Connecting digital and physical experiences cuts manual processes by 50%

Our Impact

Two factors impeding progress in modern businesses are contrasting platforms and overly manual processes. Our client, a bioanalytical research laboratory, recognized these same hindrances to growth and reached out to our team. Their aim was to leverage digital tools to enhance efficiency while maintaining lab quality. 

By becoming more digital, the client aimed to improve response times, collaboration, and team efficiency with the help of cloud-based software. Rather than using multiple systems to enter data, they sought a connected, holistic environment that would allow them to more effectively use their data. With our help, the client transformed their passive and manually intensive approach into one where they proactively use data to sense and respond to their business and market needs. 

The Full Story

The Challenge 

Without keeping up with digital advancements, businesses risk obsolescence and disconnected software environments. Our client found themselves in this situation, which led to manual data management and wasted time and resources for their team.  

The outdated software stack also caused operational difficulties. For instance, disconnected systems resulted in updates not happening in real-time, and the lack of cloud tools hindered collaboration and data visibility. We assisted the client by assessing their current state and identifying pain points. This evaluation was instrumental in creating a roadmap and choosing an effective data platform solution to support their desired future state.  

An Undeniably Different Approach

Our guiding principle was maintaining sample chain of custody through holistic solutions and connected platforms. During our current-state assessment, we pinpointed specific business needs that would bring the most value to our client. We acted on this information in several impactful ways:  

Identifying and narrowing down vendor options

The assessment data helped us create a list of potential vendors for laboratory information management systems (LIMS) and quality management systems (QMS). From there, we worked with the client to align vendor suitability with their needs.  

Leveraging multidisciplinary expertise

We acknowledged the importance of considering the problem from the perspectives of functional, technological, and industry experts. Our team consisted of experts from our technology practice who could provide insights on data architecture and healthcare and life sciences specialists for their industry expertise.  

Enhancing IT and core systems

We focused on optimizing systems for long-term benefits across the organization by implementing new Middleware, LIMS, and QMS software and developing detailed process workflows for harmonization.   

Our client, who had worked with us in the past, was confident that our combination of data-driven decision-making, multidisciplinary expertise, and a value-driven approach would deliver the desired results. 

Real Results 

By evaluating 12 different LIMS and QMS solutions, West Monroe assisted the client in identifying and selecting vendors that aligned with their unique requirements. This included reviewing essential system functionalities, conducting vendor interviews, and negotiating contracts. This evaluation led to negotiating a 60% reduction in licensing costs.  

We also helped the client upgrade their digital capabilities and data platforms with new LIMS and QMS software. This resulted in a 50% reduction in manual processing time due to the automation of project input workflows. The enhancements brought several additional benefits to the organization, including:  

• A new customer intake process that supports end-to-end internal and external collaboration and includes a status dashboard. 
• The ability to actively manage laboratory inventory levels, receive inventory alerts, and schedule equipment maintenance to reduce downtime and ensure testing capacity. 
• Improved reporting and analytics capabilities that increase productivity, enhance analysis and decision-making, and facilitate laboratory collaboration