Maximizing Coverage: The Strategic Case for Field Augmentation

To Augment or Not to Augment: Key Considerations for Field Augmentation

According to industry research—and validated by many of our clients—the 80/20 Rule continues to hold: 80% of revenue typically comes from just 20% of customers. That raises a critical question: Is there truly ROI in having your field reps spend time on long-tail customers at the bottom of the revenue curve?

Field Rep Capacity: What’s Realistic?

How many accounts can a field rep realistically manage -100, 200, even 300? With only about 20 working days a month, can one rep visit 5 to 15 customers daily?

It may be possible in densely populated metro areas. However, it becomes significantly harder in rural, suburban, or geographically dispersed territories.

So, what happens to the rest of your customers?

This Is Where Field Augmentation Comes In

While the idea of “double-paying” for coverage (field rep + support) may give some organizations pause, a well-designed field augmentation strategy is an investment that delivers measurable returns.

Pairing field reps with Sales Development Representatives (SDRs), virtual clinical educators, and non-personal promotion channels supports:

New product introductions
Lead generation
Clinical education
Customer service and support

Effective augmentation ensures your reps focus on the right customers at the right time. Organizations that fully integrate virtual and inside teams into the broader sales model will achieve the greatest impact. These “blended teams” maximize reach, improve engagement, and boost ROI.

“Organizations that strategically pair field reps with inside sales or sales development representatives can improve sales productivity by up to 20%.”
— Alexander Group, Field Sales Optimization Insights
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Why It Matters

Most organizations still follow the 80/20 Rule—leaving the “long tail” underserved. Can your field reps really cover them all?

Average Rep Capacity: 100–300 accounts
Time Available: ~20 working days/month
Visits Needed per Day: 5–15 (rarely realistic outside metro areas)

So again—what happens to the rest?

The Case for Field Augmentation

Augmenting your field force with SDRs, virtual clinical educators, and non-personal promotion tools can help:

Drive new product launches
Accelerate lead generation
Scale clinical education
Improve customer retention
Extend reach across underserved accounts

Bottom Line

A thoughtful field augmentation strategy lets you do more with less—without compromising impact. Let your field reps focus where they’re needed most while virtual teams ensure you don’t miss a beat across the rest of your customer base.