the cost of changing to a more capable product later certainly will outweigh the initial cost savings. Plus, as your maintenance processes mature, you may fi nd yourself frequently bumping the ceiling of a low-end product, especially in the reporting and analysis area which is critical for driving business results – reduced cost/mile, improved fuel effi - ciency, safety and reliability, increased warranty reclamation from both parts and OEMs, etc.). If you have signifi cant budget constraints, consider a hosted Soft ware-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution. Th e up-front cost is typically much lower, plus all of the IT is off of your plate. Make sure your stakeholders agree on future as well as present goals, and that your partner and soft ware can help you achieve them. For example, your near-term goals may be to reduce breakdowns and violations. However, once you have that under control, you may want to start comparing asset ownership costs for diff erent OEMs, and benchmarking your technicians against Standard Repair Times (SRTs). Be sure that what you choose can carry you into the future. Once you make the choice and kick things off , Six pitfalls to avoid There are many reasons you may be on the path to implementing maintenance management soft ware. One may be in response to fl eet cost questions. You’re tired of giving or receiving answers that begin with: “We think it’s about…,” “We don’t have good reports,” or even, “I just don’t know.” Or perhaps your budget just got blown up (again) because of an expensive breakdown that could have been avoided if the preventive maintenance (PM) was done on time. The key processes for successfully implementing new software. Graphic courtesy of Dossier While new software brings many benefi ts to any organization, there are often headaches as well. However, problems can be avoided by properly preparing for the implementation process. Photo from iStock 24 FLEET MAINTENANCE ❚ JULY 2016 ❚ VehicleServicePros.com
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