20 Customer Success Metrics and KPIs to Track in 2024

Have you ever wondered what separates successful businesses from the rest?

It all comes down to one crucial factor: customer success. In today's competitive landscape, measuring and tracking the right metrics is essential for driving growth and retaining satisfied customers. That's why we've explored the top 20 customer success metrics and KPIs you should be tracking in 2024. Get ready to supercharge your business with data-driven insights!

Customer success has become a crucial aspect for companies looking to thrive and differentiate themselves.

It revolves around ensuring that customers achieve their desired outcomes and experience ongoing value from your products or services. To effectively drive a customer success strategy, it is essential to establish a robust measurement framework that allows you to track key metrics and indicators.

Here are some steps to effectively measure customer success.

Okay, let's start by defining your customer success goals. This is where you really get clear on what success looks like for your customers. Take the time to understand the outcomes they're seeking to achieve. By gaining a deep understanding of their objectives, you can identify the metrics that align with their success and drive meaningful insights.

Remember, whether it's increasing product adoption, reducing churn, enhancing customer satisfaction, or driving revenue growth, aligning your goals with those of your customers is essential.

Now that you have your customer success goals defined, it's time to identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) that will help you measure progress. KPIs are specific metrics that directly reflect the achievement of your goals.

They can vary depending on your industry, business model, and customer lifecycle stages. Some common KPIs for measuring customer success include customer retention rate, net promoter score (NPS), customer satisfaction score (CSAT), average revenue per user (ARPU), and customer lifetime value (CLV).

Choose the KPIs that are relevant to your business objectives and provide actionable insights.

Alright, to measure customer success like a pro, you gotta gather up some juicy data and work your magic analyzing it. There are loads of sources for this stuff, like customer surveys, usage analytics, support tickets, and sales data, etc.

Get your hands on some tools like customer relationship management (CRM) systems, analytics tools, and customer success platforms to gather all that data in one sweet spot.
Now, once you've got your hands on that data treasure trove, it's time to dig in and find some gold. Analyze that data like a detective on a mission!

Look for patterns, trends, and behaviors that'll give you a glimpse into the mysterious world of your customers. If you find any connections or areas that need a little TLC, you've hit the jackpot. Understanding your customers inside out will help you make smart decisions and get ahead of the game.

Keeping an eye on your customers' well-being and involvement is key to measuring their success. You need to know if they're thriving or in dire straits.

One way to do that is by using customer health scores, a nifty system that takes into account their satisfaction, product usage, and how tight-knit your relationship is.

Create a framework that looks at factors like adoption, how often they use your stuff, interactions with your support team, and any feedback they give you. Keep tabs on those scores to spot any customers who might be in the danger zone and swoop in to save the day.

But wait, there's more! Don't forget to monitor customer engagement metrics too. How often are they logging in? How long are they hanging around? Are they using all the fancy features you've got on offer?

The more they engage, the higher their chances of success and happiness.

Now, this one's a real gem! If you wanna know all there is to know about customer success, you've gotta get them talking.

Set up a feedback loop, where you actively reach out to your customers through surveys, interviews, or good ol' feedback forms. Their thoughts and experiences are pure gold, my friend.

They'll tell you what's working, what's bugging them, and what you can do better. Combine that feedback with some fancy metrics, and voila! You'll have a complete picture of customer success.

But remember, it doesn't end there. You gotta put that feedback to good use. Take action! Use their words to improve your products, services, and support processes. When you show your customers that you're listening and acting on their suggestions, you'll make 'em feel like kings and queens, and that's the key to satisfaction.

Customer success is a never-ending journey, my pal. It's like riding a rollercoaster that never stops. You gotta keep your eyes peeled, constantly monitor your chosen metrics, and make adjustments on the fly.

Regularly check that customer success dashboard you've got going, analyze the results, and spot those areas where you can level up. And hey, don't forget to reassess your goals and KPIs from time to time. The business world is a crazy place, and you need to keep up with the ever-changing expectations of your customers.

Take the insights you gain from all this measuring and use 'em to optimize your customer success strategies. Make their journey smoother than butter and give 'em experiences they'll never forget.

Embracing a continuous improvement culture will prepare you to tackle any challenges that come your way and keep those customers happy in the long run.

Here are some of the most important customer success KPIs.

So, here's the deal: to know how loyal your customers are and how well your products or services are doing, you need to understand the repeat purchase ratio. This metric tells you the percentage of customers who keep coming back for more.

When that ratio is high, it means your customers are happy with their first experience and see ongoing value in what you offer. And let me tell you, a high repeat purchase ratio is like gold.

It shows that your customer relationships are rock solid and can actually boost your revenue. By keeping an eye on this metric over time, you can spot trends, see how your marketing efforts are paying off, and make smart decisions to keep your customers happy and loyal.

Now, let's talk about the Customer Effort Score (CES). This baby measures just how much effort your customers have to put in when they interact with your brand. We're talking about everything from navigating your website to seeking support or solving issues.

By measuring the CES, you get a good look at the bumps in the road that customers may face when dealing with your business.

The lower the CES, the better! It means your customers find it super easy to engage with your brand. And you know what that leads to?

Increased satisfaction and loyalty. This metric helps you find those areas where you can smooth out the process, improve self-service options, and create an overall experience that'll make your customers grin from ear to ear.

Ah, the allure of a free trial! It's a strategy many industries love, giving potential customers a taste of your product or service before they commit to buying.

Now, the free-trial conversion rate is the metric that tells you just how many customers make that leap from the free trial to being paying customers. It's like a gauge of how effective your free trial offer is and how appealing your overall offering is.

A high conversion rate is like music to your ears. It means customers see value in what you're putting out there and are ready to take the plunge. Keeping track and fine-tuning this metric can help you polish up your free trial strategy, boost conversion rates, and watch that revenue grow like a money tree.

Alright, let's talk about the customer retention rate. This little gem tells you the percentage of customers you've managed to keep around during a specific period.

It's a big deal for your customer success managers because it shows how effectively their efforts keep your customers happy. When the retention rate is high, it means your customers are satisfied with what you're offering and are sticking around for more.

And guess what? It's cheaper to hold onto those existing customers than to go out there and find new ones.

That's why this metric is like a crystal ball into the health and stability of your customer base. If you focus on strategies to boost customer retention, like giving top-notch support, personalized experiences, and ongoing value, you'll build that long-term loyalty and watch your business grow like never before.

Let's dig into the customer retention cost, my savvy friend. This metric tells you how much moolah you're shelling out to keep those existing customers by your side.

It covers things like customer support, account management, and those snazzy loyalty programs. By calculating the customer retention cost, you get a good look at the financial impact of your customer success initiatives.

A lower retention cost means you're using your resources efficiently, but if that cost gets a bit high, it might be time to look for ways to optimize.

Remember, this metric is your ticket to smart budgeting. It helps you figure out where to allocate your funds effectively, spot opportunities to reduce costs and ensure that the value you deliver to your customers is worth every penny you invest in keeping them around.

This nifty metric gives you a big-picture view of how happy and satisfied your customers are. It takes into account their engagement, usage patterns, and even their sentiment.

How do you calculate it, you ask? Well, you look at indicators like product adoption, engagement levels, support tickets, and feedback from your lovely customers.

By keeping an eye on the customer health score, you can be proactive. You'll spot those at-risk customers before they even think about churning and swoop in to save the day. Plus, it helps you prioritize your resources and efforts on those customers who need a little extra attention.

And you know what that means? It means higher satisfaction, better retention, and long-term success for everyone involved.

Further, there are multiple ways to represent customer health scores.

Beyond all those numbers and figures, there's a treasure trove of qualitative customer feedback that holds the key to deeper understanding.

This feedback goes beyond the surface and dives into the thoughts, emotions, and experiences of your customers.

You can get this precious insight through surveys, interviews, and interactions with your customer support team.
Why is this feedback so valuable?

Well, it adds context to those quantitative metrics and gives you actionable information to improve customer success. It shines a light on pain points, reveals areas for improvement, and uncovers those unmet needs you didn't even know existed.

Actively listening to your customers and incorporating their feedback into your strategies can help you elevate their experience, build stronger relationships, and create that long-lasting loyalty you're after.

Let's talk about retention and customer lifetime value (CLV). These two metrics are like peas in a pod, intricately connected and reflecting the long-term success and profitability of your customer relationships.

Retention rate tells you how well you're hanging onto customers over a specific period, while CLV estimates the total revenue a customer brings in throughout their entire journey with your business.

Why are these metrics so important?

Well, they give you a clear picture of the health of your customer base and the return on investment for acquiring and retaining customers.

When you focus on retention and increasing CLV, you're maximizing the value each customer brings and fueling that sustainable revenue growth.

You can achieve this by implementing personalized marketing, providing proactive customer support, and nurturing those active customers with ongoing engagement. These strategies have a big impact on loyalty and ultimately boost customer lifetime value.

For all you subscription-based businesses out there, monthly recurring revenue (MRR) is your go-to financial metric.

It's the steady and predictable revenue you generate from those sweet subscription fees each month. MRR gives you insights into the stability and growth of your customer base.

Keeping an eye on changes in MRR can help you spot trends, understand the impact of customer acquisition and churn, and make informed decisions to optimize your business strategy.

Increasing MRR is the name of the game. It's all about upselling, cross-selling, and reducing churn to drive that sustainable revenue growth and prove the value of your products or services.

When you closely monitor MRR, you gain a deep understanding of the financial health of your business. This empowers you to make strategic adjustments, ensuring long-term success for your subscription-based venture.

Let's dive into Net Revenue Retention (NRR), a must-know metric for subscription-based businesses. It's all about measuring the revenue you retain from both existing and new customers over a specific period.

NRR takes into account the extra cash you bring in from upsells, cross-sells, and upgrades, as well as the impact of customer churn. This metric gives you a peek into the overall growth and financial stability of your customer base.

A high NRR is like music to your ears. It shows that you're not only retaining customers but also expanding those relationships and driving revenue growth from your existing customer pool. But if that NRR is on the lower side, it might be a sign that you need to tackle some challenges in customer retention and expansion.

Watching NRR closely can help spot areas that need improvement, develop strategies to increase customer loyalty and lifetime value, and keep that sustainable growth train chugging along.

Here's a popular metric you gotta know: the Net Promoter Score (NPS). It's all about measuring customer loyalty and satisfaction.

You ask your customers a simple question: "On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend our company/product/service to a friend or colleague?"

Based on their answers, you categorize them as promoters (9-10), passives (7-8), or detractors (0-6). The NPS gives you a snapshot of overall customer sentiment and loyalty.

The higher the NPS, the more satisfied customers, and loyal advocates you have. It's like having a cheerleading squad for your brand!

Diving into the feedback from promoters and detractors can help find opportunities to enhance the customer experience, tackle pain points head-on, and build a strong customer advocacy program. So, let those promoters promote and turn those detractors into happy campers!

Oh, customer churn rate: the metric that keeps us on our toes!

It's all about measuring the percentage of customers who stop using your products or services over a specific period.

This metric is essential for evaluating customer retention and getting a sense of the overall health of your customer base. High churn rates can be a sign of customer dissatisfaction, a mismatch between your product and the market, or ineffective customer success efforts.

Closely tracking churn rate can help spot trends, dig deep into the root causes of churn, and take proactive measures to reduce customer attrition. It might mean improving your product features, giving that customer support a boost, or implementing targeted retention strategies.

When you lower that churn rate, not only do you ensure a more stable revenue stream, but you also free up resources to focus on acquiring and retaining those valuable customers that'll drive your business growth.

Let's talk about Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), a financial metric that shows you the average revenue generated by each customer within a specific timeframe.

This little gem gives you insights into the monetization potential of your customer base and helps you evaluate the effectiveness of your pricing and revenue strategies. With ARPU, you can spot trends in customer spending habits, measure the impact of pricing changes, and get a good read on the overall health of your revenue streams.

Boosting ARPU is the name of the game. You can do it through various methods, like upselling, cross-selling, or introducing higher-priced plans that make your customers go, "I'll take that, please!"

By optimizing your ARPU, you can maximize the revenue generated from your existing customer base and drive that sustainable growth you're after.

Alright, let's dive into Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT). This metric measures just how satisfied your customers are with your products, services, or interactions.

You usually get this score through surveys or feedback mechanisms where customers rate their satisfaction on a scale or give you some juicy qualitative feedback.

CSAT gives you valuable insights into customer sentiment and shows you just how successful your customer-centric initiatives are.
A high CSAT score is like fireworks on the 4th of July! It means your customers are happy as can be with their experience. But if that score isn't quite hitting the mark, it's a sign that you've got some areas to improve.

CSAT can help you pinpoint those pain points, address any issues, and implement strategies that'll take customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention to new heights.

Now, let's talk about the Average Time on Platform or Website. This nifty metric tells you how long customers spend engaging with your platform or exploring your website on average. It gives you insights into customer engagement and how sticky your offering is.

When that average time is longer, it's a clear sign that customers are finding value and getting hooked on what you're serving up. This metric helps you assess the effectiveness of your user experience, the relevance of your content, and the overall appeal of your product or service.

By analyzing the factors that contribute to a longer average time, you can spot those opportunities for improvement, optimize user journeys, and enhance customer engagement.

When you increase the average time on your platform or website, you'll see increased customer satisfaction, better utilization of your offerings, and potentially higher conversion rates. It's a win-win!

First Contact Resolution Rate (FCRR), is the metric that measures the percentage of customer inquiries or issues that get resolved on the first interaction with your customer support or service teams.

It's all about efficiency and effectiveness. A high FCRR shows that your customer success teams have the skills and resources to handle customer needs promptly and efficiently, minimizing the need for follow-up interactions.

This metric is crucial for customer satisfaction and loyalty because, let's face it, customers love when their issues get resolved on the spot.

Renewal rate is the percentage of customers who renew their subscription or contract with your business within a specific period.

This metric is a big deal for businesses with subscription-based models or recurring revenue streams. A high renewal rate is music to your ears because it shows customer satisfaction, loyalty, and the value they perceive in your products or services.

Plus, it's always more cost-effective to keep existing customers than to go out there and find new ones, making renewal rate a key driver of revenue growth.

Providing excellent customer experiences, personalized engagement, and continuous value are the keys to maintaining a high renewal rate and fostering those long-term customer relationships.

Let's talk about Average Session Duration. This nifty metric tells you the average length of time customers spend engaging with your platform, website, or application in a single session. It's all about customer engagement and the level of interest they have in what you're offering.

When that average session duration is longer, it's a good sign. It means customers are diving deep, exploring, consuming content, and using your features. It shows a higher level of interest, satisfaction, and the value they find in your platform.

Increasing the average session duration leads to longer customer lifespans, higher satisfaction levels, more opportunities for conversions, and overall customer success.

Now, let's dive into the world of Monthly Active Users (MAU) and Daily Active Users (DAU). These metrics give you a bird's-eye view of user engagement and activity within your digital platform, website, or application.

MAU represents the number of unique users who engage with your platform at least once within a specific month, while DAU represents the number of unique users who engage with your platform on a daily basis.

These numbers give you insights into the frequency and consistency of user interactions, showing you just how popular and sticky your platform is.

Tracking MAU and DAU is key, my friend. It helps you assess user retention, monitor growth patterns, and evaluate the effectiveness of your product or content strategies. When those MAU and DAU numbers are high, it's a good sign. It means you've got strong user engagement, satisfied users, and a thriving community.

On the flip side, declining or stagnant MAU and DAU figures might signal some challenges in user acquisition or retention. Keep an eye on those numbers, optimize your strategies, and keep that user community buzzing!

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), the metric that shows you just how effective your marketing and sales efforts are in bringing in those shiny new customers.

CAC represents the average cost it takes for your company to acquire a single customer. It takes into account expenses like marketing campaigns, advertising, salaries for your sales team, and all those resources devoted to acquiring customers.

Why measure CAC, you ask? Well, it gives you a clear understanding of the financial impact of your customer acquisition strategies. When you compare the CAC to the lifetime value of a customer (LTV), you get a sense of the return on investment and can make informed decisions about where to allocate resources and set those marketing budgets.

A low CAC is the dream, my friend. It means you're acquiring customers efficiently and cost-effectively. But remember, you want to strike that balance between the cost of acquiring customers and the revenue they generate over their lifetime.

If the CAC outweighs the LTV, it might be time to optimize your marketing and sales processes or explore strategies to increase customer retention. It's all about finding that sweet spot.

Measuring customer success is the compass that guides businesses towards building exceptional customer relationships and achieving sustainable growth. By defining goals, identifying key metrics, collecting data, and continuously iterating, businesses can unlock the power of customer success measurement and propel themselves towards success in today's business world's dynamic and customer-centric landscape.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for customer success vary depending on the business and industry. However, some common KPIs include customer retention rate, net promoter score (NPS), customer satisfaction score (CSAT), average revenue per user (ARPU), and customer lifetime value (CLV). These metrics help measure customer satisfaction, loyalty, engagement, and financial impact.

While there are numerous metrics to measure customer success, three key metrics are customer retention rate, net promoter score (NPS), and customer satisfaction score (CSAT). These metrics assess customer loyalty, advocacy, and overall satisfaction with your products or services, providing valuable insights into the success of your customer relationships.

The term "KPI for customer excellence" is not commonly used. However, KPIs related to customer excellence might include metrics like customer satisfaction score (CSAT), net promoter score (NPS), or customer retention rate. These metrics help gauge the level of satisfaction, loyalty, and overall experience customers have with your company.

KPI stands for Key Performance Indicator. In the context of customer success, KPIs are measurable metrics used to track and evaluate the effectiveness of customer success initiatives. These indicators provide insights into customer satisfaction, loyalty, retention, and other key aspects that contribute to successful customer relationships.

KPIs for a customer success manager may include customer retention rate, customer satisfaction score (CSAT), net promoter score (NPS), renewal rate, upsell/cross-sell revenue, and customer health scores. These KPIs assess the success of the customer success manager in ensuring customer satisfaction, maximizing revenue, and driving long-term customer relationships.

The KPIs for a customer relations manager might include customer satisfaction score (CSAT), customer retention rate, average response time to customer inquiries, customer feedback ratings, and resolution rate for customer issues. These metrics focus on measuring the manager's ability to maintain positive customer relationships and effectively resolve customer concerns.

KPIs for customer service may include average response time, customer satisfaction score (CSAT), first contact resolution rate, customer churn rate, and customer effort score (CES). These metrics help evaluate the efficiency, effectiveness, and overall satisfaction of the customer service team in addressing customer needs and resolving issues.

Client success can be measured by tracking key metrics such as client retention rate, upsell or cross-sell, calculate customer retention cost, revenue, client satisfaction score, and client health scores. Additionally, qualitative feedback through surveys or customer interactions can provide insights into client success. By monitoring these metrics and gathering feedback, businesses can assess the level of satisfaction and value their client's experience.

In the Software as a Service (SaaS) industry, common customer success metrics include customer retention rate, monthly recurring revenue (MRR), net revenue retention (NRR), churn rate, customer lifetime value (CLV), and product adoption rates. These metrics assess the effectiveness of customer success efforts and the long-term, fundamental customer success metrics, and growth of SaaS businesses.

In the SaaS industry, CSM stands for Customer Success Manager. A CSM is responsible for managing customer success team, and nurturing customer relationships, ensuring customer satisfaction, and driving customer success. They work closely with customers to understand their needs, provide guidance, and help them achieve their desired outcomes with the SaaS product or service.