Change has been unfairly branded. Forget fear of the unknown, what about onwards and upwards? One doesn’t even need to be feeling particularly bold to take a leap, especially when it comes to CAFM software. Too many facilities management teams are making do with software that is OK; ticking most of the boxes or usable due to familiarity. But CAFM should be more than this, it should be the backbone supporting FM teams, taking the administrative weight and providing insight to improve efficiency, costs and time. Once FM operations have been upgraded from paper systems or spreadsheets to CAFM, it can be daunting to a) start a new project researching a new solution that offers the right organisational fit and b) transitioning to the new software for fear something could go wrong.
We’ve put together a two-part guide to help you navigate making a positive change, starting with a focus on implementation this week and then tips to ensure a successful roll out and team engagement in the following blog.
Choosing the right CAFM software
What suited your organisation five years ago may not be fit for purpose now, especially if your CAFM provider doesn’t develop many functionality updates. Similarly, if your software isn’t cloud-based, now is a good time to make the change. Cloud-based, or hosted, software is often more secure than on-premise as it benefits from the latest security updates from the vendor, supported by robust cyber protection and backups, keeping your system safe from threats and hackers.
While researching the market for a new system can take time, this will be repaid manifold by greater efficiencies for the whole team. A mobile app to receive and update work orders rather than fetching sheets from base; intelligent scheduling which can combine reactive maintenance with PPMs to avoid multiple visits; tasks colour coded by deadline and automatically assigned to the most suitable operative – to name a few.
Of course, don’t just take the vendor’s word for it, ask for case studies of other clients in a similar industry or even arrange a site visit to see how the software is working for them.
In the past, for example, FMs would be able to use a suite of reporting tools provided within the CAFM software but in order to dive deeper into trends they may have had to export data to Excel. But now, responsive systems like QFM provide live integration with Microsoft PowerBI, auto populating data into a set of custom reports to allow for the most in depth data analysis.
Leave it to the professionals
The team at SWG have been installing CAFM, PPP performance management and BIM software for 30 years; we’ve seen it all. Whether you’re transitioning from spreadsheets or another CAFM system, we know how to make your launch go smoothly. Our specialists can walk you through how to extract the data from your old system (for example, the asset register, or the geography of your site), cleanse it if required to ensure reporting is accurate and easy, and then upload it to QFM. We can tailor the interface so it works in line with your company terminology, set up workflows that align with your processes, and even incorporate your brand colours and logo so the new system feels familiar.
Tried and tested, ready for launch
As part of the implementation process, we will supply a timeline and training so there are no surprises along the way. As part of this, your project team will have a chance to test the software to make sure it functions as required, or request changes if not. Once QFM is ready for launch, it’s just a matter of switching off the old software and making the new instance live. For this you’ll have your SWG account manager and support team on hand to ensure a seamless transition.
Post implementation can often be the hardest and yet the most crucial time, when many new users are reticent to accept the initial change from their normal routine and can potentially revert back to the old system or slip into bad habits with the new system.
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For more information about how Service Works Global can support your organisation through its CAFM software, QFM, contact us or request a personalised demo to see how QFM can save your team time and money.
