CMMS/EAM Software Review

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By David Berger, P. Eng., Contributing Editor

Keywords: Management: EAM CMMS

Our rigorous review of popular computerized maintenance management system packages exposes strengths, weaknesses and industry trends

Go to the 2006 CMMS Software Review home page

See the 2005 Review Results

This year’s updated and expanded review of CMMS software packages proves once again that a lot can happen in the software industry in one year. There is nothing like heated competition for driving innovation among the CMMS vendors.

For the past 18 years I have conducted detailed reviews of a wide cross-section of the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) packages available in North America. It is a fascinating industry that has seen many vendors come and go, merge and be acquired, as well as continuously improve their product offerings in response to changing user demands. Breakthroughs in hardware, software and telecommunications technology have also played a significant role in driving change.

In the course of devoting half a day to exploring each of the packages and questioning the vendors’ expert representatives, I collected more than just the hard data. I also found myself reflecting on what’s changed in the industry. My observations, analysis and conjectures are summarized below. Link to the review.

Expect application-specific expertise
Lean times have led to consolidation and a sharper focus on strengths and markets. CMMS/EAM vendors are more strategic about where they want to direct their R&D and marketing efforts, and more tactical about getting their share (or more) of the applications they perceive to be among their specialties.
 
Further industry consolidation: Merger and acquisition activity continues. In part, this is because more software vendors are realizing the immense power of the CMMS for extracting real savings off of the shop floor. ERP vendors, plant automation companies, industry-specific software businesses, high-tech venture capitalists and third-party service providers are examples of companies that have either acquired or developed their own CMMS in efforts to augment their service offerings. As the functionality of the CMMS improves, its utility as a management tool increases, making it more desirable to the marketplace.

Changing marketing tactics: Despite a somewhat sluggish economy and a rather difficult year for many CMMS vendors, most entered 2005 stronger and better equipped to meet customer needs. Marketing efforts have become much more focused and responsive, reflecting the growing sophistication of their customers’ buying behavior. For example, there is a far greater emphasis on the Internet for finding and evaluating software options.

Catering to industry-specific needs: As software functionality and user needs become more sophisticated, CMMS vendors have developed niche features, modules or whole product lines that cater to certain industries. For some industries, such as nuclear and pharmaceutical, the driver is the need to comply with more stringent regulatory requirements. For others, such as transportation, municipalities or contract maintenance providers, it is the unique requirements of these businesses.

Competitive but complex pricing: Recent economic conditions have ensured there remains a healthy level of competition at every price point, from under $1,000 to several million dollars. However, users still find it difficult to price-shop. This is party due to the difficulties and controversy in tracking users that interface with the CMMS via the Web. For example, this includes production managers who send and track work requests.
 
There are so many components of price, each of which is referred to differently. Terms such as site assessment, customization, configuration, installation, training, consulting, pilot, implementation, license and maintenance are all defined and bundled differently by each vendor. Pricing can be a moving target, which adds to problems in comparing vendor offerings in terms of value for money at the time of purchase. Many vendors offer incremental pricing where users can start with the basics, such as work order control and preventive maintenance, then add on functionality for a price at some point in the future.

Greater coverage across overall maintenance functions: There are seven types of maintenance functions addressed by modern CMMS packages:

• Plant maintenance. 
• Fleet or mobile equipment.
• Facilities or buildings.
• Infrastructure, including roads, pipelines, sewers, water mains, etc.
• IT asset management, including desktop computers, laptops, servers, network devices and other hardware, software and telecommunications assets.
• Service management, including support of contract maintenance, third-party billing, help desk, dispatch, etc.
• Capital management, including long-term asset repair/replacement planning, capital project planning, transitioning from engineering design to maintenance of capital assets, and so on.

It used to be that CMMS packages would cover the functional requirements of only one or two of these areas. Over the years, both customer demands and the desire to broaden the customer base have led to some CMMS vendors to expand into four or more functional areas. Some customers, such as airports, municipalities and large mining companies, can make use of functionality from all seven areas. Therefore, CMMS vendors continue to add more features relevant to each of these areas.