FOCUS CAFM
CAFM CONSIDERATIONS
Whether investing in CAFM for the fi rst time or thinking about changing vendors, it’s important to
select the right system for your needs as a mistake can be costly. Our panel of experts advise on the
factors involved in a successful CAFM procurement
PAUL DJURIC
HEAD OF TECHNICHE EMEA
One of the first mistakes people o en make when
embarking on CAFM procurement is rushing to make
a wish list of features and functions. This approach is
doomed to fail as other factors such as user buy-in,
training and vendor chemistry are o en overlooked.
How a system works (not just what it does) and who
you will be working with are both critical factors in
your final decision.
It’s important at the outset to clearly define
what you want to achieve and which maintenance
problems you’re looking to solve. A strong starting
point is to state the reasons for investing in CAFM,
including: the goals or KPIs you need to measure
and achieve; the main sources of complaint from
customers or employees; and what you would
improve in maintenance if you could. Feel free to
challenge your existing working practices as this is an
opportunity to change things for the better.
32 MARCH 2020
To help narrow down your vendor shortlist, some
requirements gathering is invaluable at this stage.
Establishing some common goals across your
business is key, and to do this successfully you’ll need
to consider:
Identifying and engaging with all stakeholders
Using workshops to drill down and understand
di erent users’ needs
Evaluating and analysing the results.
Once you understand what you want a CAFM
system to achieve, you’ll need to take a closer look
at how they work and the user experience, and ask
questions of the vendors. The best method is to
arrange a demo – CAFM is too complex to have a
free trial. Not only will you learn about the system,
you’ll gain an understanding of whether the vendor
is a strong fit. Don’t underestimate the value of
chemistry. You’re likely to have a long partnership, so
it’s worth making sure they have a team you
can trust.
Key questions to cover in the demo include: will it
give us the insight and visibility we need to manage
maintenance better? Is it flexible enough to easily
map on to our business? How quick and easy is it
to use?
CAFM platforms should integrate easily with other
systems, such as finance, HR or BIM, so you’ll want
a modern web-based platform with an open API
(application programming interface). This makes
it easier to integrate with such systems today and
in the future. They should also work across all
mobile devices.
Implementation best practice
CAFM vendors should be able to inform you of their
implementation best practices and highlight which
measures ensure a smooth roll-out and acceptance
from sta . This will include how to set up a project
management team, appointing CAFM champions