Why comparing demos from memory doesn't work
Most labs evaluate 3-4 vendors, sit through 3-4 polished demos in the same week, and then try to remember which one handled which edge case better. That's not a comparison — it's a recency bias exercise. The vendor you saw last usually wins, regardless of actual fit.
The fix is mechanical, not clever: write your evaluation criteria down before the first demo, score each vendor against the same criteria immediately after their call while it's fresh, and only compare final scores — not impressions — when it's time to decide.
The weighted scorecard: what to actually score
Not every criterion matters equally to every lab. A single-site lab should weight support SLA and cost predictability heavily; a multi-branch chain should weight centralized reporting and role-based access more. Assign weights before scoring, not after — otherwise you'll unconsciously reverse-engineer weights to match the vendor you already prefer.
Use this starting template and adjust the weights for your lab's priorities. Score each vendor 1-5 per row, multiply by weight, and total the columns.
| Criterion | Suggested weight | What to actually check |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow fit | 25% | Run your real registration-to-report flow live in the demo, not a generic tour |
| Total cost (12-month) | 20% | Model current volume + 2x growth; check for report caps, per-branch fees, setup charges |
| Support SLA | 20% | Get the written first-response time by severity, not "we're fast" |
| Migration & onboarding | 15% | Ask exactly who does the data migration and what your team's time cost is |
| Compliance readiness | 10% | Confirm audit trail, role-based approval, and evidence retrieval speed |
| Integration & scalability | 10% | Check analyzer integration list and multi-branch/multi-user limits |
Five buying mistakes that quietly cost labs the most
These aren't hypothetical — they're the recurring patterns behind labs switching LIS within 12-18 months of signing.
- Choosing from the demo alone. Polished demos show ideal-path scenarios. Insist on running your actual workflow, including delayed analyzer feeds, corrections, and critical-value handling.
- Comparing entry price instead of 12-month cost. Report caps, per-branch fees, setup charges, and paid add-ons for "core" modules can double the effective price by month six.
- Underestimating support quality until it's too late. A support delay during reporting hours directly delays patient reports. Ask for the written SLA before you need it, not after.
- Skipping reference checks, or asking the wrong questions. "Are you happy with them?" gets a polite yes. Ask specifically: how was go-live week, and how fast did they resolve your first real incident?
- Weak onboarding and change management. Even strong software underperforms if staff aren't trained by role and SOPs aren't updated before cutover. Plan onboarding as a project with owners and milestones, not a one-time training call.
Vendor due diligence: what to put in writing before signing
Verbal reassurance during sales calls is not a contract term. Before signing, get written clarity on the items below — most vendors will provide this without pushback if asked directly, and hesitation on any of them is itself a useful signal.
- Support response time by severity level, and named escalation ownership after go-live
- What implementation includes: migration, integrations, templates, and training — and what costs extra
- Data export rights and format if you ever need to leave the platform
- Pricing change policy: can rates increase mid-contract, and with what notice
- Named owner on the vendor side for your account during and after onboarding
Run the scoring session, then negotiate
Score every vendor within 24 hours of their demo, using the same scorecard. Bring the whole decision group (ops, quality, and whoever owns the budget) into one scoring session rather than collecting opinions separately — group discussion surfaces disagreements that a single decision-maker would miss.
Only start commercial negotiation once a vendor has cleared your operational bar. Negotiating price with a vendor that scored poorly on workflow fit just gets you a cheaper version of the wrong tool.
Where Dr.Lably fits — and how to verify it yourself
We'd rather you verify this than take our word for it. Dr.Lably publishes its full pricing and feature limits at /pricing rather than requiring a sales call to see numbers, and the support SLA (10 minutes, first response, via phone or WhatsApp) is a commitment you can test directly before signing anything — message the number on our site and time the reply.
On the scorecard above, that's where we'd expect to score well: transparent 12-month cost with no report caps on the Wallet plan, and a support model designed around fast first response. Score us on the same sheet as everyone else — that's the point of using one.