Assessment testing is a common requirement for many fields before an individual can perform maintenance-related tasks. A notable exception to this practice is software maintenance. This essay examines the impact that assessment testing can have on software product maintenance. Although no studies exist at this time that provide quantitative evidence for the amount of cost savings that assessment testing provides, there is substantial qualitative evidence that a positive return on investment exists. This paper presents that evidence and argues for the case that companies that choose to implement software assessment testing for their maintenance staff can improve the quality of their maintenance activity. For the purpose of this paper, assessment testing refers to assessing an individual's level of knowledge specific to a particular software design. It does not refer to assessing an individual's level of knowledge about any general software or engineeing discipline.