In this episode of the “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, is joined by colleagues Wendy Daigle and Ellen Dijkman Dulkes. Together, they dive into the power of communication in laboratory outreach, sharing practical advice and memorable stories about:

• Identifying audiences (04:13): Discover the internal and external groups you need to communicate with regularly.
• The needs of different audiences (06:46): Learn how communication strategies must adapt for internal teams versus external partners, and what makes each group unique.
• Establishing relationships as a new manager (08:32): Get insights for new outreach managers on building trust and strong connections.
• Tips for strong relationships (16:15): Explore proven approaches for connecting with external partners, non-laboratory departments, and those who can boost your program’s visibility.
• Essential messages for support departments (24:56): The three most important things support departments should know about your outreach program.

In this episode of the “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, is joined by Travis Engelhaupt, digital experience director, and Naomi Lovell, project manager. Together, they discuss website trends and best practices, including:

• Valuable content for clinical laboratory websites.
• The impact of mobile technology and artificial intelligence.
• Engaging leadership to secure resources.
• Opportunities for AI and external collaborators to support site management.
• Navigating update moratoriums.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, is joined by Karen Kloke, director of scientific and technical publications at Mayo Clinic Laboratories. Together, they explore the evolution of laboratory test catalogs and share practical tips for maximizing their value. Topics discussed include:

• Why test catalogs are vitally important.
• How electronic catalogs and electronic health records changed expectations and expanded possibilities for test catalogs.
• What essential information should be included in a test catalog — and what optional details can enhance usability and value for clients.
• Easy ways to create electronic catalogs by using familiar, widely available tools.

You can learn more in “Transforming the Laboratory Test Catalog Into a Strategic Asset,” by outreach solutions strategist Ellen Dijkman Dulkes.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, is joined by colleagues Ellen Dijkman Dulkes and Brianne Newton. They discuss common reasons that outreach programs fail to launch and strategies for building momentum to implement a program. Specific topics include:

• The knowledge and competitive insights needed to move forward.
• Strategies to enter or expand into a large market without being overwhelmed.
• Buy-in from leaders on your outreach program implementation plan.
• Action plans and project management best practices.

Listen to the first episode in this series, “Overcoming Common Barriers to Outreach Success.”

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, is joined by colleagues Ellen Dijkman Dulkes and Brianne Newton. They discuss common challenges outreach programs face that can lead to a program’s failure and how to overcome those barriers. Specific topics include:

• Bolstering leadership support and navigating competing priorities.
• Retaining customers and fixing common communication mistakes.
• Maintaining awareness of things that you cannot control but can impact your program.
• Establishing strong, dedicated leadership of the outreach program.

View the 11 tactics that lead to the highest level of laboratory outreach success mentioned in this episode.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, is joined by colleagues Ellen Dijkman Dulkes and Brianne Newton to discuss building an outreach team. Specific topics include:

• Insights for identifying roles and staff for your outreach team.
• Guidance for establishing goals for an emerging outreach program.
• Strategies for effective communication among the outreach team.
• Tips for building strong relationships with your customers.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, is joined by colleagues Ellen Dijkman Dulkes and Brianne Newton. They build on their previous discussion about customer service by focusing on service recovery.

They discuss strategies for responding to mishaps in the laboratory in a way that supports your broader customer service goals. Specific topics include:

• Common breakdowns in the laboratory outreach environment that may require service recovery.
• Four parts of an effective response: listening, acknowledging, apologizing, and actions to rectify the situation.
• The power of turning service breakdowns into problem-solving opportunities that make your laboratory outreach program better.
• The importance of a quality management plan and empowered staff in effective service recovery.

Additional resources mentioned during the podcast include Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ outreach articles on customer service and a free, on-demand customer service training module.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, is joined by colleagues Ellen Dijkman Dulkes and Brianne Newton. They discuss strategies for delivering excellent customer service. Specific topics include:

• Identifying points of contact with patients and clients that are opportunities to deliver a good experience.
• Creating a culture of customer service.
• Empowering employees to best serve patients and clients.
• Measuring your customer service.