The Metrics That Power Trust: Inside Our Quality Framework
Most CROs report client satisfaction. Few share the internal operational metrics that actually drive it. To reveal what operational excellence looks like inside a CRO, this article breaks down two performance metrics that govern data integrity and delivery timelines across Reaction Biology’s labs.
At Reaction Biology, quality is a commitment we can measure. We hold ourselves accountable for data integrity and report delivery metrics that define a quantifiable standard for our scientific operations. These performance metrics govern how we generate and deliver reliable, actionable data to accelerate drug discovery and development programs.
Across Reaction Biology’s four sites, we consistently review operational data to ensure universally high performance. While “client satisfaction” is a typical metric for most CROs, they lack transparent insights into a CRO’s internal operational performance. Our scientific operations metrics reveal how we can better serve our partners, and ultimately tangible ways to improve client experience.
Delivering high-quality data begins at our company’s core: with quality management systems, experienced scientists, and gold-standard equipment and protocols. Along with rigorous operational excellence, these factors translate our commitments into high-quality study execution.
In this article, we share what we measure, why it matters, and how these indicators reflect the operational discipline behind every project.
Right First Time (RFT): More than Correctness
Our quality philosophy begins with the principle that data reports must be accurate at first delivery, or what we call “Right First Time” (RFT). RFT is critical because a single miscalculated IC₅₀, a transposed data point, or a mislabeled chart could potentially cascade into flawed compound prioritization, wasted resources, and compromised downstream experiments.
To track and maintain our RFT metrics, we measure the percentage of reports delivered to clients without errors on the first submission. This metric reflects how well our internal review processes catch errors and make corrections before delivery.
We calculate RFT by tracking first-pass accuracy across all client reports, reflecting data integrity, correct labeling, accurate calculations, and complete experimental documentation. All aspects of our client reports are scrutinized, directly providing insights into the rigor of our quality systems and the quality mindset of every scientist across our organization.
Every decision our partners make depends on the reliability of the data we provide. High RFT performance means fewer delays, less re-work, and greater confidence in development pipelines. As a result, RFT sets a non-negotiable bar across our organization: no report leaves our laboratories with known data quality issues.
Because of our company-wide focus on RFT, we consistently exceed our target goals for this metric across all our campuses and scientific departments.
On-Time Delivery (OTD): Reliability You Can Plan Around
While accuracy is paramount to our quality organization, we also pride ourselves on timeliness. “On-Time Delivery” (OTD) measures the percentage of reports delivered by the agreed-upon date. Our definition is strict: partial deliveries do not count as on time. If a project scope includes multiple components with a single delivery date, all components must be completed for the delivery to qualify.
OTD reflects our operational capacity planning, resource allocation, and the accuracy of timeline estimates we provide at project initiation. Consistent achievement of OTD targets indicates an organization that understands its throughput and communicates realistic expectations. For researchers managing complex development timelines, OTD performance determines whether external data can be reliably incorporated into internal planning cycles or whether contingency buffers must be added to every external dependency.
Despite OTD being dependent on RFT, and despite never compromising accuracy for speed, our teams consistently meet or exceed our stated deadlines.
Operational Excellence as a Continuous Practice
These metrics are not static measurement points. Reaction Biology continuously reviews these indicators, investigates variances, and implements process changes to maintain and strengthen our quality performance. Through this continuous improvement, we strive to be the most trusted extension of your lab.
Our goal is straightforward: when data leaves our laboratories, it should be correct, and it should arrive when promised. Our science, expertise, and client services work in harmony for operational excellence scaled across our entire organization.
For partners evaluating contract research relationships, we hope these insights into our quality framework provide a transparent view into the operational discipline behind every study we conduct and confidence in how we support your most critical projects.
