Outsourcing fills gap for innovative medtech startup

Launch a new clinical product

Startups run lean by necessity. When they need extra resources, they get creative. For the medtech veterans at the helm of OneOme, a new product launch meant outsourcing lead generation and inside sales until they grew big enough to staff those functions internally.

The company, cofounded by Mayo Clinic, helped pioneer pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing. Their diagnostic kits arm patients and providers with individual genetic profiles that improve treatment decisions. Their offering was a game-changer for the industry, but they still needed to build a sales pipeline with physicians and pharmacists.

As CEO Paul Owen recalled, “We needed a cost-effective capability to get to health systems and physicians directly—without incurring the cost of sales reps knocking on doors.”

“Our key challenge was supporting our smaller accounts,” explained Brian Arendt, OneOme’s Senior Director of Commercial Operations. “We asked our sales reps to focus on large health system sales and bigger partnerships. We didn’t have a mechanism to nurture transactional accounts or gather intelligence on the right call points.”

Outsource inside sales activities

Volkart May’s experienced healthcare call team was the natural choice. Owen and Arendt had both relied on our professional contact center at previous medtech companies.

“Volkart May’s expertise and focus on the healthcare space was key,” Arendt said. “They understand the call point when reaching clinical decision-makers.”

Owen appreciated Volkart May’s collaborative approach.

“You don’t want the end customer thinking it’s a call center,” Owen said. “You want them to see the company taking time to understand their needs and find a solution. Volkart May are able to get into the organization and do that.”

For OneOme, we set up campaigns focused on two market segments and three roles: pharmacists and lab directors at hospitals, and psychiatry directors at psychiatric clinics. Through outbound calling, we simultaneously profiled each provider for fit and interest in PGx testing, and generated qualified leads. We arranged to send sample kits and even booked warm appointments directly on their sales reps’ calendars.

Market insights and sales traction

Positive results appeared just a few days into calling. Overall, the campaign averaged more than 60 qualified leads each month and created a pipeline of awareness and future interest. For every clinical decision-maker we reached, two-thirds converted to a lead or sales appointment.

Testing was a significant part of the project. On every call, we captured key insights. With this data-driven intelligence, OneOme could refine their marketing and sales efforts. Arendt appreciated the ability to try different approaches quickly and cost-effectively.

“As a small company or startup, you can test your sales channels and campaigns with Volkart May,” he said. “You can try different approaches. You can easily scale. Volkart May can do it faster, with less risk or cost, than trying to do it ourselves.”

For Owen, outsourcing filled a critical need in OneOme’s growth trajectory.

“We eventually brought calling in-house and found out just how hard it is!” Owen admitted.

He added, “Volkart May wasn’t a vendor—they were a partner. Their professionalism, ability to understand the customer and to deliver high quality at a reasonable cost keeps me coming back.”