Mobile CMMS: Using Maintenance Apps To Speed Up Job Response & Completion Times
Use our software finder to identify the best mobile CMMS solution with smartphone & tablet maintenance app capabilities
What Type of Maintenance Do You Perform?
What Are the USPs of Mobile CMMS?
What sets a mobile CMMS apart from a desktop-only system? After all, they both deliver on work order tracking, preventive maintenance, and equipment management processes.
The difference is, a mobile fits in your pocket. And into the pockets of office staff, maintenance teams, off-site engineers, and direct reports. Meaning you and your teams are no longer tethered to a workstation.
Mobile apps offer multiple benefits for businesses implementing a new CMMS or replacing an existing system:
- Access equipment data (condition, availability, maintenance schedules, etc.) from anywhere at any time
- Easily generate work requests for in-house maintenance
- React quicker to work requests and reduce response times
- Get notified immediately of an assigned work order
- Engineers and technicians have access to real-time asset availability and equipment documents
- Communication and collaboration between maintenance teams and office staff is improved with in-app direct messaging
- A device’s hardware is used to scan barcodes of spare parts, record voice memos, capture photos or videos of equipment conditions, and capture e-signatures along with payment
Mobile compatibility and native apps were listed among the most valued factors for software buyers in 2023. Since then, the demand for mobile-integration solutions has grown, making mobile management applications a must-have offering for CMMS Software vendors.
More so for small and medium businesses (SMBs) but also established maintenance enterprises. 85% of SMBs use smartphones for their operations, while 92% of Fortune 500 companies have incorporated iOS devices into their business.
What Value Does a Mobile CMMS App Provide?
Mobile CMMS apps are proven to increase maintenance response times and improve the general organisation of maintenance processes. They help teams focus on improving the top three feature requirements of CMMS software buyers:
- Work order planning and scheduling
- Asset management
- Job logging and assignment
In general, the capabilities of a mobile maintenance app tend to yield:
- High work order and inspection completion rates
- Reduced hours spent on admin tasks and manual processes
- Increased customer request response times
- Decrease in mean time to repair (MTTR)
But, how can you determine the potential return on investment (ROI) from a mobile CMMS? Well, that depends on how much the solution will cost and how you measure success.
For example, you may measure success by the number of work orders completed in a month. Or by how much time and money from unplanned downtime is saved by deploying preventive maintenance methods.
Working on the basis that a mobile CMMS reduces unplanned downtime by 40% and unproductive hours by 20%:
No. of Unplanned Downtime Each Month | 4 |
Avg. Hourly Cost of Unplanned Downtime | £500 |
Avg. Time Taken to Restore Operations | 8 hours |
Avg. Cost Per Year | £192,000 |
Avg. Savings With a Mobile CMMS | £76,800 |
How Much Does a Mobile CMMS Solution Cost?
CMMS systems with mobile capabilities range between £7.50 and £99 per user, per month. For annual payments, a first-year budget of between £1,000 and £6,000 is suggested.
Mobile CMMS systems are typically built around SaaS subscription models, making them more affordable. Particularly for smaller organisations. For example, a small team of 5 maintenance engineers and 2 back-office staff would yield a monthly average cost of £371 (£53 x 7).
In comparison to CMMS solutions without mobile capabilities, the prices are similar for SMBs. Whereas for enterprises, prices can go from £3,750 per site, per month to £100,000 per annum.
Are Mobile CMMS Apps Essential For Maintenance Success?
Although mobile CMMS solutions can help maintenance processes thrive, the same effect can be had with a desktop-only CMMS. Many operations flourish using desktop apps or spreadsheets to track work orders and schedule maintenance.
Real-time equipment data is still pulled and organised, work orders are still assigned to technicians, and preventive maintenance methods are still deployed.
The difference is that using a mobile app to perform these tasks can speed things up, considerably:
- Preventive maintenance orders are sent directly to an engineer’s device when scheduled
- A library of warranties, machine manuals, checklists, repair history, and other documents is accessed right away
- Jobs are marked completed as soon as work is finished
- Engineers communicate directly with office staff via direct messaging and message alerts
- Photos of asset conditions are taken and uploaded during work
In a 2014 survey, 43% of mobile CMMS users reported an increase in overall efficiency. They cited real-time data access, work order tracking, and making better-informed decisions as driving factors.
Mobile CMMS Apps vs Desktop-only CMMS
Task | Desktop-only | Mobile CMMS App |
Raising in-house work requests | Identify the issue but only raise a request once they’re back at their workstation | Raise a request straight away, attaching an image and location details |
Assigning work orders | Managers set time aside to be at their workstations and assign work orders for the day, week, or month | Managers assign work orders as soon as they’re alerted to a request or scheduled maintenance |
Update job statuses | Engineers will update job statutes at the end of each day at a workstation | Engineers update job statutes hourly when working on the job |
Deploying preventive maintenance | Managers and engineers consult a digital calendar at the beginning of each week | Managers and engineers are notified on their devices when scheduled maintenance is due for that day, week, or month |
Checking spare parts inventory | Engineers will call the inventory manager to check spare parts in stock or go to a workstation to check themselves | Engineers will check in advance what spare parts are required and if they’re available |
Ordering spare parts | Orders are automated in advance for upcoming jobs with supplier’s details on the system | Orders are automated in advance and engineers are notified directly if stock levels are low for forthcoming jobs |
Example of Mobile CMMS App Is Used In a Maintenance Process
In-house Staff Raising a Request
- An operator or staff member notices a small leak from an HVAC unit.
- They open the mobile app and issue a work request.
- Using the mobile’s camera, they take an image of the problem and attach it to the request.
- They add details on where the unit is located within the facility (what floor and what room).
Manager’s Create and Assign a Work Order
- A maintenance manager is alerted to a new work request regarding the leaking HVAC unit.
- The manager opens the CMMS app and creates a work order.
- The work order is given a title, status, priority level, and expected completion time.
- Information from the work request is added to the work order including location and images.
- The manager scans the barcodes of the parts needed for the job via the device’s camera and adds them to the work order.
- They then select the list of users and assign an engineer to the work order.
Image: Example of a maintenance report on the FaultFixers mobile CMMS app
Engineers Performing Maintenance
- Supervisors are alerted to a work order being assigned to their engineer and accept it.
- The engineer opens their devices and follows all details from the work order.
- Timers are set once the job begins for labour and work status.
- The engineer will consult the attached files on their device and search the knowledge base for documents such as appliance manuals and repair history.
- If the job requires further assistance or spare parts, a new work order is created and the original work order status is marked as failed.
- If the job is completed, the work order is marked as complete and further notes are provided.
What Are the Risks Of Choosing a Mobile CMMS App?
Although seemingly risk-free, there are two challenges to be aware of when choosing a mobile CMMS. They are Implementation and deployment.
Businesses deploying a new CMMS should be sure to have a capable IT team to help with implementation. Smaller operations won’t have an IT team, meaning implementation needs to be mostly handled by the vendor.
The second challenge to consider is deployment and the company-wide rollout of the new system. This requires all personnel with access to the new mobile management app to understand how it works. They need to be capable of raising requests, tracking work orders, and viewing equipment data.
To achieve this, the product must be familiar with previous platforms, intuitive, and easy to use. It’s important to understand what support and training is provided by the vendor to avoid adoption friction.
Both challenges should be factored into your selection process when shortlisting vendors.