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Level 1 KPIs

The 7 Critical Numbers for Small Business

For small businesses, tracking key performance metrics is essential to drive efficiency, profitability, and growth. The critical numbers to monitor include Customer Satisfaction (NPS), Revenue, Employee Engagement (eNPS), Pipeline Management, Revenue Concentration Risks, Revenue Churn Rate, and EBITDA. Understanding and optimizing these metrics can help businesses enhance client loyalty, streamline sales processes, boost financial health, and foster a productive work environment.

We call these seven the Level 1 KPIs. Every other KPI will flow from these seven. The next level down KPIs are called Level 2 and Level 3 KPIs.

1. Customer Satisfaction (NPS)

Customer satisfaction, often measured using the Net Promoter Score (NPS), is a crucial metric for businesses to track client loyalty and referral potential. NPS is based on asking clients a single question: "How likely are you to recommend our company to a friend or colleague?" Responses are given on a scale of 0 - 10, with those answering 9 - 10 classified as Promoters, 7 - 8 as Passives, and 0 - 6 as Detractors.

The NPS is then calculated using the formula:

NPS = %Promoters − %Detractors

NPS scores can range from -100 to +100, with higher scores indicating greater client satisfaction and loyalty. For businesses, tracking NPS over time can help identify trends, areas for improvement, and opportunities to turn Detractors into Promoters.

Supplementing the core NPS question with open-ended follow-ups like "What's the main reason for your score?" and "What can we do to improve?" provides valuable qualitative insights into the client experience. This feedback can inform targeted initiatives to enhance service quality, communication, and responsiveness.

Businesses should also benchmark their NPS against industry averages to gauge relative performance. According to one study, the average NPS for small business is 25, with top-performing companies achieving scores of 40 or higher.

While NPS provides a high-level view of client satisfaction, it's most effective when combined with other metrics like the Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), which measures satisfaction with specific interactions or services. Together, these metrics paint a comprehensive picture of the client experience and help businesses prioritize improvements that drive loyalty, referrals, and long-term growth.

2. Pipeline Coverage Ratio

The Pipeline Coverage Ratio is a key performance indicator (KPI) that measures the ratio of the total value of deals in the sales pipeline to the sales target. This metric helps determine whether the current pipeline has enough potential revenue to meet future sales goals. A healthy pipeline coverage ratio is typically around 3 - 4 times the sales quota, meaning you have three to four times more pipeline value than your sales target.

How to Calculate Pipeline Coverage Ratio

The formula for calculating the Pipeline Coverage Ratio is:

Pipeline Coverage Ratio = Total Pipeline Value / Sales Target

Total Pipeline Value

For example, if your sales target is $100,000 and the total value of deals in your pipeline is $300,000, your pipeline coverage ratio would be 3. This indicates that you have a sufficient pipeline to potentially meet your sales target.

Importance of Pipeline Coverage Ratio

Forecasting Accuracy: It helps in predicting future sales and ensuring that there are enough opportunities to meet revenue goals.

Resource Allocation: It allows for better planning and allocation of resources to ensure that the sales team can focus on the most promising opportunities.

Identifying Gaps: A low pipeline coverage ratio can indicate a need for more lead generation or improved sales strategies to fill the pipeline.

By regularly monitoring the Pipeline Coverage Ratio, a small business can ensure that its sales pipeline is robust enough to replace revenue and sustain business growth

3. Revenue

Revenue is the total income generated by a company from its core business activities, such as the sale of goods or services, before any expenses are subtracted. It is a crucial metric for assessing a company's financial performance and growth potential. Key revenue metrics include:

Total Revenue: The sum of all revenue generated from various streams, such as product sales, service fees, and subscriptions.

Recurring Revenue: The portion of total revenue that is expected to continue in the future, such as monthly subscriptions or long-term contracts. Recurring revenue provides predictability and stability to a company's income.

Revenue Growth Rate: The percentage increase in revenue over a given period, typically measured year-over-year or quarter-over-quarter. A high growth rate indicates strong market demand and effective sales and marketing strategies.

Revenue per Client: The average revenue generated from each client, calculated by dividing total revenue by the number of clients. This metric helps identify high-value clients and opportunities for account expansion.

Revenue Concentration: The percentage of total revenue that comes from a company's top clients. A high concentration (e.g., over 10 - 20% from a single client) can pose risks if a key client is lost.

To maximize revenue, companies should focus on diversifying their revenue streams, improving sales processes, and delivering exceptional customer value. Regularly monitoring and analyzing revenue metrics can help identify growth opportunities, mitigate risks, and make data-driven decisions to optimize financial performance.

4. Revenue Concentration

Revenue concentration refers to the percentage of a company’s total revenue that comes from its top clients. High revenue concentration, where a significant portion of revenue is generated by a small number of clients, can pose risks to the firm's financial stability.

For example, if a company’s top 5 clients account for 80% of its total revenue, losing just one of those clients could have a severe impact on the firm's bottom line. This level of client concentration is generally considered too high, as it leaves the company vulnerable to client attrition and revenue volatility.

To mitigate revenue concentration risk, businesses should aim to diversify their client base and revenue streams. Strategies may include:

Targeting new clients in different industries or practice areas to reduce reliance on a few key accounts

Developing a robust business development pipeline to continuously attract and onboard new clients

Expanding service offerings to existing clients to increase revenue per client and reduce the impact of losing any single account

While there is no universally accepted threshold for healthy revenue concentration, many experts recommend that no single client should account for more than 10-20% of a company’s total revenue. By monitoring and managing revenue concentration, businesses can build a more stable and resilient business model that is less susceptible to client turnover and market fluctuations.

5. Revenue Churn

Revenue churn, also known as MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) churn, measures the percentage of recurring revenue lost from existing customers through subscription cancellations and downgrades during a specific period, usually calculated monthly. It provides insights into the financial impact of customer retention and is a crucial metric for businesses to track.

The formula for calculating revenue churn rate is:

Revenue Churn Rate = Churned MRR / MRR at the beginning of the period × 100%

Where churned MRR represents the total revenue lost from existing customers during a specific period, and MRR at the beginning of the period is the recurring revenue at the start of that same period.

There are two main components of revenue churn:

Gross Revenue Churn: This measures the total revenue lost from existing customers, including downgrades, cancellations, and lost business.

Net Revenue Churn: This accounts for both the revenue lost and the expansion or upsell revenue from existing customers, providing a more comprehensive view of the revenue dynamics.

A negative net revenue churn rate, where expansion revenue outweighs gross revenue churn, is seen as a positive sign, indicating that existing customers are not only staying but also contributing to revenue growth through upsells and expansions.

To reduce revenue churn, companies can:

Invest in customer success by increasing support headcount, doing customer marketing, training the success team, and improving the onboarding experience.

Attract the right customers who are a good fit for the product and more likely to stay long-term.

Offer alternatives to churning customers, such as plan downgrades or short-term discounts.

Implement a dunning process to handle failed payments and prevent involuntary churn.

By understanding and minimizing revenue churn, businesses can improve customer retention, stabilize recurring revenue, and drive sustainable growth.

6. Profit (EBITDA)

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization

Measure of a company's profitability before certain expenses and effects are accounted for

Definition

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) is a measure of a company's profitability of the operating business only, excluding certain expenses.

Components

Derived by subtracting all costs of the operating business from revenues, excluding decline in asset value, borrowing costs, lease expenses, and obligations to governments.

Financial Reporting

Although included in income statements, EBITDA is not part of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and requires reconciliation to net income by the SEC.

EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) is a measure of a company's operating performance and profitability. It provides a clear picture of a business's core profit by excluding non-operating expenses like interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. EBITDA is calculated as:

EBITDA = Net Income + Interest + Taxes + Depreciation + Amortization

EBITDA is useful for comparing the financial health and performance of different companies, as it eliminates the effects of financing and accounting decisions. A higher EBITDA indicates that a company is more profitable and efficient. However, EBITDA is not a recognized metric under GAAP or IFRS and should be used in conjunction with other financial measures. It also does not account for capital expenditures needed to maintain assets, which can be significant for some businesses.

7. Employee Engagement (eNPS)

Employee engagement is a critical metric for businesses to track, as it directly impacts productivity, client satisfaction, and overall business performance. One popular method for measuring engagement is the Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS), which adapts the customer-focused NPS methodology to assess employee loyalty and satisfaction.

The eNPS survey asks employees a single question: "On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our company as a place to work?" Responses are categorized as follows:

Promoters (9 - 10): Loyal and enthusiastic employees who actively recommend the company

Passives (7 - 8): Satisfied but unenthusiastic employees who are vulnerable to other job opportunities

Detractors (0 - 6): Unhappy employees who may spread negative sentiment and undermine morale

The eNPS is then calculated using the formula:

eNPS = %Promoters − %Detractors

Scores can range from -100 to +100, with higher scores indicating greater employee engagement and loyalty. Businesses should aim for an eNPS of +10 to +30 at a minimum, with top-performing organizations achieving scores of +50 or higher.

To gain deeper insights, businesses should supplement the core eNPS question with open-ended follow-ups like "What made you choose this rating?" This qualitative feedback can help identify specific drivers of engagement and areas for improvement.

While eNPS provides a high-level view of employee sentiment, it is most effective when combined with other engagement metrics and initiatives, such as:

Regular pulse surveys to track engagement over time

Stay interviews to understand why high-performing employees remain with the firm

Focus groups to gather more detailed feedback and ideas for improvement

Action planning based on survey results to address key engagement drivers

By measuring and actively managing employee engagement, businesses can foster a more motivated, productive, and loyal workforce, ultimately leading to better client outcomes and business success.

The 7 Critical Numbers for Small Business

1. Customer Satisfaction (NPS)

2. Pipeline Coverage Ratio

3. Revenue

4. Revenue Concentration

5. Revenue Churn

6. Profit (EBITDA)

7. Employee Engagement (eNPS)

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