How CMMS tools for the real estate sector
can save a lot of time?
CMMS solutions are essential in the real estate sector. We will explore their benefits together and offer you a selection of the best tools.
The Value of a CMMS Solution in Real Estate
The real estate maintenance ecosystem is divided into two main groups: residential buildings and commercial buildings. Each area has its own characteristics and challenges, but they share a common point: preventive interventions (maintenance of a central heating system or boiler, etc.) and corrective interventions (air conditioning, water leaks, etc.).
One of the main difficulties in maintenance within this sector is communication between teams. Indeed, the distance between technical teams performing interventions on the property portfolio and planning and administrative teams operating remotely from company premises makes information transmission more challenging. However, this communication is one of the most significant productivity factors.
Maintenance service providers must now be able to deliver high-quality service while remaining agile enough to adapt to a constantly evolving environment with an increasing number of external stakeholders (partners, suppliers, clients, etc.).
It is for this reason that the real estate industry integrates Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) solutions. This allows all stakeholders to access data, potentially segmented based on their roles: owners, tenants, co-owners’ associations, managers, co-ownership councils, caretakers or technicians, healthcare establishments, universities, and local authorities, etc.
The objectives of CMMS software in real estate, particularly time savings!
CMMS solutions provide concrete answers to problems frequently encountered in the real estate management sector.
Centralize important information
The primary objective is data centralization, which enables the company to have precise data on all its equipment, facilities, and teams. This makes it possible to monitor their evolution in real time and share the right information with the right stakeholders at the right time.
In real estate, we face a multiplication of stakeholders in interventions that generate data. This information must therefore be centralized to avoid the proliferation of tools and potential re-entry. This data can then be stored and utilized to automatically generate and schedule maintenance and inspection visits.
Furthermore, a CMMS tool offers the possibility of comprehensive intervention tracking and consolidating all necessary information for their smooth execution into a single, accessible tool.
Ensure better prevention
Generally, maintenance operations are performed once a breakdown is observed, which impacts customer satisfaction as well as intervention costs. A CMMS tool allows for a different approach to maintenance than just troubleshooting, enabling action before a problem arises.
Thanks to the numerous tools available, it is possible to set up automatic notifications to check the proper condition and functioning of installations, thereby anticipating risks and intervening proactively.
Care for real estate assets
Prevention, and thus the long-term preservation of equipment, is the best way to maintain a well-managed real estate portfolio that generates value. The data recorded in the CMMS solution provides precise information on upcoming operations and ensures nothing is overlooked. In the medium and long term, you will save on the maintenance of your portfolio and extend its lifespan.
Have more productive teams
CMMS solutions have the advantage of functioning both locally and on the go. Thus, technicians have all the necessary data for executing maintenance work and tasks directly at their workplace. The details of each intervention are saved, and it is possible to access the history to view previous operations performed: work history, technicians involved, dates, materials and components used, etc. This saving allows for time efficiency in information retrieval and fosters accountability for the quality of work performed.
Additionally, CMMS software provides comprehensive dashboards to track key performance indicators, thereby entering a continuous improvement process.
Improve management
Maintenance companies today face a major challenge: the renewal of their teams within a few years. Indeed, more than half of maintenance employees are over 45 years old. They must therefore find ways to attract and recruit new technicians who are part of a more connected generation and comfortable with the use of digital and mobile tools.
Offering a CMMS tool that simplifies the daily lives of teams is one way to attract and retain employees, but it will inevitably lead to changes in management methods. It will be necessary to ensure everyone accepts the use of this tool and to help technicians already in post understand the added value of the solution. Finally, it will be important to remember that these technicians are the primary users of the software and their opinion is valuable. The concept of “change management” is therefore very important during the implementation of a CMMS solution, prompting everyone to re-evaluate their practices to ultimately improve the overall functioning of the company.
Comply with current standards
Legislation is becoming increasingly restrictive, and poor information management can have detrimental consequences for a company. This is particularly true for the inspection and maintenance of certain devices, such as elevators, which must be carried out regularly.
CMMS helps prevent these oversights through advanced planning tools and the implementation of precise processes to meet deadlines and, crucially, to benefit from tracking and reports attesting to task execution.
Control costs
Operational planning allows for identifying the equipment needed for each intervention and tracking replenishment stocks. In the long run, this is an effective way to purchase only what is necessary, thereby reducing costs associated with material management and storage. Furthermore, planning maintenance operations and their geolocation optimizes transport times, working hours, and consequently, resource and energy consumption.
Selection of CMMS software for real estate
As you may have noticed, effective free or open-source CMMS software is available today. They can be an excellent solution to start your activity or to gauge the potential of this type of tool.
Twimm
Twimm is a comprehensive CMMS software published by Conselium. It was developed for service providers, such as cleaning companies, industrial sites, or real estate maintenance companies, to facilitate the management of maintenance contracts, streamline collaboration with technicians, and manage interventions and routes.
Its other advantage is that it also caters to property owners, helping them better manage their contracts and enhance the value of their real estate assets.
Bob Desk
Bob Desk is a complete CMMS solution adapted to many sectors, including real estate. The tool is ideal for rental management and intervention tracking. It particularly saves time on problem reporting and diagnosis.
The great advantage of this software is that it provides its clients with a network of over 1500 certified artisans. This comprehensive service complements the many features present in the tool, such as client management, online intervention requests, notifications to track intervention progress, and a history of exchanges, quotes, and invoices. Bob Desk offers a one-month free trial.
Dimo Maint
Dimo Maint offers a range of solutions designed to simplify the lives of building managers, general services managers, and maintenance companies for facility management. The proposed software is user-friendly and offers intuitive navigation for quick adoption.
This CMMS tool is available in 14 languages and has a mobile version to facilitate the work of field technicians. Intervention traceability is, of course, offered, as are contract management, a customer database, activity planning, and stock management.
In 2018, Dimo Maint partnered with iPorta, a subsidiary of the Visiativ Group, to offer a complete solution dedicated to the challenges of Smart Building.
AQ Manager
AQ Manager is an online CMMS software that centralizes asset management: maintenance and interventions. Its clients include major industry names such as SFR, Arcelor Mittal, Schneider Electric, and BNP Paribas. The tool is fully customizable for all types of industries and offers, in addition to client and contract management, online intervention management in the form of tickets, a mobile version, and a customizable operational report generator.
Good to know:
To find the ideal CMMS software, we recommend testing the tools we have suggested based on your needs. Do not hesitate to involve the people who will use the tool daily in your approach during the trial period.
About us:
– Real Estate Agencies and Co-ownership Syndicates
– Maintenance and Technical Managers
– Network of Stores, Restaurants, Corners, and Supermarkets
– Office Managers
Do you have questions, contact us!
