How do you maintain customer service levels in a rapidly growing business?

The answer is to build a process for all repetitive tasks or functions. The time you spend creating a process will save you significantly more time in the future. Process by definition is consistent, repeatable and predictable. Process is also the key to organizational efficiency and effectiveness. You’re team is your first priority!  Start by structuring your management processes as this will help you formulate your strategic management plan.  In essence, you are creating a operating manual for yourself, your employees,  your peers, and your successor. There should be processes in place for every function in an organization that are documented. It becomes the training manual for new hires, it's the basis for reviews, it's an analytical starting point to look at emerging problems and the foundation upon which you can build change. If you start building basic processes now, growth and change become less dramatic because they become just the improvement or expansion of a basic process that is already in place. Helps to take the hysteria out of rapid change. . Here are some examples: People Process: Focus on behaviors and activities that drive results and accountability •      Interviewing •      Hiring     •      Skill Assessment •      Reward & Recognition •      Reviews                •      Evaluating Performance •      Performance Improvement Plans             •      Termination Process Management: Focus on efficient and effective processes supported by tools, training, and coaching •      Developing job descriptions with decision-making scope including goals and absolutes •      Process Maps for specific market segments, products, or promotions including tools available   •      Training •      Coaching & mentoring   •      Ethics manual Numbers/Goals: Focus on realistic and attainable targets that are measurable •      Financial plan including budget and 5 years history plus forecast per account in each territory •      Reporting templates that support the strategy, the numbers and the activities •      Partner planning templates for distributors and/or independent representatives if applicable The foundation of management process is clear & effective communications. It is vital to have a communications plan that supports the strategy and is consistent, repeatable and predictable.  Leadership Communications plan •    Desired outcomes •    Desired actions •    Your talking points: What to communicate •    Your walking points: How you communicate through action •    Resources you'll need to tap or develop to succeed •    Measurement of progress: How will you know where you are?