How Poorly Defined Boundaries Cause Inefficiencies in Customer Service Coverage

Poorly defined customer service boundaries cause inefficiencies like duplicated efforts, missed issues, and frustrated customers. Learn how to fix them for better results.

Key takeaways

• Customers in an area without clearly assigned reps experience long wait times
• Customers might receive different responses while calling about the same issue
• Miscommunication between sales teams and support teams leads to poor service
• Poor boundaries cause unbalanced workloads, with some service teams overwhelmed

The pandemic compelled field sales teams to work as if they were inside sales reps. Social distancing significantly challenged the ability of field sales teams to meet with customers face-to-face. Virtual meetings replaced in-person ones, which was how inside sales teams operated by default. In 2025, we don’t feel the legacy of the pandemic bearing down on us as heavily as it used to, and with that, new (or old) challenges are emerging, a major one being poorly defined boundaries.

Examples of poorly defined boundaries

A company expanding into a new market might fail to clearly assign customer service reps to the new region. As a result, customers in that area experience long wait times or are ignored, leading to complaints and lost business.

Without well-defined service territories, customers calling about the same issue receive different responses depending on which agent they reach. This inconsistency erodes credibility and trust in the company’s customer support.

A sales team promises priority customer support to a new client, but the support team is unaware of this commitment due to unclear internal communication and boundary definitions. The customer does not receive the expected service level, damaging trust and retention. This is dangerous as 88% of customers who trust a company will keep buying from it.

Effects of poorly defined boundaries

The effects involve inefficiencies that negatively impact response times, resource allocation, and overall customer satisfaction. Multiple agents may be on the same issue without clear demarcation of service territories or responsibilities, leading to wasted effort and inconsistent resolutions. Conversely, customers may experience delays if their inquiries are bounced between representatives due to unclear ownership of specific regions or accounts.

Poor boundary definitions can cause unbalanced workloads, which overwhelm some service teams. Surveys reveal that as many as 90% of employees experience sales burnout.

Possible solutions

Territory mapping helps customer service teams optimize coverage by clearly defining service areas, ensuring balanced workloads, and reducing response times. By using geographic or account-based mapping, companies can assign specific regions or customer segments to dedicated representatives, eliminating confusion over who handles what. This prevents duplication of efforts, minimizes service gaps, and ensures that customer inquiries are directed to the right agent the first time. Additionally, mapping territories enables better resource allocation, ensuring that high-demand areas receive adequate support while preventing underutilization. When integrated with CRM and analytics tools, mapping provides real-time insights into service performance, helping businesses refine their strategies. Ultimately, it enhances efficiency, improves customer satisfaction, and streamlines operations for a more responsive and effective service team. A survey by the Sales Management Association (SMA) found that the sales target achievement rate increased by 14% when the territory design was efficient.

A thin line

The line between field sales and inside sales is getting thinner. In some cases, inside sales teams are more effective and efficient than field sales teams because not every potential buyer wants to engage with a salesperson. In the past, inside sales teams made cold calls to prospect for buyers. Informed outreach has replaced this approach. With the proliferation of online platforms and messaging apps, the role of the inside salesperson now includes traditional inbound and outbound approaches. An example of inbound is thanking the person for calling the company and asking how you can help. With outbound, the salesperson introduces themselves and asks to speak with a potential customer.

In many companies, these teams’ roles are still defined as customer service. This isn’t to say the importance of customer service has diminished – it hasn’t in the slightest. Companies that offer excellent customer service see 93% of their customers making repeat purchases. A fifth of existing customers generate 80% of a company’s future profits, and 89% say they would likely make another purchase after a positive service experience. Sales teams often focus on solving customer’s problems or operational issues. They can focus on cross-selling, up-selling, re-engagement, etc., after dealing with the customer’s problems.