DNA testing convenience … but at what cost?

Convenience is a key aspect of providing DNA testing excellence, as with any service, people want as little hassle as possible without having to compromise.

Utilising a service that believes in more care, more convenience and more value – has perhaps never been more applicable with the introduction of Next Day Legal DNA Testing as standard and steadily adding of Walk-in Centre locations across the UK.

These services are readily available to solicitors, social workers, local councils and members of the public – supplying them with access to affordable DNA testing at a time that is suitable for them, with the most desirable methods of execution.

Not only are DNA testing companies such as AlphaBiolabs offering faster services, like that exhibited by their unique Next Day Legal DNA testing as standard but they are also providing varying solutions to make the sample collection process as hassle free as possible.

One of the principal ways in which they have increased convenience is by opening facilities in new locations, the latest of which has been their Birmingham Walk-in Centre.

No matter what purpose the testing is intended for, whether it is for the person’s own knowledge, for legal reasons or for immigration purposes, people can visit these centres to have their sample collected for free.

This not only means more value, but it also means more practicality as the centres do not require and appointment to be made. During opening times and hours people can simply pop in to have their samples collected by a fully trained nurse.

This is not the only innovative solution allowing people to have their sample collected, as there is also a sample collection network available to visit people at a location that is suitable to them, although there is a fee for this service.

Take advantage of Walk-in Centres

Jackie Hickman, AlphaBiolabs’ collections manager, cannot praise the Walk-in Centres enough and is pleased to observe that more and more sample donors are utilising the service across the UK. She said: “There has been a lot more uptake with the Walk-in Centres due to the anonymity it offers clients. They don’t have to book in for an appointment, they could do it during their lunch break or whenever it suits them.”

The centres will not only appeal to people from the city or town where the Walk-in Centre is specifically located, but also to anyone from around the area who can visit them.

When referring to the opening of the Birmingham Walk-in Centre Jackie said: “It won’t just be of interest to people from Birmingham, but also to many people from the West Midlands.”

She added: “More and more people are taking advantage of these centres for their many benefits and we are steadily expanding the number of locations available, for greater accessibility.”

The Walk-in Centre locations are key to their accessibility as they are near town and city centres and are often walking distance from major train and bus stations.

Jackie also suggests that they are of great value when she says: “There is no collection fee when people use these centres, so they are not paying for the collection and it is better for the client, cost-wise.”

Cutting the cost to clients

This is not the only cost effective service available for those who require testing, as express-like testing is now available for a standard price, namely arriving in the form of Next Day Legal DNA Testing.

This allows people to receive their results by the next day from when samples arrive at the laboratory, without having to pay extra for the service.

Most companies will only provide this speed of service with additional fees tagged on, meaning that the legal DNA testing could cost well over £500, and even more when you take into consideration the VAT.

Next Day Legal DNA Testing is an exclusive service, which will cost considerably less, even when considering VAT and sample collection fees. Furthermore, it is possible to make further savings when utilising a free sample collection service at a Walk-in Centre, but this aspect is not exclusive to just legal testing.

These centres can be used for peace of mind testing and immigration testing too, which are also provided with next day results as standard.

Although DNA test kits are available for peace of mind testing, which can be self-administered by people at home at a time that is convenient to them, people can still visit the centres in order to have sample collection performed for results that are only for their own knowledge if they wish.

It’s all part of the process

AlphaBiolabs were the first DNA testing company to offer next day results for peace of mind testing, with legal and immigration testing following, which is rather remarkable when considering all the procedures that have to be meticulously followed for these forms of testing. For example, there are many procedures involved with maintaining chain of custody, confidentiality, data protection, providing identification and operating to the highest standards for a UKAS ISO 17025 accreditation, despite providing this incredibly quick turnaround time as standard.

To achieve these turnaround times the company also utilise their own UK based laboratory and have invested in more staff, both in terms of increasing the number of employed individuals and in nurturing their development. Furthermore, a number of their teams, including operations, customer services and the DNA department have all streamlined their processes without compromising quality or essential protocols.

Unlike companies that outsource the analysis process, they also have DNA specialists at hand for expert advice during any stage of the client’s case. Although customer service staff are trained to deal with many aspects that may arise, particularly as they can be dealing with family’s sensitive issues, advice from the DNA specialists can be helpful for more complex cases or for the clarification of results.

This also means that a statement of witness can be supplied directly alongside the Next Day DNA Testing, which obviously cannot be provided directly by companies that are simply resellers.

All these many elements contribute to making Next Day Legal DNA testing the most convenient choice for those considering DNA testing services either for themselves or as a decision on behalf of their clients. Put simply, they all add to the care and convenience for clients at a reduced cost as standard.