What Style of “Wishlister” are you?

Wishlists are an interactive method to collect and organise the current and future laboratory ordering requirements. Using Wishlists will help make the process of ordering consumables, supplies and equipment more efficient and less stressful.

Why use Wishlists in the first place?

Here are some good reasons as to why wishlists are an effective tool for planning and purchasing your lab equipment and consumables:

• No more mind-reading. Everyone can access and add items to the Wishlists.
• Improve efficiency and easier to track the laboratory’s changing needs.
• Increased productivity. Items can be added to the Wishlists at any time (and from any location).  Less likely to run out of laboratory consumables and supplies.
• A way to signify an interest in a product (i.e. new piece of equipment) for purchase later. Also, a great way to start a dialogue on what various laboratory members think is a priority for equipment purchases.
• Assists with budget planning and saving for the larger more expensive purchases
• Saves time browsing for items online. All the information is contained in your Wishlist.

We have developed 5 Wishlists to assist in organising their laboratory orders.

What Style of “Wishlister” are you?

Old School

You prefer using a pen and paper.  You love hand-written lists; post-it notes, and you are super organised.  You have trained your laboratory staff to hand in all their ordering requests by 5pm Friday.

The Wishlist PDF will save all the hassle of making your own lists.  You can download a copy of the Wishlist and post in a convenient location in the laboratory. Inform the laboratory staff to update with their ordering request.  When ordering day arrives, the lists are ready for you to upload to the Westlab website.

Computer Wizard

The only time you use a pen is to write in your laboratory book (and you cannot wait for your electronic laboratory notebook to arrive).

Download the Wishlist Word Doc and save it in an accessible location.  You can save multiple files for:  Different projects, Weekly consumable orders, Monthly consumable orders and Equipment Wishlists.  Staff will only have the open the correct file and update by adding the item’s name, product code, quantities and price.

Googler

Efficiency is your middle name.  You are tech savvy and love Google Docs.

The Wishlist Google Doc provides a way to update the laboratory Wishlist online, in a collaborative manner.  All you need is a free Google account.  The Wishlist Google Doc can be shared with anyone and it allows the laboratory members to access the Wishlist and update in real-time.  You will be able to track who has added what item to the Wishlist.  Not only that, but the Google Doc can be accessed through the web application as well as the mobile app for Android and Apple phones.   The staff does not even have to be in the laboratory to access and update the Wishlist! The Google Wishlist Doc can also be downloaded to Excel.

Online Shopper Guru.

You are all over eBay and Amazon online shopping and Wishlists are nothing new to you.

Once you have registered and logged on to the Westlab website, you’ll find its easy to use the Wishlist Tool.

• Go to the product you want to save and click on the “Add to Wishlist” button
• In the pop-up window, you can create a brand new Wishlist and save the product.

The Wishlist Tool also allows you to enter product quantities and notes for each item.   You can create as many Wishlists as you need –consumables; lab equipment or have lists by projects, locations or organisations.

Social Media Queen/King

You are a networking social media expert.  When colleagues have problems with Facebook or Instagram – they come to you.  Your Pinterest account has organised all your recipes, favourite holiday Wishlists, favourite blogs and craft ideas.

Pinterest allows you to save any image you find on the web into an organised board.  A laboratory Pinterest account is free and easy to set up.  You can have separate Wishlist boards for consumables, equipment and even Laboratory Supplies Get-togethers (all those great photos from your last Christmas Party).  Best of all it is collaborative, and you can share with anyone you choose.  With a dedicated laboratory email and password, all laboratory members can access the Pinterest account from their computer or smartphone.