Stay Or Go? Here’s 5 Signs It’s Time to Change Your Lab Data Management Software

In an industry where time is money, an effective data management system is the cornerstone of success in the lab. Managing your data, team, and time efficiently is the difference between successful research and spoiled samples. But what happens when the tools you use to boost efficiency and save money in the lab end up doing the exact opposite?

It’s hard to know when to stick it out with your current software, or when it’s time to cut your losses and make the switch to a new one. From financial surprises to being more of a lab ‘problem’ than lab solution, we’ll explain 5 big signs it could be time to leave, and how to find your next lab management solution.

5 Signs You Should Leave Your Lab Management Software

Price spikes

Full pricing transparency should be a given for your lab management software. Far too many providers draw labs in with a low starting price, only to massively increase their rate once labs have transferred all their data and become ‘comfortable’ with the system. They rely on labs being resistant to change to coerce them into paying significantly higher fees than they signed up for. A common example of this is biotech R&D cloud-based platforms offering low rates for their first year, before doubling them in subsequent years.

To avoid this, look for lab management solutions that provide full pricing transparency. You should know exactly what you’re paying after a year, five years, and beyond – no surprises.

Hidden costs

Similar to price spikes, hidden costs are a budget killer and can quickly lead to you paying far more than what you expected. The initial price may seem tempting, but ask yourself: what does it actually include? Some top-tier ELN/LIMS solutions are riddled with hidden fees for seemingly core features and have complex pricing structures that make it difficult to understand exactly what’s included. For example, some top-tier platforms offer their software for a set price but require you to pay more for customer service or additional features and services. Remember, a ‘cost-effective’ software should still be cost-effective when you consider the total amount you’re paying.

If the pricing structure requires its own data analysis to be understood, and every feature or support request comes with an additional price tag, it’s a strong signal that it may be time to find a new provider.

Bad customer service

You should never have to leave your provider's website and venture onto Google or Reddit for lab support. Bad customer service can manifest in multiple ways:

Simply bad advice

Some customer service agents simply don’t understand the ins and outs of scientific research. In a field with technical jargon and crucial contextual information, it’s critical to speak to someone who has worked in a lab and understands how things operate. Put simply, if they’ve never used a pipette, they’re unlikely to help you automate your IC50 calculations.

At Labguru, all our Customer Success Managers have either a master's or PhD and bring valuable research and industry experience to the table. They deeply understand your challenges and know exactly how a lab operates, enabling you to spend less time on long-winded explanations and more time tackling the task at hand.

Slow response time

Slow responses from your ELN/LIMS provider are always a red flag. While you wait, samples spoil, experiments are held up, and valuable time is wasted that could be put to better use. Response time should be a matter of hours, not days.

Only offering reactive support

On the surface, this one may not seem so bad. You ask a question – they answer it. The problem is that it fails to tap into the wealth of knowledge and experience the customer support person has with that software. Just because your question was answered sufficiently does not mean you’re getting the best out of your software.

Great customer support means bringing new ideas to the table, providing new suggestions to help you get the most out of the software, and supporting you every step of the way.

Bad attitude

We’ve all been on the receiving end of unnecessary attitude from customer support, and it shouldn’t be something you tolerate for your lab. When you're facing challenges in the lab, the last thing you need is someone who seems indifferent or uninterested in your concerns.

Our Customer Success team of PHD's is full of empathetic listeners, genuinely interested in resolving your issues and ensuring your research runs smoothly. 

Solution doesn’t cover all your needs

A solution should solve all your problems, not just some of them. The problem with having a separate solution for your ELN, LIMS, SDMS, and inventory management is that these systems often don’t speak the same language. Things often get lost in translation or take longer than they should to be understood. Some software have deep, powerful integrations and bring out the best in each other, but it’s not always the case.

If you’re having to pay for multiple software, you need to do a cost-benefit analysis on whether that tool is doing more harm than good. A powerful inventory management system is great, but if it takes you 20% more time to update each sample within your LIMS, then it may not be serving you as well as you think. To avoid this, consider a holistic solution with all your functionalities under one roof.

Not intuitive or user-friendly

Complicated menus and long-winded workflows can be confusing and frustrating to navigate. Too much time gets wasted training users to do things that should be obvious, and going down product rabbit holes to figure out how to get the software to do what you want it to.

When every interaction with the software feels like a battle against its design flaws, it's a glaring indication that your lab deserves better. An intuitive, user-friendly interface is a requirement, not a bonus.

Decided to Make the Move?

Here’s Why You Should Choose Labguru

If these red flags have made you realize it’s time to make a move, Labguru has corresponding green flags that have got us awarded with Best Estimated ROI on G2. With a clear, transparent pricing structure and no hidden costs, we make sure you know exactly what you’re signing so there aren’t any surprises around the corner (except positive ones - see below).

We have a strong customer success team of scientists, not support agents, that typically respond within a few hours, not days.

Our holistic solution makes Labguru your one-stop shop for everything related to lab data management. More than that, everything from experiments within your ELN to samples within your inventory are connected, so there’s no need to update and track your activities in multiple different places.

With an intuitive, user-friendly interface, we’ve been rewarded as the platform with Best Usability on G2.

FREE* Migration Offer

We’re offering free* data migration services to customers of top tier solutions

Migrating to a new platform should be a smooth process, not a daunting task. We’ll take care of the legacy data migration for you to make your data available, searchable, and traceable within the Labguru system.

With a user-friendly platform and best-in-class customer support, we’ll get your team using Labguru and your lab up and running faster than you can find your lab coat.

Ready to Make the Move?

Don't let your clunky, pricey lab solution hold you back anymore. If any of the red flags apply to you, it’s time to move to Labguru, the lab data management solution you deserve.

Start your smooth transition journey and unlock the full potential of your research - all at ZERO cost to you.

*Subject to approval by Labguru