So you’ve decided your maintenance department needs to start using a CMMS. As a maintenance manager, you’ve done the research, and you know the best way to eliminate inefficiencies and make your team’s work day a lot easier is to invest in maintenance management software. So you head to your boss’s office and tell them you want to buy a CMMS. They say no. It’s an unnecessary expense. If it’s working to just use pen and paper or email right now, then why spend money to change that? That did not go as planned.
It can be difficult to approach the owners, management, or financial office about adding an expense for your department. Even if the resource is something you and your team really need, people who aren’t involved in your daily tasks can have a hard time seeing anything more than numbers when looking at your request for a resource. A Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) is one of those resources that higher-ups can have trouble justifying if you don’t position the need for it correctly. But, by following a few conversational tips, you can be prepared to make a pitch for CMMS that your boss won’t be able to turn down.
5 Tips for Pitching CMMS Maintenance to Your Boss
Check out our 5 best practices for convincing your boss to invest in a CMMS software:
-
Be Prepared for Their Objections
The first thing you should do before marching into your boss’s office with a request for investing in maintenance management software is try to understand what some of their objections might be. If you go in already anticipating their arguments against your request you can be better prepared to counter them effectively. Here are some of the most common objections given to resource requests:
- There are already too many things going on and too many resources going to different areas
- We are trying to cut costs
- You’re not the first person with needs this month – we are overwhelmed with requests
- There is too much going on right now to take a look at this; too many emergencies require my attention
- This sounds good but it’s not part of our current plan or strategy
-
Focus On Burden Relief Rather than Future Gains
We know that the first thing that might come to mind when you think about pitching a resource request to your boss is the benefit it will bring in the future. You might think your boss will be most impressed with the fact that a CMMS will improve your yearly maintenance ROI. However, this isn’t actually the best strategy. Future gains can be too abstract for your boss to fully grasp – and they’re never guaranteed.
Instead, try focusing on the immediate burden relief that a CMMS would bring. Tell them it will decrease labor costs because technicians will be able to work more efficiently and explain how more work will get done (and faster) when the maintenance department is more organized. If they can see how the product will benefit them right away, they’ll be more likely to say yes.
-
Do Your Homework
Before you plan to present your idea, do your homework. Not just about the CMMS, but about your company too. Find out if your boss or company is facing any specific issues right now that maintenance software can help with. For instance, if your boss says that equipment repair is on the rise, you can counter that with an emphasis on how CMMS helps you keep up with equipment lifespan.
-
Be A Lawyer and a Salesperson
Imagine that your boss is something like the jury and you are the lawyer when presenting your request. You have one chance (at least for now) to make your case and convince them that a CMMS is the right decision. Take the time to go over your proposal before just blurting out your idea
Along with being a lawyer, be a salesperson too. Get excited about the “product” you are trying to sell them on. If you don’t sound like you believe in the benefits of a CMMS, then why should they believe it? A good lawyer is prepared with a solid argument, and a good salesperson is enthusiastic about their product. You should be both at once when asking for the budget for a new resource.
-
Take Timing into Consideration
The time and place that you approach your boss about budgetary needs is imperative. Timing can make or break any argument, so it’s important to understand when the best time to ask for maintenance management software is.
Don’t do it when your boss is too busy, or when they’re too focused on another issue. Rather than just walking into their office and springing the idea on them, set up a meeting so that both of you can be prepared and ready to discuss CMMS.
Bonus Tip: Have all the Information about CMMS
Of course, one of the most important things to do to convincing your boss you need a CMMS is to know everything there is to know about how maintenance software works. That way, you’re prepared to answer any questions they might have about the actual product as well as the benefits.
How can you make sure you have all the information? With a free, live demo of our CMMS, you can speak directly to a product expert who will tell you exactly how CMMS will work in your facility. They aren’t pushy salespeople – they’re just there to show you how it works. So, you have nothing to lose, get your demo by clicking below.
.svg){kind=small}