Why support matters more for labs than most software
A lab cannot pause. If registration, result entry, or report release stops for an hour on a busy morning, patients wait, doctors call, and reports go out late. The software's support model decides how long that hour lasts, so it deserves as much attention as features or price.
Severity levels: what a clear SLA looks like
Ask every vendor to show their severity levels in writing. If they cannot, the SLA is a promise, not a commitment. A clear structure looks something like the table below; the exact times are what you negotiate.
| Severity | Example | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | System down, or reports cannot be released | Response within minutes, continuous work until restored |
| High | One module failing, such as billing or WhatsApp delivery | Response within an hour, fix or workaround the same day |
| Medium | A template or calculation needs correcting | Response the same day, fix within a few days |
| Low | Questions, training, feature requests | Response within one or two working days |
Response time vs resolution time
Response time is how quickly a person acknowledges your issue. Resolution time is how quickly it is actually fixed or worked around. A vendor promising a 10-minute response with no resolution commitment can still leave you stuck for a day. Ask for both, at least for critical and high severity.
Scenario questions to ask before you sign
Scenario questions reveal how support really works. Ask each vendor to walk you through exactly what happens in these situations.
- Reports won't print or send at 8 am on a Sunday. Who answers, and on which channel?
- An analyzer stops sending results mid-morning. Who diagnoses it, you or the analyzer vendor?
- A report was released with a wrong reference range. How fast can the template be corrected and the report reissued?
- Our internet is down. Can staff keep registering patients, and what happens when it returns?
- We need a new test added today. Can we do it ourselves, or must we raise a ticket?
Test support before you commit
During the trial, contact support yourself on every channel they list, at least once during your peak morning hours. Note how long each reply takes and whether the answer actually solves the question. Ask two or three existing customers of a similar size how support performed during their own go-live.
What to put in the contract
Sales promises are easy to forget. Make sure the agreement or order form states these points clearly.
- Support hours and days, including Sundays and holidays if your lab is open
- Support channels (phone, WhatsApp, email, ticket) and the escalation contact
- Response and resolution commitments by severity
- Whether onboarding, training, and template changes are included or charged
- How you can export all your data if you leave