Ever walked into the lab ready to start a critical experiment, only to find the last box of pipette tips is empty? Or spent precious minutes hunting down a reagent that should be right where you left it?
For many researchers, this scenario is all too familiar. What's more, they often find themselves becoming the de facto lab manager, tasked with tracking down supplies and placing orders. This "small” supply issue isn't just an annoyance; it's a symptom of a deeper organizational weakness in lab supply purchasing and inventory management that can lead to burnout and resentment.
The hidden costs of “sharing” lab supplies
A few key sources of lab supply chaos:
- Unclear ownership: Like a dreaded group project in school, lab supply tasks often fall informally to a conscientious few, creating an unfair burden.
- Manual tracking systems: Labs frequently rely on sticky notes, memory, or the “empty box” alert, a signal that comes far too late.
- Reactive ordering: Supplies are reordered only after they've run out, forcing labs into a constant cycle of crisis management.
- Social tension: Without a clear system, lab mates might feel entitled to “just borrow” what they need, often without replacing it, leading to friction and distrust.
What starts as a minor irritation can quickly build into significant drawbacks:
- Lost productivity: Hours spent tracking supplies, placing last-minute orders, or autoclaving tips could instead be dedicated to valuable time at the bench or drafting papers.
- Interrupted experiments: Projects stall and precious samples are put at risk due to missing supplies or unexpected backorders.
- Increased costs: Rush orders, duplicate purchases, and wasteful spending add up, especially when inventory isn't tracked centrally. Inefficient lab practices can lead to significant hidden costs.
- Lab friction: Resentment builds when one person is seen as covering for everyone else's lack of foresight.
4 best practices for smarter lab supply management
The good news is that these common pain points are solvable. Here are a few strategies labs are using to conquer the recurring supply headache:
Where life sciences procurement platforms make the difference
This is where ZAGENO enters the chat, streamlining and automating lab supply management so no one person gets stuck in the tip-autoclaving loop.
Our platform offers:
- A one-stop shop: Access to 40M+ SKUs from 5,300+ brands, so you can shop, compare, and order everything from a single platform.
- AI-driven search and multi-supplier cart: Easily compare products and SLAs to build orders from many vendors in one streamlined workflow, all within a unified lab supply procurement platform.
- Automated order tracking: No more scavenger hunts; our platform provides real-time notifications on order status, backorders, and lead times.
- Seamless integration: Orders, approvals, invoices, and reporting flow automatically with your existing P2P, ERP, and finance systems.
- Real-time spend analytics: Monitor spend by supplier, category, or scientist to reduce waste and optimize budgets with smarter procurement practices.
See how ZAGENO helps labs reduce costs and prevent waste through better supply storage and maintenance.
Stop letting supplies slow down science
No one should have to juggle autoclaving tips and critical experiments at the same time, or carry the weight of lab supply chaos alone. Whether through chore systems or better tooling, labs deserve smoother workflows and fairer sharing.
We may not be a therapist, but we can help reduce friction between lab mates. Stop the passive-aggressive sticky notes and missing supplies for good.
See how ZAGENO creates lab harmony