Eliminate Unplanned Maintenance: How a CMMS Provides the Solution

A classic anecdote: In 1928, Alexander Fleming, a researcher at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, returned from holiday and observed a Petri dish where mold had inhibited bacterial growth. That discovery led to penicillin, the first true antibiotic, which transformed medicine by treating previously untreatable infections.

Viewing unplanned maintenance as a problem akin to a disease allows us to appreciate the transformative role of a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). Though the emergence of CMMS was intentional, its capacity to resolve diverse causes of reactive maintenance remains impressive. If your organization is trapped in a cycle of frequent fixes and downtime, a CMMS can diagnose root causes and enable you to eliminate unnecessary maintenance. The implementation process is consistent across industries, regardless of size.

1) Diagnose the problem

A diagnosis is essential before treatment. As discussed in our recent blog, high levels of unplanned maintenance often signal deeper systemic issues. The first step is to clearly define the specific challenges your organization faces. This clarity will confirm whether a CMMS is the appropriate tool. For instance, if you lack KPIs to track the ratio of unplanned to planned work, a CMMS provides the analytics needed. Likewise, shifting from pen‑and‑paper to a digital system frees up time for proactive planning.

2) Gather your team

After identifying the root causes, assemble a cross‑functional steering committee to map out all stakeholders who will implement and use the CMMS. Understanding the user base informs feature prioritization during evaluation. At Ardagh Group, Tony Leombruno brought together representatives from each of the company’s seven plants, collectively determining critical features and assessing vendors against those criteria.

3) Lay the groundwork for treatment

With stakeholders aligned, establish a robust foundation to support CMMS deployment from every angle.

Is your culture set up to support a CMMS?

The success of a CMMS hinges on your existing work culture. If technicians routinely generate work orders, conduct root‑cause analyses, and manage spare‑part inventories, the transition will feel seamless. Conversely, if your team is accustomed to ad‑hoc records or lacks structured inventory management, you’ll need to first instill these practices before the CMMS can thrive.

Is your workforce open to changes in process?

Resistance to change is common among shop‑floor staff who are used to familiar routines. Selecting a user‑friendly CMMS that comes with comprehensive training and support mitigates this hurdle. Smooth setup and rollout are critical. At Ardagh Group, Tony Leombruno identified pilot sites to deploy Fiix in a controlled setting, uncovering potential process and adoption challenges before full‑scale implementation. This proactive approach helped cement best practices early and prevented setbacks during the final launch.

Do you have guiding principles in place that will make it easier to support the implementation of a CMMS?

Guiding principles shape how your organization approaches maintenance. Some companies formalize a reliability mission and vision; others embed a mantra such as ‘no work order, no work.’ These principles reinforce the discipline that every repair, inspection, or preventive task requires a documented work order, fostering consistency and traceability.

Can you answer the question, “What’s in it for me?” for every system user?

Every user must understand the personal value of the CMMS. If technicians, supervisors, and planners cannot see how the system streamlines their daily tasks—whether it’s faster work‑order creation, real‑time status updates, or predictive insights—they may resist adoption. Conduct role‑specific research to articulate clear benefits and communicate them effectively.

4) Begin a treatment plan

With consensus secured, evaluate potential vendors. Two common approaches exist: (1) Develop a scoring rubric that rates each solution against your priority criteria—usability, mobile functionality, cost, integration, etc.; and (2) conduct a hands‑on trial using free or pilot versions. Although trial versions may lack full features, they provide invaluable experiential insight into usability and fit.

After selecting and deploying your CMMS, collect performance data to refine maintenance planning. While no single tool guarantees zero unplanned work, a well‑executed CMMS delivers the systematic discipline needed to eliminate unnecessary maintenance.

• Unplanned maintenance: Necessary evil or avoidable inconvenience?
• Creating a work culture to set your CMMS implementation up for success