Fleet Maintenance - 12

Whether it be leveraging fleet data to improve
maintenance efficiency or identifying which fuel
types are offering the best operational efficiencies,
fleets can benefit from a variety of functions that
maintenance software can offer.
"Choosing maintenance software should be a
carefully considered decision," says Bob Hausler,
vice president, marketing and technology, Dossier
Systems, Inc. "There are front-end investments to be
made in terms of populating asset and parts data,

setting up users and workflows, defining PMs, and
standard repairs. Even if done via electronic import,
these represent a significant time investment. Make
sure you don't go through all of that only to learn
that the software isn't right for you."

Selecting the right
software for your fleet

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12 Fleet Maintenance | June 2019

CMMS software is not necessarily a one-size-fitsall solution. The functionality a fleet needs might
vary based on the diversity of equipment, the
different types of PMs performed, maintenance
schedules, in-house processes, and more.
When choosing a CMMS software, start by
evaluating the needs of your fleet, suggests Ric
Bedard, president of Cetaris. Identify what you
need the software to do and what challenges you
currently have, then look for functions that will
solve these concerns.
"One of the key things we see is clients who
come to the market to acquire software with the
misconception that they all do the same thing.
And that's not true," Bedard explains.
"If improving uptime is a critical requirement
for your business, you need to make sure the software understands downtime versus uptime so you
can measure one versus the other. If safety and
reliability are key, then you need to make sure the
software actually drives those kinds of analyses.
That's not necessarily going to be the case on all
software products," he says.
When it comes to selecting a CMMS software,
it doesn't pay to take shortcuts, adds Dossier's
Hausler. "Use real maintenance software built
for the job," he advises. "Resist the temptation to
use [Microsoft] Excel because your IT department
has someone who is great at Excel and thinks they
could quickly create what you need. It pays to use
a program that has been designed specifically for
maintenance management."
Evaluate the reporting, analytics, and decision support that the software offers. A software
system collects a lot of data, so having the ability
to analyze that data and use it to inform maintenance decisions helps maximize return on
investment. A good maintenance software should
be able to advise fleets on PM compliance, how
technician performance is comparing to standard
repair times, and lifecycle replacement projections
for the fleet's assets.

» CMMS software builds predictive models to
identify when a unit is likely to fail, so it can
be fixed pre-failure to maximize uptime.
Photo courtesy of Trimble Transportation

When looking for features, think about not
only what features your fleet will use now, but
what features it might need to use in the future.
Software takes time to set up and integrate, so
it is best to choose a software that allows the
fleet to grow into the technology. Don't make the
mistake of buying an entry-level software that
meets the fleet's immediate needs, only to require
an upgrade within a couple of years because the
entry-level software no longer meets the demands
of the fleet.
"Changing software can create a significant
business interruption," Hausler stresses. "You
don't want to buy something and then outgrow
it [too quickly] and have to start over."
Look long-term at where the industry is going,
and whether the software will be able to grow to
meet those shifting needs, Bedard suggests. If you
implement electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles into
your fleet, will the software allow you to track
maintenance metrics and compare those to diesel
and gas vehicles in order to identify how maintenance costs and vehicle upkeep compare? Will the
software be able to upgrade with more advanced
features as the fleet grows and changes?
Another key aspect to consider when selecting a maintenance software is integration. Is the
software going to be compatible with other solutions you are already using - such as telematics,
accounting software, or management software?
Integration helps different systems work seamlessly together by reducing the risk of errors
introduced through double data entry and helps
improve efficiency.
"A big part of our focus is in integration with
third-party providers from the telematics side, the
accounting side, dispatch operations, to OEMs or
parts purchasing - anything you can do to reduce
double data entry and streamline the sharing of
information is important and valuable," stresses
Trimble's Adler.
When comparing software options, don't be
afraid to ask questions, Bedard says. "Leverage your
industry contacts and connect with people. Talk
to people, go to presentations, and ask about what
other people are using. Who's making a contribution? Who's bringing innovation? That's what fleets
should be looking for in a software vendor."

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Fleet Maintenance

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Fleet Maintenance