13 examples of Customer Retention metrics and KPIs
What are Customer Retention metrics?
Crafting the perfect Customer Retention metrics can feel overwhelming, particularly when you're juggling daily responsibilities. That's why we've put together a collection of examples to spark your inspiration.
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While we have some examples available, it's likely that you'll have specific scenarios that aren't covered here. You can use our free AI metrics generator below to generate your own strategies.
Percentage increase in revenue over a specified period, calculated as (Current Period Revenue - Previous Period Revenue) / Previous Period Revenue * 100
What good looks like for this metric: 5-10% annually for stable growth
Ideas to improve this metric
Enhance sales team training
Expand product/service offerings
Improve market analysis for new opportunities
Increase customer referrals and testimonials
Implement targeted marketing strategies
2. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
Total cost of acquiring a new customer, calculated as total sales and marketing expense / number of new customers acquired
What good looks like for this metric: Typically $1 to $300 per customer
Ideas to improve this metric
Optimize marketing channels for efficiency
Improve targeting of ideal customer profiles
Enhance website conversion rates
Leverage partnerships and collaborations
Increase use of digital marketing tools
3. Customer Retention Rate
Percentage of customers retained over a given period, calculated as ((End of Period Customers - New Customers) / Start of Period Customers) * 100
What good looks like for this metric: 70-90% depending on the industry
Ideas to improve this metric
Improve product/service quality
Enhance customer support experience
Develop customer loyalty programmes
Regularly gather and act on customer feedback
Create engaging communication and content
4. Net Revenue Retention (NRR)
Percentage of recurring revenue retained from existing customers, including upgrades/downgrades, calculated as (Starting Revenue + Expansion Revenue - Churn) / Starting Revenue * 100
What good looks like for this metric: Over 100% indicates good growth
Ideas to improve this metric
Upsell existing customers to higher-tier plans
Introduce new features to drive value
Regularly communicate new offerings to customers
Reduce churn by addressing common concerns
Conduct regular account reviews with key clients
5. Profit Margin
Percentage of revenue that exceeds total costs, calculated as (Net Income / Revenue) * 100
What good looks like for this metric: 10-20% is common in the industry
The total revenue generated from all active subscriptions in a month. Calculated as the sum of all subscription values per month.
What good looks like for this metric: $10,000 - $500,000 depending on industry
Ideas to improve this metric
Increase the price of your subscription plans
Upsell existing customers to higher-tier plans
Acquire new subscribers through marketing campaigns
Improve product offerings to reduce churn
Implement annual or semi-annual billing cycles
2. Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV)
The total revenue a business can reasonably expect from a single customer account throughout their relationship. Calculated as average revenue per account multiplied by average customer lifespan.
What good looks like for this metric: $100 - $1,500 depending on industry
Ideas to improve this metric
Enhance customer support to increase retention
Develop loyalty programs
Segment customers for personalized marketing
Offer cross-sell and upsell opportunities
Collect and act on customer feedback
3. Customer Churn Rate
The percentage of customers who cancel their subscriptions over a given period. Calculated as the number of customers who left divided by the total number of customers at the start of the period.
What good looks like for this metric: 2-8% per month
Ideas to improve this metric
Improve customer onboarding experience
Regularly engage with customers through communication channels
Offer limited-time promotions to retain wavering customers
Analyse reasons for cancellation and address common issues
Introduce long-term subscription discounts
4. Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)
The average amount of money earned from each active user or subscriber. Calculated by dividing total revenue by the number of active users.
What good looks like for this metric: $10 - $200 per month
Ideas to improve this metric
Encourage customers to upgrade their plans
Introduce add-ons and premium features
Bundle products and services
Improve user experience to enhance perceived value
Use targeted pricing strategies
5. Subscriber Growth Rate
The rate at which new subscribers are acquired over a given period. Calculated as the percentage increase in subscribers from one period to the next.
What good looks like for this metric: 5-10% per month for growing businesses
Ideas to improve this metric
Invest in digital marketing campaigns
Offer referral incentives
Enhance presence on social media platforms
Partner with influencers or other businesses
Continuously optimize your website for conversions
Measures the percentage of existing clients who continue to use your services over a specific period. Calculated by dividing the number of clients at the end of a period by the number of clients at the start, then multiplying by 100.
What good looks like for this metric: 70-80%
Ideas to improve this metric
Enhance client engagement through regular communication
Offer personalized solutions tailored to each client's needs
Implement a loyalty or rewards program
Seek regular feedback and act on it immediately
Provide consistent and high-quality service
2. Service Expansion Success Rate
Tracks the success rate of newly introduced services by calculating the percentage of services that meet initial adoption or use targets.
What good looks like for this metric: 60-70%
Ideas to improve this metric
Conduct thorough market research before launching new services
Train staff effectively to support new services
Market new services aggressively to existing and potential clients
Collect and analyse feedback from clients on new services
Set clear and realistic targets for service adoption
3. Revenue Growth Rate
Indicates the rate of revenue growth over a specific period, measuring the agency's ability to increase earnings.
What good looks like for this metric: 10-20% annually
Ideas to improve this metric
Identify and target new market segments
Upsell or cross-sell services to existing clients
Increase pricing strategically after enhancing service value
Reduce costs through efficient operation practices
Expand client base with effective marketing campaigns
4. Client Satisfaction Score
A measure of how satisfied clients are with your services, often gathered through surveys and reflected on a scale from 1 to 10.
What good looks like for this metric: 8/10
Ideas to improve this metric
Regularly solicit and review client feedback
Address client issues promptly and effectively
Ensure services are consistently performed to high standards
Engage in active communication with clients
Create a client-centric culture within the agency
5. Market Penetration Rate
The percentage of your target market that is using your agency's services, calculated by dividing current clients by the total target market, then multiplying by 100.
What good looks like for this metric: 15-25%
Ideas to improve this metric
Increase brand awareness through strategic marketing
Develop competitive pricing strategies
Enhance service quality to stand out in the market
Offer innovative solutions that meet emerging market needs
Leverage online and social media platforms to reach wider audiences
Having a plan is one thing, sticking to it is another.
Don't fall into the set-and-forget trap. It is important to adopt a weekly check-in process to keep your strategy agile – otherwise this is nothing more than a reporting exercise.
A tool like Tability can also help you by combining AI and goal-setting to keep you on track.
Tability's check-ins will save you hours and increase transparency
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