Installed Base Management Software (Top Picks, Benefits, Guide)

Struggling with data scattered across various silos and locations? As a machine manufacturer, this lack of visibility can significantly hinder your ability to understand customer behavior and manage supply chains. It can also make it complicated for you to access critical information like sales history, churn rates, and customer upgrades. Even worse, it leaves you unable to predict when equipment might need maintenance, risking customer dissatisfaction.

Installed base management software is your answer to all of these questions. Here’s how it can benefit you:

• Brings together all your account details, contacts, locations, service records, spare parts, and warranties into one place.
• Allows you to get different perspectives on data, from broad overviews to specific equipment details like history and location.
• Offers exclusive after-sales portals, tying features to Service-Level Agreements (SLAs) to improve service quality and upsell opportunities.

This article will explore the effectiveness of installed base management software, offering a detailed breakdown of the best options available on the market. 

Quick Comparison Table

Note: Our top recommendation is Makula, our own product. We are committed to transparency and take pride in Makula’s features and capabilities. We encourage you to explore Makula

further or schedule a demo to see how it can benefit your business.

#1 Makula

Best for: An All-in-One Solution for Installed Base Management

Makula stands out as a comprehensive solution for Installed Base Management, designed to increase after-sales revenue for machine manufacturers. By centralizing all data into a single, easily accessible platform, Makula makes it convenient for you to schedule maintenance, plan inventory, and manage customer service.

Here are some of the aspects that make Makula a unique fit for your needs as a machine manufacturer:

• 3D Visualization Tools: Makula lets you view machine parts in 3D on any device. This improves communication and allows your customers to explore machines via shareable 3D links.
• Expert Assistance: The team at Makula brings an extensive experience in process automation and digital solutions. With deep knowledge of IoT and cloud computing, the founders have expertise in the manufacturing sector.
• Guarantees Customer Experience: Makula provides a branded service portal (both mobile and web) where your customers can access their machine documentation, request spare parts through 3D models, and easily contact you.

Makula Key Features

Makula offers different features that can refine your customer experience, and drive new revenue opportunities:

Digitalize Field Service Management

Optimize your planning and scheduling with Makula's field service management capabilities. It replaces your paper-based service reports and Excel schedules with digital solutions. This feature saves time, simplifies billing and invoicing, and makes sure that your teams have all necessary information, like customer location and machine documentation, at their fingertips.

‍

For example, instead of carrying around paper forms, the technicians can use their phones to complete reports, which are then automatically sent to the back office for easy processing.

Customer Service Portal

Makula allows you to improve your service offerings by creating a customer service portal. With the help of this feature, you can upsell service contracts or charge for premium access. 

‍

Additionally, when your customers have access to their own portals, they can find machine documents, 3D files, and utilize spare part identification tools. Customers can also easily contact support by scanning a QR code on their machines.

‍

For instance, a customer can scan a QR code on their machine, accessing all necessary documents and support options through the portal, streamlining their service experience.

3D Collaboration

3D collaboration tools enable you to share 3D files of your machines, allowing customers to explore and understand the equipment through shareable 3D links. This interactive approach facilitates better understanding and decision-making.

‍

For example, you can send a 3D link to potential customers, who can then examine the machine’s features in detail and then make informed purchasing decisions.

Self-Service Spare Part Shop

Makula simplifies spare part identification and ordering with an integrated 3D spare part shop on your service portal. Customers can click on parts within the 3D model to order them directly, reducing support requests and easing the process for you and the customers.

‍

This means that instead of navigating complex manuals, your customers just have to click on the required part in the 3D model and place an order, speeding up the process and reducing support time.

Increase After-Sales Revenue

You can develop new business models and create recurring revenue streams with Makula’s exclusive after-sales portal. This allows you to offer monthly or yearly subscriptions tied to service level agreements (SLAs), and provide ongoing value to your customers leading to future revenue.

‍

For instance, after purchasing a machine from you, customers can subscribe to the after-sales portal for continuous access to premium services and support, resulting in long-term engagement and revenue.

Pros

• Data Accessibility: Makula allows you to quickly search through asset data using parameters like location, type, warranty, or repair history. This quick and smooth data retrieval saves valuable time compared to searching through spreadsheets. For example, if you need to verify the repair history of any customer’s machine, Makula lets you find this information in seconds.
• Better Communication: Makula's integrated email and chat features streamline communication within your team and with suppliers. Furthermore, the customer portals make handling maintenance requests and notifying customers straightforward, keeping everyone informed and simplifying the management process.
• Third-party Integrations: Makula supports integrations with various third-party applications, including CRM and ERP systems. Data import from other platforms also becomes a breeze with Makula’s CSV upload feature, which offers your flexibility and ease of use.

Cons

• New users might experience a learning curve as a result of the extensive feature list. However, Makula offers an in-depth knowledge base and dedicated support to help you navigate the system and fully utilize its features.

Pricing

You can go through Makula’s five flexible pricing plans that are designed with a combination of platform fees and per-user costs:

• PLG Free: Provides free access to the platform with basic features, allowing you to manage up to 5 assets and add users at no additional cost.
• Essential: Costs €200 per month for the platform and €20 per user per month. This plan includes unlimited asset and inventory management, work orders, one procedure template, and three months of analytics.
• Premium: Priced at €400 per month plus €30 per user per month, with a minimum of 5 users. It offers detailed asset and inventory management, work orders, ten procedure templates, two years of analytics, preventive maintenance, meter-based PM, email sync, scheduling, teams, audit trail, and API access.
• Enterprise: Includes all Premium features, along with a dedicated account manager, roles and permissions, and SSO. Personalized quotes are available for this plan.

Review

After experiencing our product, here are the reviews of our customers: 

• "Since we started using Makula, we’ve gained a broader perspective on the evolving world of digital after-sales..." - Erik Döinghaus, Managing Director at Döinghaus Cutting and more.
• "Being a user of 30+ machine brands, I can firmly state that Makula’s after-sales platform is transformative..." - Christoph Staub, CEO at Allpack.

#2 Industrility

Best for: Asset lifecycle management

‍

Industrility offers an asset-centric approach to installed base management so you can track your machines throughout their lifecycle. By maintaining comprehensive records, including maintenance history and spare parts usage, Industrility ensures accurate inventory management and timely maintenance planning for machine manufacturers.

Pros

• Maintains comprehensive records for accurate inventory management and maintenance planning, thus reducing downtime by giving you all necessary information right when needed.
• The platform provides a support app designed to offer timely and thoorough assistance giving you a smooth user experience.

Cons

• Some users report experiencing a learning curve when implementing the platform.

Review

• "Industrility helped us realize our 10-year vision of delivering a digital experience for our industrial boiler rooms in a few weeks. Truly a trusted partner in our success." - VP, Account Management and Strategy

Pricing

Industrility offers a customizable plan based on asset tiers and app bundles. You can choose the number of assets from your installed base and select the functionalities you need, with the option to invest more as your needs grow.

#3 Entytle

Best for: In-depth Customer Behavior Analysis

‍

Entytle is an Installed Base Intelligence Platform designed for B2B (Original Equipment Manufacturers) OEMs. It organizes customer and asset information, providing a 360-degree view of your installed base. It is a cloud-based platform that can also assist you in identifying the best times to engage with customers who need parts, services, and consumables.

Pros

• Entytle offers aftermarket Insights that save you hours of research by giving you easy access to customer buying patterns.
• Helps you understand repair costs incurred by customers, allowing you to expand existing service contracts.
• Lets you simplify monitoring and tracking of sales campaign performance, with interactive maps and rich filters that visualize your sales plans.

Cons

• There is a lack of a direct two-way connection with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems. This means updates made by sales reps in one system are not automatically reflected in the other, which could create hindrances in your operations.

Review

• "This software tool provides our sales team with a great visual of our business and opportunities." - Customer

Pricing

Entytle offers a Foundation plan starting at $3,500 per month. If you have more advanced needs, the Growth and Enterprise Plus plans are available, with pricing provided upon request.

#4 ServiceMax

Best for: Integrated Field Service Management

ServiceMax is a cloud-based field service management solution that offers an integrated suite of applications for managing both employees and customers. It is suitable for businesses across various industries, including energy, manufacturing, and utilities. By providing tools for scheduling, dispatching, and managing work orders, ServiceMax helps companies improve their field service operations and work on customer satisfaction.

Pros

• ServiceMax offers an intuitive user interface with simple, clickable options that create a good user experience.
• The platform integrates smoothly with other applications like Salesforce, boosting its versatility.
• ServiceMax is praised by users for its excellent customer support, with knowledgeable staff who are always ready to assist.

Cons

• Some users mention that the dashboard could benefit from improvements to better monitor platform events and transactions.
• ServiceMax’s reporting and analytics lack flexibility, often requiring additional customization.

Review

• “It gives me great satisfaction to know by using ServiceMax I have improved on the quality of service Luminex delivers to my customers, and my FSEs are now recognized for their dedication to our customers and ultimately our bottom line.” - Steve Nava

Pricing

ServiceMax offers different pricing models based on your needs and requirements, with plans starting at $100 per user per month.

Benefits of Installed Base Management Software

Installed base management software offers a range of benefits that support business growth. Here’s how it can make a difference if your company is aiming for long-term profitability:

• Improved Product Development: Monitoring your install base provides insights into customer usage, driving innovation and helping you with product development to better meet customer needs.
• Increased Revenue Opportunities:By managing your install base effectively, you can identify upselling and cross-selling opportunities, offer upgrades, introduce complementary products or services to your existing customers, and create new aftersales revenue streams, such as extended warranties, maintenance contracts, and premium support packages.
• Maintenance History and Patterns: These software maintain extensive records of maintenance activities, allowing OEMs to identify recurring patterns and trends, which can improve future maintenance strategies for your business.
• Improved Customer Relations: With detailed information provided by the install base software about each customer’s equipment, you can give superior customer support, improving response times and overall customer satisfaction.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Installed Base Management Software

Choosing the right installed base management software can significantly impact your business operations and drive revenue growth. Here are the key factors to consider before you choose the best-suited platform:

• Define Your Business Objectives: Clearly outline what you aim to achieve with installed base management. This helps in determining the scope and resources required.
• Integration with Existing Systems: Ensure that the installed base management software can seamlessly integrate with your existing ERP, CRM, and other business systems. This integration is vital for maintaining data consistency and streamlining processes across different departments.
• Scalability and Flexibility: Choose software that can grow with your business and adapt to your changing needs. For machine manufacturers, this might include managing complex equipment configurations, tracking long product lifecycles, or supporting global operations.

How to Implement Installed Base Management Software

Properly implementing installed base management software can greatly benefit your processes. Here’s a structured approach you can take for a strong implementation:

• Foster Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work on collaboration across all departments, including product development, marketing, and support. This unified approach helps all teams understand the importance of the install base.
• Train Your Team: Provide comprehensive training to your team on using the installed base management system so that they follow established processes and procedures for maximum efficiency and after-sales revenue opportunities.
• Communicate with Customers: Regularly inform your customers about the status of their installed base and any arising issues. Use emails, phone calls, or in-person visits to maintain clear and consistent communication.
• Implement a Renewal Process: Develop a dedicated process for managing maintenance and subscription renewals, upsells, and cross-sells. You can also use automated reminders, incentive offers, and guidance from your sales team to stay ahead of renewal dates.

If you are interested in learning more about Makula and how it can help with your installed base management, schedule a demo with us today! 

‍