Keeping Quality High as Your Business Grows by Devin Doyle
Devin Doyle suggests that momentum excites investors and teams, yet rapid business expansion can quietly smudge the details that once delighted customers. A new region adds distance, a new product line introduces complexity, and suddenly service cues slip The remedy begins with a crisp definition of quality standards that travels across borders. Write them in plain language, show what great looks like, and pair each promise with a measurable signal Response time, defect rate, first contact resolution, on-time delivery, and net promoter score become a shared vocabulary. Place these measures on the wall, in onboarding, and inside dashboards so everyone knows the target and feels accountable for the same outcomes Leaders set the tone by reinforcing the same narrative in town halls and one-to-ones, turning standards from a memo into a daily habit.
Standards need scaffolding, not slogans. Translate each promise into a simple, scalable process and a single source of truth Document the flows for sales handoffs, onboarding checklists, approvals, and incident response. Store them where people already work, not in forgotten folders. Build starter kits for new sites, complete with ready-to-use templates, sample dashboards, and role clarifiers Automate recurring steps so quality does not depend on heroics When a task repeats, turn it into a checklist with clear owners and acceptance criteria, then review it quarterly as lessons from the field arrive
Growth strains people systems first. Hiring for skill is helpful, but hiring for judgment protects the customer experience when policies cannot anticipate every edge case Build a hiring bar that tests for curiosity, empathy, and pattern recognition Pair new managers with experienced mentors who model calm standards under pressure. Establish a cadence of daily standups and weekly reviews that surface risks early Celebrate teams when they prevent problems, not only when they fix them. Rewards teach the culture what matters, and a culture that honors preparation will carry quality standards through the stress of expansion
Supply chains and platforms carry their own version of drift. As volumes rise, minor deviations multiply, so inspect earlier and closer to the source Qualify vendors with trial runs and transparent scorecards that weigh reliability, capacity, and alignment on ethics. Create layered quality checks, from incoming inspection to in-process sampling to pre-ship verification. Map dependencies, identify single points of failure, and maintain safety stock where it truly matters When switching between partners, share specifications, tolerances, and packaging standards with photographic examples, then audit the first three runs before relaxing oversight
Governance keeps standards visible without slowing momentum Form a cross-functional council that meets on a predictable rhythm, reviews the same set of metrics, and owns escalation paths Publish a brief monthly quality note that shares wins, near misses, and changes to playbooks Make dashboards public inside the company so any team can compare sites or product lines at a glance. When a metric dips below the threshold, trigger a clear correction loop with an owner, a root cause summary, and a date to confirm the fix under real conditions Clarify decision rights, noting which calls stay central and which choices are safe to localize, so speed improves without eroding consistency.
Data and feedback complete the circle Pair operational metrics with the voice of the customer to give numbers color. Rotate leaders through support queues and store visits to feel the texture of issues Invite customers to short interviews after key moments, such as onboarding, renewals, or warranty claims. Tag themes, track time to resolution, and publish what you learned. When something goes wrong, tell the story plainly and explain how the system improved Transparency builds brand trust that advertising alone cannot purchase, especially when new audiences are deciding whether to try you for the first time.
Sustained excellence during business expansion is not a miracle; it is a habit. Keep the promises few and clear, make the processes visible and repeatable, and staff teams who care about outcomes more than optics Protect the customer experience with early checks, resilient suppliers, and honest data. Invest in training and cross-training so bench strength rises with the growth curve Over time, these practices create a reputation that travels ahead of each launch, inviting new markets to meet the brand with confidence and curiosity Run periodic crisis drills that test escalation paths and communication, because the calm you practice in peacetime becomes the quality your customers feel in peak season