CAFM Selection Q&A with Taylor Short from Software Advice

Here at FMX we could talk for days about the benefits of using facilities management software. But, we don’t want you to just take our word for it, so we interviewed Taylor Short, Market Researcher at Software Advice, to get his take on the topic.

How can CMMS or CAFM systems address common pain points for business owners?

Taylor’s Take: Some common pain points Software Advice hears from software seekers include losing work orders, having trouble tracking all assets, and overall inefficiency in scheduling preventative maintenance.

Simply automating daily maintenance tasks can ensure departments never have to deal with paper work orders again; once created, CAFM software holds onto work orders until they’re closed out.

Secondly, software offers a bird’s eye view of facility management operations with dashboards that display the location of all assets.

And finally, a user can create regular tasks and the CAFM system will send notifications as they are due.

Together, these CAFM capabilities keep managers aware of all work and offer tools to increase efficiency.

What kind of ROI can be expected from investing in new software?

Taylor’s Take: Software buyers can use the standard return on investment formula (gain from CAFM – cost of CAFM / cost of CAFM x 100) to get a percentage answer, which can tell you how much of your initial investment a CAFM system will return.

Another way to look into the costs of a software investment is to calculate the total cost of ownership (TCO), which examines costs throughout the entire life of the software and includes additional costs such as those for installation, data migration, support, and more.

You can find your TCO with our calculator.

What are some recent trends in the small business space around facilities management technology?

Taylor’s Take: Mobility is the most discussed technology trend in facilities and maintenance management today, and for good reason. Access to a full-featured CAFM system in your mobile device adds tremendous value for technicians in the field, who can create and close out work orders, view and take images of assets, or scan QR codes with a camera.

These capabilities completely remove the time usually taken by traveling between the office and the job site, which can instead be used to perform more work.

What are some recommended steps to find the product that’s right for your business?

Taylor’s Take: Many companies say they need facilities management software but don’t have a specific plan in place or goal for what they want to see out of it.

So first, it’s important for a facilities management team and the company executives to develop the results they want to see from a software investment.

Secondly, facilities departments should determine the specific features that will deliver that result. Maybe the goal is to increase work order completion rates by 30%; the company could then include work order management tools.

Finally, companies can evaluate additional features and modules that increase convenience, such as mobile access. With a clear goal and feature set in mind, a company has a greater chance to find the exact CAFM they need.

Buyers can consult user reviews of CAFM systems at softwareadvice.com or other technology comparison sites to create a short list of products that are a good fit, and then set up demos or free trials to get a feel for the product.

Remember, it’s always a worthwhile investment of time and energy to find a product that fits your needs, and has all the proper integrations.

Consider FMX

FMX is a leading provider of facilities and maintenance management solutions that help organizations accelerate operational excellence. Our CMMS software enables you to streamline processes, increase asset productivity, and turn actionable insights into meaningful results.

Discover why FMX was named one of the 3 best-reviewed facilities management systems, and learn more about CAFM software today!