Advantages of Staff Training Before CMMS Implementation

Are you about to implement the use of an advanced asset management software? Do you want to get maximum return on investment (ROI) for your new computerized maintenance management software (CMMS)? Are you still in doubt as to whether you need to have your staff properly trained before using the new CMMS?

If you’re still on the fence about the benefits of staff training before rolling out the CMMS program you have, then read on. Here, we have listed the advantages of why it is important for you to make sure that your team is sufficiently trained before CMMS implementation.

Invest in your Assets

When you have capitalized on CMMS, you want to maximize its use. Among the benefits of CMMS is reduced downtime, longer life for your equipment, and increased productivity. You can reap all these when you have a learned and properly trained team member managing the CMMS that you have.

It is crucial that you also look into the manpower that you have when you want your systems and operations to run smoothly. While modern technology and cloud-based systems greatly help in automating and simplifying complex workflow systems, you will still need people to supervise and run these machines, applications, and other computerized methods.

Therefore, it is critical that you also invest in the proper training of your staff. The people in your organization must be equipped with the right skills and knowledge to be effective in their respective jobs and responsibilities. For your company to run like a well-oiled machine, everyone must be adequately knowledgeable about the proper implementation and use of the new software.

It is equally important that you look for a training provider who can impart the correct information and skills to your group. Fortunately, there are CMMS and asset management software suppliers who also give their customers full support and aftersales service. That is why it is also worth it to purchase your software from a reputable company because they are the best ones to give you and your team comprehensive training on its implementation and use.

Whether you’re a construction or real estate company, educational institution, or the best beach club on your side of the world, having an asset management software system or CMMS will greatly benefit your business. Moreover, investing in the professional training of your people will greatly heighten its effectiveness.

Here are some of the benefits that professional staff training can bring to your business:

1. Increased User Adoption

No matter how great your software is, if there’s no employee buy-in, then it will just go to waste. When your team cannot be bothered to use the system properly, then training them is a good way to establish an affinity for the program. It will also build a certain ownership mentality and increase accountability among the users.

Since not everyone is quick to accept and use new technology, training can help these users to see the benefits of the CMMS program. Formal training can also lead them to appreciate the value of the software in helping make their work easier and more efficient.

2. Time and Money Savings

Formal user training can also cut down on the time and resources wasted for trial and error runs. When the users are left to their own devices to figure out the software, lots of company time is lost and productivity also goes down.

At the same time, just letting your team members navigate the program on their own can lead to data entry errors and other missteps that may prove to be costly. Not only that, but wrong inputs can lead to disastrous outcomes in some cases. These errors may call for costly  inventory purchases or mismanagement of PPM’s such as missed important maintenance periods.

3. Uniformity

When users are professionally trained in the implementation and use of CMMS programs, it also facilitates uniformity within your group. Proper training can lead everyone to get on the same page. They will be trained in the ins and outs of the program so that they can understand the interface and the tools used to make the software work correctly.

Training your team can help reduce inconsistencies and errors. They will be equally confident, skilled, and successful in using the program by following identical best practices.

4. Speed and Efficiency

It can take hours or even weeks to learn how to use new software, especially if your team was previously using a different one or a team member does not even have previous experience of using CMMS.

With the guidance of software specialists, users are trained in the correct use of the program. Proper input of data, for example, can help streamline maintenance procedures, refine the supply chain, and improve labor output.

After everyone has successfully passed the introductory training, they will have more confidence to use the program. This can also translate to fewer mistakes and more positive results.

5. Reinforced Management Commitment

Proper training also reinforces the management’s commitment to making CMMS programs work. Seeing how it greatly impacts the success of the company, administrators will surely seek ways to keep employees interested and invested in the program.

Proper training will not only improve administration, data analysis and extraction, report generation, and other workflow practices; it can also cultivate a healthy work attitude within the workforce. Failure to train them may result in employees not having any or enough appreciation for the value of a CMMS program. Should this happen, they may just look at it as another data-entry exercise that adds to their daily tasks.

Continued Commitment

Since CMMS implementation is an ongoing process that runs throughout the whole lifetime of the program, it is also a must for the management to continually invest in proper staff training. 
That is why it will prove to be more advantageous for companies to buy the program from software companies that already have an established user training program. It will also be a plus if the company you bought your CMMS program from also has a string of tutorial videos, online training platforms, refresher webinars, or knowledge-transfer workshops. This will ensure that your users will have continued comprehensive support from the very experts that handed you your software.