Insights From Our Software Advisors: Stand Out in Maintenance Management

Tools buyers are replacing with maintenance management software

When our advisors asked maintenance management software buyers about the tools they currently use to manage day-to-day operations, here's what they found:

• About 34% of buyers currently use non-specialized software, such as accounting platforms, CRM systems, and spreadsheets, to track work orders, schedule tasks, and manage asset data.
• Over 30% of buyers still rely on manual methods, like paper logs, whiteboards, handwritten notes, and verbal communication, to record maintenance activities and schedule tasks.

These methods reflect different stages of operational maturity, but all share a common challenge: they’re not purpose-built for maintenance. Buyers using non-specialized tools often report frequent workarounds, like manually entering service data. Manual methods, while widely used, lead to missed service intervals and poor visibility across teams. Buyers say these methods are simple but unreliable. 

Why buyers switch to maintenance management software

Our advisors spoke with buyers using non-specialized tools, manual methods, and no formal system to manage maintenance. They identified three primary drivers pushing buyers to seek maintenance management solutions: functional limitations (41%), inefficiency (36%), and poor user experience (9%).

• Functional limitations (41%): Current tools don’t support the full scope of buyers’ maintenance needs. Spreadsheets and general-purpose systems lack features like automatically scheduling maintenance, tracking equipment history or spare parts inventory, and managing work orders or asset lifecycles. As operations grow and asset portfolios scale, these gaps become critical to address.
• Inefficiency (36%): Manual processes and disconnected systems waste significant time. Buyers report spending hours sorting work orders by priority, entering the same maintenance data across multiple platforms, or chasing technicians for status updates. The result is reactive firefighting instead of planned maintenance and even missed service intervals that can lead to equipment failures.
• Poor user experience (9%): Non-specialized tools frustrate technicians and slow adoption. Buyers want intuitive interfaces, easy onboarding, and functionality that match their team’s technical skill level as well as workflows. 

The pattern is clear: maintenance teams need software built for their operational realities. Buyers want to move away from fragmented, manual, or repurposed tools toward purpose-built systems that help them:

• Automate preventive routines: Buyers are looking for tools that help them discover issues before an equipment breaks down. For instance, scheduled maintenance triggers automatically based on time, usage hours, or condition thresholds, and technicians receive reminders and checklists without manually tracking their calendars.
• Centralize asset tracking: Buyers want a single system where technicians can log updates, managers can view service history, and teams can track parts, inventory, and equipment status in real time.
• Simplify coordination: Buyers need platforms that help them route work orders efficiently and reduce delays across departments. They’re looking for mobile access for technicians so they can receive work orders, update status, capture photos, and close tasks directly from the field.
• Ensure compliance: Buyers managing regulated environments or large asset fleets need to document service history, inspections, and repairs accurately. They’re looking for systems that help them meet internal standards and external regulations without relying on manual recordkeeping.

What maintenance management software features are valued the most

When evaluating maintenance management software, our advisor conversations and review analysis reveal a gap between what buyers seek and what users value most in practice.

• Buyers prioritize core maintenance management functions like asset management (96%), work order management (95%), and preventive maintenance (95%).
• Users validate these priorities but add a critical operational requirement. While they confirm preventive maintenance and work order management as essential, they also rate mobile access among their top critical features.
   

This gap highlights that buyers focus on management capabilities during evaluation, while users working across facilities and job sites focus on field accessibility, such as receiving work orders, updating status, and capturing data from anywhere.

• Asset management centralizes complete equipment histories, maintenance records, warranty information, and parts inventory in one system. Teams can instantly access service logs, track recurring issues, and make data-driven decisions about repair versus replacement.
• Work order management allows creation, assignment, and tracking of maintenance tasks. Buyers prioritize it for operational oversight, users depend on it to manage daily workloads and reduce delays.
• Preventive maintenance automates service scheduling based on time intervals, usage hours, or equipment conditions. It generates work orders automatically, sends reminders to technicians, and tracks completion rates, helping teams shift from reactive repairs to planned maintenance that extends asset life and reduces emergency breakdowns.
• Mobile access lets technicians receive assignments, update task status, capture photos of equipment issues, and access asset history from the field. While often overlooked during evaluation, users rate it as critical for real-time coordination and productivity.

Use cases for maintenance management software

Maintenance management software serves various industries, each with distinct operational needs. Buyers are looking for tools that match their day-to-day realities and help them stay ahead of repairs, compliance, and coordination. For example:

• Manufacturing firms use maintenance software to minimize production downtime and maintain equipment performance. Their key needs include preventive maintenance scheduling tied to production cycles, asset hierarchy management for complex machinery, integration with supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) or internet of things (IoT) sensors for condition-based monitoring, and detailed maintenance cost tracking per production line.
• Maintenance and field service teams rely on software to coordinate technicians across multiple client sites, manage service contracts, and ensure timely service delivery. Their priorities include mobile work order access for field teams, GPS tracking and route optimization, customer portal access for service requests, and billing integration for time and materials tracking.
• Construction and engineering companies use maintenance software to track equipment fleets, tools, and job site assets across multiple project locations.Their key needs include equipment utilization tracking and compliance documentation for safety inspections. Given the mobile nature of construction equipment and the cost of unexpected breakdowns on active job sites, they also prioritize maintenance history tracking and preventive service reminders.
• Educational institutions use maintenance management systems to maintain campus facilities, manage work requests from faculty and staff, and coordinate maintenance across multiple buildings. Their key needs include work order ticketing systems accessible to all departments, seasonal maintenance scheduling aligned with academic calendars, energy management and utility tracking, and asset management for everything from HVAC systems to lab equipment.
• Food and beverage businesses use maintenance software to meet strict health and safety standards while ensuring equipment reliability. Their priorities include sanitation and cleaning schedules, FDA compliance documentation, temperature-sensitive asset monitoring, and audit-ready maintenance records for inspections.
   

Average budgets for maintenance management software across industries 

Across the top five segments in the maintenance management market, buyers are willing to invest between $72 to $96 per user, per month in maintenance software. The overall average budget is approximately $92 per user, per month.

Budget allocation varies by industry based on equipment complexity, compliance requirements, asset value, and operational scale. Manufacturing and food and beverage operations tend to budget at the higher end due to the need for advanced asset tracking and preventive scheduling, while construction and field service companies may prioritize mobile access and dispatching capabilities at more moderate price points.

Here’s how different maintenance management industry segments budget (in dollars, per month) for purchasing maintenance management software.

Buyer goals and challenges—what advisors are hearing

Buyers in the maintenance management space often come with specific expectations and recurring questions that reflect their unique operational needs. Through direct conversations with our software advisors, we’ve gathered insights into buyer behavior and their tasks, revealing patterns in their priorities, challenges, and decision-making criteria.

• What common misconceptions buyers have about maintenance management software?
  Many buyers confuse maintenance software types, assuming one system can handle fleet, facilities, and production assets equally. Advisors often clarify that fleet maintenance tools, for instance, are built for vehicle tracking, while facility and equipment maintenance require different systems. Some buyers also expect broader compliance tracking, like driver certifications, but that typically falls under learning management systems. Understanding which category matches buyers’ operational reality is important to avoid regret later on.
• What are some common problems buyers are trying to solve with maintenance management software?
  Buyers are looking to eliminate delays, missed service tasks, and disorganized workflows. Advisors consistently hear that paper logs, spreadsheets, and informal processes let critical tasks slip through the cracks, including regulatory requirements that determine whether assets can legally operate. They're seeking organized systems that ensure nothing gets overlooked and maintenance happens on schedule.
• What are the integration requirements for this kind of software and how important are these?
  Integration needs vary by operational context. Companies managing supply chains, for instance, seek integration of work order management with customer orders and warehouse operations to reduce duplicate data entry and make processes more efficient. Some common integration requests include accounting systems for financial tracking.
• Anything unique that buyers in this specialty specifically ask for?
  Some buyers prioritize legal compliance over mechanical upkeep, wanting tools that track equipment registration, inspections, and documentation. Government buyers often request systems that keep fleet maintenance, for instance, separate from other departments, reflecting their internal structure and reporting needs.
   

Recommended actions for maintenance management software vendors

Here are five strategic actions vendors can take to better meet buyer expectations and stand out in a competitive market:

1. Focus messaging on operational pain points.
   Directly address the inefficiencies and visibility gaps buyers face when using non-specialized software and manual methods. Clearly communicate how your solution automates preventive routines, centralizes asset tracking, and improves coordination across teams.
   
2. Highlight preventive maintenance capabilities.
   Preventive maintenance is the top priority for both buyers and users. Make it a headline capability in your demos and product profile. Show how your system automates service scheduling based on time, usage, or condition thresholds, and how it helps extend asset life and reduce emergency repairs.
   
3. Tailor capabilities for industry-specific workflows.
   Different industries have distinct needs. Manufacturing firms want SCADA or IoT integration and cost tracking; food and beverage businesses prioritize sanitation schedules and compliance documentation; field service teams need mobile access and route optimization. Segment your messaging and demo flows to reflect these priorities.
   
4. Be transparent in pricing and integrations.
   With an average monthly budget of $92 per user, buyers are price conscious but willing to invest in tools that deliver operational value. Make sure your pricing is visible and competitive. Detail integration with accounting systems, which is the most requested, and showcase compatibility with other operational tools like inventory or ERP systems.
   
5. Optimize your product profile for visibility and trust.
   Update your Gartner Digital Markets profile to showcase buyer-valued features such as preventive maintenance, work order management, and asset tracking. Add social proofs such as industry awards and client testimonials to build trust.
   
   

Rise above your competition with strategic insights

When maintenance management software buyers have more options than ever before, success requires more than just feature-rich products. It demands a deep understanding of what actually drives purchase decisions in the maintenance management industry. By aligning your messaging with what buyers actually need, you can cut through the noise and earn attention from decision-makers actively searching for solutions.

With more than 10 million active software buyers visiting Gartner Digital Markets sites every month, you have access to strategic insights that can elevate your marketing strategy and position your product as a leader in your category.

Log into your Gartner Digital Markets account to optimize your profile, showcase your strengths, and ensure buyers understand how your software meets their evolving needs.

Once your profile is ready, learn how vendors are gaining a 79% advantage building a high-quality sales pipeline and leverage this resource to master follow-ups that convert leads into customers.

Methodology and buyer demographics

Findings are based on data from conversations that Gartner Digital Markets’ advisor team has daily with software buyers seeking guidance on purchase decisions. The data used to create this report is based on interactions with small and midsize businesses seeking maintenance management tools. For this report, we analyzed 7,500+ phone interactions from September 26, 2024, to September 26, 2025.

The findings of this report represent buyers who contacted Gartner Digital Markets and may not be indicative of the market as a whole. Data points are rounded to the nearest whole number.

The buyers we interacted with are largely small businesses representing a growing majority of maintenance management software purchases. Below you’ll find the demographics of the buyers so you can see the size and type of businesses, from annual revenue to industry.