Leading labs continue to study and assess the growing importance of Lab Information Management Systems (LIMS) in various laboratories and industries. The benefits of LIMS and lab data management software are clear; LIMS decreases human error and increases the accuracy, efficiency, and sheer amount of data vital to the success of your industry. Lab data management software speeds up testing processes and streamlines data management. What has been studied less, but is of equal importance, is the LIMS software provider or vendor that you choose.
The LIMS software provider that you choose has a significant impact on your long-term satisfaction with the LIMS that you choose. This article explores the importance of a capable LIMS management vendor and four requirements every lab manager should look for when reviewing LIMS software providers.
Four Requirements for a Reliable LIMS Software Provider
1. Is the LIMS provider experienced?
It is important to choose a LIMS software provider with proven experience. Experienced LIMS software vendors have been in the industry for a long time, have accumulated plenty of honest reviews from users, and have an established reputation. These factors make it easier to understand exactly what you’ll receive when choosing their solution.
Experienced providers also have deep knowledge of specific industries they serve and know exactly how their lab data management software can be tailored to fit the needs of every type of lab. Their experience can also be measured by their knowledge of various aspects of LIMS technology — including installation, implementation, industry-specific tools and guidelines, and more. r
Experienced LIMS management vendors are also aware of and able to address the challenges that may come with LIMS. These challenges can include:
- Steep learning curves for employees introduced to a new program
- Issues with installation, reliability, and performance
- Insufficient functionality and missing features and modules
- Inability to scale up
- Difficulty accessing certain processes and compliance measures
- Inability to cross departments and external partners
As you choose the right provider for your company, ask: Does this provider have the experience necessary to apply LIMS software to my industry and address any potential challenges?
2. Does the LIMS provider offer exceptional customer service and support?
Due to the long-term investment in LIMS, you need to make sure that your satisfaction will continue through the ten or more years that you and your company work with this provider. You need to be assured of long-term satisfaction, not only in your software but in your partnership with the provider. Indeed, your provider needs to be both willing and able to forge a strong relationship where questions are answered in a timely manner, potential problems are quickly resolved, and both business and labor are transparent and efficient.
Providers that are flexible upfront, providing numerous options for various sizes of organizations, situations, and budgets, will also likely be willing to collaborate with you long term. Lastly, providers that offer a thorough and organized LIMS setup process for your team likely understand the immense value of customer satisfaction.
3. Is the LIMS provider committed to product innovation and improvements?
You want a provider that can offer comprehensive and flexible software solutions that will adapt to and grow with your evolving industry and company. In other words, as your company and industry expand, so should your software.
You need a provider that is able to adapt their LIMS quickly. Providers that offer web-based and mobile access that can be hosted either on the cloud or internally demonstrate a critical understanding of flexible technology. In this period of rapid technological innovation, this flexibility and willingness to adapt will become even more critical.
Industry goals, requirements, and successes will not stay stagnant, and your software system partner needs to be able to adapt to changes in your industry. Growth and success are linked, and your provider needs to be committed to this idea to provide the improvements necessary for your expanding operations.
4. Is the LIMS provider an expert in your industry?
LIMS software can sometimes be marketed as a one-program-fits-all solution. However, companies that purchase software on that approach will likely become frustrated at some point. Each company’s needs are unique; you may need certain features of the software and have no use for others. Having a LIMS software provider who is familiar with your type of lab and industry guarantees greater success with both the LIMS’ customization, launch, and ongoing success.
The best LIMS software vendors can help you tailor LIMS to your specific needs and requirements, even (and especially) when they may be obscure or out-of-the-box. Having a provider who is an expert in your industry also helps with communication; they are already familiar with your industry’s vocabulary and requirements and you can more easily ask and get answers to specific questions pertaining to your industry and the software.
As you choose the right provider for your company, ask: Is this provider an expert in my industry? Do they follow my industry’s trends and best practices?
How Does Labworks Measure Up?
Labworks has been around since 1985 and is a long-standing leader in the LIMS industry. Over 500 laboratories across the world have installed and successfully use Labworks software. Some laboratories are international and employ hundreds of people, others are single-site laboratories with only a few employees. As a LIMS provider, Labworks is adaptable both to the size of your company and the needs of your industry.
Why Labworks is Trusted Around the World
Labworks has the most experienced team of experts in this industry and averages 20 years tenure with employees who are experts in LIMS, lab experience, and industry know-how. They are committed to product innovation and improvements and offer exceptional customer service and support throughout the process, including:
- Fair and transparent LIMS pricing
- Configuration tools that avoid costly customizations
- Industry-specific LIMS solutions
- Awareness of regulatory compliance or industry certifications solutions
Contact Labworks to Learn More
To see if Labworks and our LIMS solution are the right fit for your laboratory, LIMS demo. We’re confident you’ll see why Labworks is consistently rated as one of the top global LIMS providers.
