The Three Cs of Cloud-Based Facility Maintenance Software

Facility maintenance software comes in many flavors including traditional client-server software and software as a service. While both types allow you to manage facility maintenance more effectively, moving to the cloud has several advantages over standalone facility and equipment maintenance software. Below are the three C's of cloud-based software: Cost, Collaboration, and Confidence.

Cost – When comparing a client-server program with a cloud-based system, you'll immediately notice a huge cost differential. With traditional facility maintenance software, you must pay for the software itself along with individual licenses. You may also need to invest in server and workstation upgrades as part of the system's requirements. With cloud-based software, there's no need for a large upfront investment in software. Instead, you pay as you go on a low monthly, per user basis. As far as hardware upgrades go, they're generally not needed. All your team needs to access the hosted facility or equipment maintenance software is an Internet-connected device with a Web browser. Access to the software is controlled through a centralized, Web-based interface where you can add users, change permissions, and more. Other savings include the initial IT costs involved with installing and configuring the software as well as operational IT costs involved with maintaining it.

Collaboration – Since your entire facilities maintenance team may be spread out across multiple facilities, ensuring access to a centralized work order system is often difficult or costly. In the past, you may have faxed work orders to remote workers or used a dispatcher to route assignments. If you wanted a more robust solution, that may have involved a costly virtual private network and remote workstations. Those options can be eliminated completely and collaboration enhanced by switching to a cloud-based service. With a hosted solution in place, your workers can receive their work orders directly on their smartphones or tablet computers. In addition, they can update the status of each job, add notes, review notes, schedule future work, view schedules, and more directly from their mobile devices.

Confidence – In addition to the cost savings and improved collaboration that can result by choosing cloud-based facility maintenance software, expect an added dose of confidence because everything you need is right at your fingertips including work orders, schedules, inventories, and reports. Even if you're away from your desk, you can quickly access critical information in real time on your smartphone or a tablet computer. Another confidence booster involves the integrity of your data as most cloud providers handle all routine maintenance and daily backup tasks. In addition, cloud-based software is frequently updated with new features and tools ensuring that you have access to the most current technologies available. Since you pay as you go, you can also easily switch plans to best meet your department's changing needs, staffing levels, and budgetary requirements.

If cost, collaboration, and confidence are important to you, consider choosing cloud-based facility maintenance software over traditional client-server software. You'll gain access to a robust set of maintenance tools along with anytime, anywhere access, cost advantages, and peace of mind knowing that your data is safe.