Anatomy and physiology (A&P) instructors and lab managers deal with more than their share of administrative headaches, especially when it comes to budgets and ordering supplies. Carolina is here to help you optimize the teaching, prep, and administrative processes you’re juggling. A lot of our team has been right where you are now, because many of us were instructors at one point. We get it!
This article is part of a 3-part series on A&P budgets and is a critical piece of A Survival Guide for A&P Instructors. Other articles in the series deal with practical ways to take the stress out of ordering supplies and equipment and cutting through the clutter of information about grants and funding to supplement your current budget.
Don’t Let Indecision and Purchasing Get You Down
Maybe you aren’t desperately short on funds, but you’d like to explore ways to get more for your money with certain products. That’s a great goal, and it can help make the planning for supplies and equipment more fun. However, when you start shopping around to compare what you can get, it’s easy to land in the Toothpaste Dilemma.
We’ve all been there: you’re standing in a grocery or retail store, staring at a wall of 40 different brands of toothpaste as you try to find the best deal. With fluoride, or not? Do you need whitening, and is it worth paying more for it? Which is better: the 6-ounce tube of generic, the 4-ounce tube of a brand name with the annoying commercial that gets stuck in your head, or the BOGO deal on the one with the flavor you don’t like that much? It’s a good thing you have an advanced degree in science, because you’re going to need that knowledge to sort this conundrum out.
Even though you are something of a toothpaste expert (since you’ve been buying and using it all these years), it might still be helpful to have someone that can help you see meaningful differentiators as you’re making your decision. That’s part of how we’ve built the customer service department at Carolina. Our team works hard to be available when you have questions about products, options for ordering, available replacement parts, and more.
Help Where You Need It in the Ordering Process
One of the simplest ways Carolina Biological Supply Company can help take the stress out of your budget administration is through the ordering process. We pride ourselves on responsive, friendly customer service.
Getting a quote from our team can be a big help in streamlining your order and ensuring you get the best pricing. If your school or school district has contract pricing with Carolina, we’ll be able to check that in the quote process. We deliver quotes within 24 hours of your request. When you’re ready to place your order, simply reference the quote number we send to get that pricing.
Our catalogs and website also have a tremendous amount of detailed information to help you settle on the right products for your labs. If you are a college customer, you’ll also have access to our inside sales team. They are happy to help you look at particular products in your budget and make suggestions about how you can get more for your money.
Say you’d like to buy a water bell spirometer. We offer a large (up to 9 liters), classically styled model with an impressive feature list and accessories. It’s large enough that the entire class can see it for a central demonstration, so it would be a great centerpiece addition to your equipment. It lists for over $700. If you have other priorities, however, we have other options.
We carry smaller, handheld dry spirometers that will also help your students achieve the same learning goals. If you want to outfit most or all of the lab tables in your class with one of these, they list for around $250.
A Little More Help for Your Budget Planning
Carolina has been a trusted supplier for more than 90 years, but we’re also a trusted partner for many of our long-time customers. We never forget what a high-stakes course A&P is for your students and for you, so we look forward to learning how we can help.
Download a copy of our “Maximizing Your Anatomy and Physiology Budget” infographic. It has additional tips, resources, and helpful information for you.
