Most labs must operate on razor-thin profit margins, which means they always need to keep their expenses low. If you need to cut some costs in your lab budget, consider our helpful tips for saving money below.
Diligently Track Costs
The first step to reducing expenses and increasing revenue is finding the fat in your budget. But to find opportunities to trim your budget, you’ll need to diligently track all your lab’s costs and expenses for a period.
You should always have an accurate idea of your expenses. However, if you have trouble understanding where your lab is losing money, consider keeping a closer eye on the costs and resources for specific procedures. This cost-tracking will give you a solid base of information for making critical budget decisions.
Cut Less Productive Work
Once you clearly understand what each procedure costs in supplies, time, and other resources, you can identify the most and least productive processes. A high-earning lab pushes its most profitable services while lessening the time and resources spent on the least profitable ones.
Analyze your lab’s budget and note whether it could benefit from increased focus in some areas and reduced attention in others.
Shop Around
The best way to ensure your lab receives the best deals on supplies and equipment is to shop around and get quotes from other vendors. Even if you think you have a good relationship with your current supplier and enjoy a respectable deal, it doesn’t hurt to see if there’s a better price available.
Consider asking other labs and colleagues about their suppliers and how happy they are with them. If you find another supplier with a lower price, you can use that as leverage with your current supplier to see if they will match or beat their competitor’s offer.
Consider Refurbished Equipment
One of the best ways to cut costs in your lab budget is to consider investing in refurbished instruments and equipment rather than brand-new models. Refurbished analytical equipment offers many advantages, prominently a discounted price, while working as effectively as a new model.
Pro Tip: Longevity is also key to getting value out of lab equipment, so diligent maintenance and service are crucial to ensuring lab instruments last beyond their warranty date.
Since refurbished equipment comes from a supplier and not an OEM, you typically receive the devices sooner, saving the lab valuable time. The next time your lab needs to restock its equipment, consider the more affordable refurbished option.