The Diagnostic Equipment Service Conundrum: How Much Is Too Much?, How Little Is Too Little?

In light of laboratory pressures to do more with less, laboratory managers transfer cost control onto vendors by means of a constant push for price reductions. In this commercial climate, efficient management of customer and technical service extras is critical. Expertise in managing service offerings will help companies offer service programs that are just enough to differentiate them from the competition. Service programs that offer too much may result in revenue loss. Programs that are perceived to be inadequate place the company at a competitive disadvantage.

In The Diagnostic Equipment Service Conundrum: How Much is Too Much? How Little is Too Little? Kalorama Information's analyst Shara Rosen provides a unique benchmarking tool not available from any other syndicated source consisting of the instrument-specific service offerings, managed service offerings, and remote diagnostic capabilities of selected major IVD companies. This research can assist service and product managers developing a service plan, as well as marketing executives interested in the competitiveness of company offerings. Companies covered include:

• Dade Behring
• Abbott Diagnostics
• Ortho Clinical Diagnostics (OCD), Johnson & Johnson
• Roche Diagnostics
• Siemens (Bayer and Diagnostic Products Corp. (DPC))
• Sysmex

Rosen, the author of Kalorama's best-selling In Vitro Diagnostics: The World Market report analyzes each aspect of service: On-site field service programs, training, technical support, installation and integration and technical bulletins are examined. Specific instruments considered include:

• Clinical Chemistry/Integrated Analyzers
• Immunoassay Analyzers
• Hematology Analyzers
• Coagulation Instrumentation
• Laboratory Automation

As part of Kalorama Information's analysis, hosptial lab employees and company representatives were contacted. Research of online sources was also conducted, and information was analyzed by an expert with experience in diagnostic service offerings.