What are clients of calibration and testing laboratories looking for?
Clients of calibration and testing laboratories are no different than consumers of any other commodity, product or service. Simply put, they are looking for value. Value means having their requirements competently met at a level of convenience, and at a price they are willing to pay. In other words, getting what is expected for their money. Consumers of calibration and testing services look for a laboratory than can perform the types of tests, measurements or calibrations they are seeking, at a suitable level of uncertainty, at a cost they can afford, and to have their equipment or results returned within a suitable period of time. Other important criteria, such as requirements for measurement traceability, are often found or specified in a client’s quality system. Therefore, besides the obvious technical and economic considerations, operators of testing and calibration laboratories should seek to fulfill the applicable requirements of their client’s quality systems.
