Laboratory Clients Receive Credible Data Because of Lab-i

Lab managers will agree that to improve the profit of a laboratory it is important to maximise efficiency, whether it is in the manufacturing or processing industry. Efficiency can only be achieved by having accurate data as this reflects business activities. Data accuracy is the foundation for data quality and produces the reliable service provider customers expect. Companies seek new ways to improve productivity, reduce cost and time, and meet customer expectations.

Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) is a critical tool to achieve the objectives of quality, productivity, performance and requirements of the relevant market. Let’s take business solution provider, QBCon’s client the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) as an example. This laboratory processes an average of 1 700 jobs per month. One job is equivalent to 1 to 300 samples. Since there are so many samples per job, laboratory employees do not have the time to go over previously processed jobs and to locate samples, review data, calculate results and communicate with customers. As a service provider to the agricultural market, accredited bodies expect the ARC to produce accurate accounts of their samples. Lab-i’s added benefit of maximising the value of laboratory operations improves laboratory efficiency and helps to fulfil regulation quality standards and user requirements.

Lab-i produces data that authenticates the research methods and results. Laboratory customers receive valid results because Lab-i manages the dynamic data and records the progress of the sample through the laboratory. The progress of the sample is tracked, registered, recorded, compared, reviewed and authorised. This verifies that the analysis is based on accurate information.

“Our goal is to give the laboratory the means to prove the quality of its data to the end customer”, says Gustav Piater, Marketing and Sales Director for QBCon. Demonstrating the process to the customer also serves as a guarantee of capacity and therefore of lead-times.

Lab-i can also be part of an overall system which interfaces with external systems such as Business Intelligence (BI), web based results inquiry, internet communications and Enterprise Resource Planning. Integrating Lab-i with other time saving techniques such as secure internet communications does not merely improve the laboratory’s communication with its clients. Using a web-interface or matching the system with a BI tool such as Progress’ EasyAsk will give the laboratory client further access to information about the tests in process.

When a laboratory not only has access to tests results, but also has data on how the results were obtained it gives the laboratory the advantage of credibility and predictability. Being able to show the client how the laboratory reached its results is also a strong sales tool.