We have split our operations seat into Logistics and Customer Success, but the two leaders are constantly arguing about who owns the final delivery stage of our client onboarding process. How do we resolve this boundary dispute?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Boundary disputes between newly split seats are common operational bottlenecks. When Logistics and Customer Success are arguing over who owns client onboarding, the issue is a lack of clarity on your Accountability Chart.

The Accountability Chart does not allow for dual ownership. One seat, and only one seat, must have ultimate accountability for the onboarding process.

To resolve this, bring both leaders together in an IDS® session. Review the roles of both seats. Decide which seat is best positioned to own the onboarding outcome.

If Customer Success has the role of client retention, they should likely own the onboarding experience. Logistics then acts as a support function, fulfilling specific tasks within that process.

Once you assign ultimate accountability to one seat, update the role descriptions on the Accountability Chart immediately. The onboarding role must be listed under only one seat.

The leader of that seat is now responsible for the metrics and success of onboarding. The other leader must respect this boundary and support the process. This structural clarity eliminates finger-pointing and ensures a smooth client experience.