ARENA - best PLM system
Updated November 10, 2020
ARENA - best PLM system
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Arena
We use Arena for the whole company. Most everything is now electronic since switching to Arena. BOMs, specs, design history file documents (test reports, software docs, etc.). The entire company has instant access to the documents. We easily provide our vendors with BOMs, etc for purchases. ECO review is seamless, our ECO turn around time has decreased. In addition, our customers want to approve certain documents and we can easily provide them (via license) access to certain documents. We no longer have to put a package together to send via email or have them come into our office for signature (as we used to with the hard copy/manual system).
- BOMs - very organized, you can see changes from previous BOMs (via the redline system). Parts are linked to their sources, where used, etc.
- Attributes and search - we can call up Design history files for a single customer. During 3rd party audits, our documents are right there, no searching through binders.
- Training program - with the quiz at the end - we now have that quality requirement of "verification of effectiveness."
- Customer service is outstanding. Any time I have a question, a response is provided usually within 4 hours!
- The ticket process - I have not tried it enough to comment on it too much, but when I did try it, it seemed very tedious.
- Decreased the labor cost of engineering change orders by 50%
- Decreased the time for document retrieval for 3rd party submittals by 65% (already in Arena - no need to search binders, scan, email, etc.)
- Price
- Product Features
- Product Usability
Ease of use and customer service (two things). Arena had/has the best customer service of any vendor we have worked with.
Implementation was easy. Arena took care of everything - it was seamless. They came to our office and "held our hands" through the whole process. It could not have been any easier. We were very apprehensive - but it went so smoothly.
Do you think Arena PLM and QMS delivers good value for the price?
Yes
Are you happy with Arena PLM and QMS's feature set?
Yes
Did Arena PLM and QMS live up to sales and marketing promises?
Yes
Did implementation of Arena PLM and QMS go as expected?
Yes
Would you buy Arena PLM and QMS again?
Yes
Master control - expensive, very difficult to implement
Ennov - basic - not as powerful as ARENA
RitePro - options are limited, customer service limited
Ennov - basic - not as powerful as ARENA
RitePro - options are limited, customer service limited
Arena Support
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Quick Resolution Good followup Knowledgeable team Problems get solved Kept well informed No escalation required Immediate help available Support understands my problem Support cares about my success Quick Initial Response | None |
No - Not even sure if it is available. Don't need premium support - the support provided by ARENA is PREMIUM!!!
Yes - I thought it was a bug - but it was actually just an issue that i created.
I had signed up a partner and it was not working. Arena worked with me until I got it correct. Another time was when I wanted to create a DHF in the ARENA system. They hooked me up with their medical device expert and she provided me with a few ways that this could be done at no extra cost.
Using Arena
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using Familiar | None |
- BOM implementation
- Quality module
- change control
- none
Yes, but I don't use it