Advantages

1.  Independent

Some labs recommend their in-house techniques or ones in which they are familiar simply because they are unaware that another approach is better or maybe because they have capacity for a particular technique while a more appropriate technique is currently backlogged.  Further, some analytical problems may require an option, or a more advanced instrument, not present in a particular lab.  As an independent consultant I have the luxury of finding the appropriate suite of techniques as well as labs that have the best instrument that I believe are best suited for any given analytical problem.     

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2.  Taking Time For The Client

During conversations with clients some labs focus on their techniques and what they can do.  The most important aspect of client conversations is taking sufficient time to clearly understand their analytical needs so that the best solution can be recommended.  It is also important to clearly explain the experimental game plan as to what is being recommended and why.  This is why I always provide sufficient details in quotes explaining what is being recommended, why it is being recommended and what is hoped to be learned from the analysis.      

 

3.  Customer Service

In the high-tech age that we currently live, many companies all too often focus on their employee’s technical skills while customer service is an after-thought or even ignored.  I frequent establishments where it is obvious that my business is truly appreciated.  The goal through my career has always been that my clients have the same positive experience that I look for in the businesses that I frequent.  Old fashioned?  Maybe.  The right way to treat a client?  Definitely!    

 

4.  Pulling Together Data 

The majority of labs do an excellent job at providing analytical results, in particular for one off analyses.  However, they sometimes fail at relating those results to the initial goals of the work.  Additionally, because of the way they’re structured for efficiency, these labs often have difficulty tying together the analyses of projects such as those that involve a series of analyses being conducted over a period of time and/or multiple techniques being used for the same problem.  I specialize in gathering project based results and determining how they address the goals of work as well as identifying possible discrepancies between analyses and/or techniques and determining why such discrepancies may exist.      

 

5.  Honest Assessment

Many analytical problems are difficult and there simply is no easy solution.  Often there is no guarantee that a particular technique will ‘solve’ the problem.  Throughout my career I’ve always been honest with clients and explain to them potential issues with recommended analyses for their particular problem.

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