The Role of CMMS in Automating Work Order Management

What's the big deal about CMMS for work order management? Why should field managers, technicians, business owners, and other industry leaders embrace CMMS software? Is CMMS next-level stuff, or is it just industry hype?

This article answers these questions and explains how a Computerized Maintenance Management System ( CMMS ) automates work order management in simple terms. You'll also discover how this software helps organizations maximize business revenue.

Work Order Management and Business Revenue

We can only define the importance of work order management based on its relevance and economic value in field service. To determine this, we must first agree that business is about “ solving problems in exchange for money.” Yes?

If that's true, then work order management is critical in field services because, among all the components of field service management, it affects revenue generation the most.

That said, work order management is an aspect of field service management that involves processing and completing work orders on time to minimize asset downtime and maximize revenue. In simpler terms, it's the branch of FSM that ensures the right person with the right tools gets to the right place at the right time to handle repairs, maintenance, or services. But where does CMMS come in?

“Companies lose 20-30%of their revenue because of poor field service management.”

Work Order Management Without Automation is a Nightmare

You can't understand, appreciate, or choose CMMS in work order management if you don't know what happens when you run a business without this software. So, let's start with much-needed context.

The stages in work order management are often work order request, approval, work order creation, prioritization, scheduling, order assigning and distribution, execution, and documentation.

Let’s say a company gets 100 service requests a week. It'll be disastrous if as little as 10% of those jobs get delayed at any of these stages.

For instance, a machine stops working in a busy factory. (No prior maintenance notice.) Then, the supervisor manually calls technicians until he finds the right service provider based on skill level, availability, and work complexity.

When the machine is up and running, a full working day is gone—customers are dissatisfied, production is behind schedule, and the company has lost money. Now, that’s ten unhappy customers weekly; by the end of the year, you have over 500 poor reviews and a “ not-so-efficient ” reputation.

Now, this is where companies need automation software because the lack of it leads to:

Missed service requests or delayed work orders

Confusion and miscommunication between dispatch, technicians, management, and customers

Inability to track job progress or technician workload in real-time

Unplanned downtime because there's no preventive maintenance to track machines, equipment, assets, infrastructure, etc

Inaccurate data and Inventory mismanagement

Increased operating costs from inefficiencies

Strained customer relationships

Difficulty in growth and scaling

Another truth is now evident: organizations need work order management software to create, assign, and track work orders. Without automation, businesses get stuck in this cycle of confusion and waste.

Systems for Automating Work Order Management

Any serious growth-focused organization in FSM knows they cannot afford inefficiency. The best bet is to use the right software to remove delays and inefficiencies in work order processes. Hence, automation. Surprisingly, not all organizations have a proper work order management system. Besides the notoriously outdated paper-based system, companies use other systems, including email, spreadsheets, in-house, and CMMS. However, unlike CMMS, others are slow , user-intensive, error-prone, unsafe, or limited in communication, data protection, and storage space.

Big players aren't just about automating work order management—it's not enough. So, they choose the option with the most ROI. That's where a Central Maintenance Management System comes in.

In the next section, we’ll show you how CMMS makes work order management effortless!

CMMS and Work Order Management

CMMS remains the most complete work order management system because organizations feel the benefits throughout the process. Using the software is like having a super smart assistant that organizes all your work orders, assigns tasks automatically, and ensures nothing gets forgotten.

Here's a breakdown of the role of CMMS in automating work order management:

Eliminates paperless and less effective automation operations, alongside the possibility of loss or delay

Automatic reminders, work order scheduling, prioritization, and dispatching for preventive maintenance

Improved communication between teams, technicians, and customers

Reduced downtime, allowing machines and assets to remain more functional

Real-time job tracking to know what's done, assigned, or queued

Better resource allocation with the right jobs assigned to the right people at the right time

Organizations can make data-driven decisions with insights and reports on completion rates, costs and costs saved, technician performance, etc.

Increases productivity and profitability

Improves customer service and satisfaction, reduces costs, and maximizes revenue

Helps organizations adhere to legal compliance standards

In addition, a CMMS tracks and collects data from work orders so that organizations can get analysis, track key performance indicators (KPIs), identify productivity trends and asset downtime, and adjust maintenance plans accordingly. That way, your organization stays relevant in the industry .

“CMMS software enhances the performance of Manufacturing industriesand others including Healthcare, Government, Education, Airports, Data Centers, Oil and Gas, Facility Management, Utilities and Energy, etc.”

Embrace Work Order Management Automation with CMMS

Companies with poor field service management lose 20-30% of revenue. However, CMMS can reduce this loss and other forms through automated work order management. However, as the field services evolve, CMMS offerings have gone beyond work order management.

Organizations can further use CMMS for:

Asset Tracking and Management

Inventory and Spare Parts Tracking

Preventive Maintenance on Autopilot

Streamlining Maintenance Scheduling

Scaling the business without losing efficiency

Although the above proves that CMMS is next-level technology, not all CMMS tools are the same. Despite the many offerings in the market at every price point, choose software with the following must-haves:

Seamless automation

User-friendly interface

Easy-to-use and quick-learning work request system for non-maintenance employees

Accessible from internet-connected mobile devices, especially for teams on the go

Comprehensive features with various maintenance functionalities and sophistication

Allows teams input intelligence and insights to improve equipment availability and performance

Integrates with other enterprise applications

Now that you understand CMMS, its role in automating work order management, and what to check for when purchasing, the next important factors are your business processes and requirements, assets, process maturity, ease of use, and budget.

Now, let's review how Swivl's CMMS software can help with work order automation and all of these.

Stay Ahead with CMMS

At this point, it’s not just about fixing a broken machine or installing equipment anymore. Work order management in field service has become critical because it directly influences business growth and revenue. Hence, organizations without ideal CMMS automation will lose time and money.

With Swivl's CMMS, you can easily organize and track all your jobs, tasks, invoices, and estimates. The software lets you manage and track your work orders when you assign the right tasks to the right technicians at the right time. You can also design your CMMS to fit your business needs even with a mobile app for ease of use.

There's no need to waste time. Contact us today to Book a demo that'll show you how Swivl can improve your organization’s work order management process.