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FleetMaintenance_July_2016

It is more than just features By David A. Kolman, Editor With the appropriate software, the burden of maintaining and servicing a fl eet can be lessened. Software automates a range of tasks to reduce time-consuming chores and costs, plus works to increase shop effi ciency and productivity. Among other things, fl eet maintenance software can help with: • Maintenance planning. • Maintenance, service and repair tracking of individual assets. • Technician performance measurement. • Parts and inventory purchasing, management and planning. • Assets and parts warranty management. • Shop management. • Operations support and budgeting. ESSENTIALS When looking for fl eet maintenance software, there are several must-haves, say the providers. These include: • Ease of use. The software should be well organized, easy to learn and have an intuitive user interface. • Flexibility and scalability. It should have the ability to modify the functionality of an application to meet specifi c business needs, as well as add new functionality to meet a fl eet’s needs and requirements as it evolves over time. • Compatibility. Any new software should be able to work together with current software without having to be altered to do so. • Integration. When software can be integrated into other information systems, information can be shared and that leads to wiser business planning and decision making. THE VENDOR Beyond the software itself, another important consideration is fi nding the right software vendor. At a minimum, this evaluation ought to include: • References. Ask for references in your industry and check with these customers to learn about their service experiences. Also search the Internet for reviews on vendors. • Background check. How many years has the company been in business? Does it have strong capabilities and credibility? • Support. What type of customer service and support does the vendor provide and offer? • Training. What type of training is offered? • Technical support. What type of technical support is provided? Is this part of the software package? • Upgrades. How well is the software supported through maintenance releases, updates and upgrades? How are these accomplished? It is wise to “test drive” any new software before making a purchase, advise fl eet maintenance software suppliers. Trying out a software’s features, benefi ts and usability will help determine if it “feels right” for your operation. Continued page 26 how do you take it from purchase to implementation to fully operational and getting results and ROI? Th ink back to Pitfall #1. Choosing soft ware is just the beginning. Now is the time to really bring your stakeholder team and maintenance partner to the table and make a plan. One of the fi rst considerations is: avoid Pitfall #3. PITFALL #3: “The software costs more than I had planned/budgeted, so I’ll cut training out of the project. The vendor told me throughout the process that their system was easy to use anyway.” Th is may be the worst mistake of all. A good maintenance partner will not just have great soft ware, but also knowledgeable people who help you with best practices, as well as guide you through the design and setup of the soft ware. You should consider them part of your stakeholder team. Your stakeholder team should defi ne the project plan. Don’t let those words scare you. It doesn’t need to be complicated. Everyone needs to understand their roles and responsibilities. Tasks, target dates and expectations should be identifi ed and documented. Even if it’s only a bullet list, you need a written plan with everyone understanding the expectations and timelines. It will make your implementation go much smoother and get you moving toward measurable results much sooner. Your plan should address: • Th e purpose and goals of the new system. Everyone needs to understand the reasons that the system was purchased, the benefi ts you expect to receive and how to get there. Recognize that to leverage the system for improvements, your processes and procedures, including shop fl oor workfl ow, will likely change. Your team needs to be engaged and on board, not fi ghting or resisting. Involve them up-front. • Identify the expectations and the reservations or concerns of the team members. • Get specifi c tasks identifi ed. Identify dependencies. Assign target dates and an owner for each task. • Defi ne which staff and groups will have access to the system and with what security. Most systems have a vast array of functions with many security settings. It is best to work this out with your maintenance partner in advance of actually setting up user accounts in the next phase. • IT considerations, if you are installing on premise on your own server(s). Implementing multi-user soft ware will be more complex than installing a program on your local PC. Be sure that your IT team understands the platform and security requirements of your new soft ware and coordinates with your maintenance partner’s support team. Light Duty | VehicleServicePros.com ❚ JULY 2016 ❚ FLEET MAINTENANCE 25


FleetMaintenance_July_2016
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