To calculate a KPI, you will need to follow these steps:
- Define the goal: In this step, you determine what you want to achieve and what specific aspect of your business or performance you want to measure. In the example scenario, the goal is to increase customer satisfaction from 75% to 80%.
- Choose the right metric: This step involves selecting a metric that accurately reflects the goal you want to achieve. In the example scenario, customer satisfaction is chosen as the metric.
- Gather data: This step involves collecting data that is relevant to the metric you have selected. In the example scenario, data is gathered from 100 customer surveys received over the past month, and 75 customers rated their experience as "satisfied" or above.
- Calculate the KPI: This step involves performing the calculation to determine the value of the KPI. In the example scenario, the customer satisfaction KPI is calculated as 75% (75 satisfied customers divided by 100 total customer surveys).
- Monitor and track progress: This step involves regularly monitoring the KPI on a specified interval, such as monthly or quarterly, to track progress towards the goal of 80% customer satisfaction.
Each month, the customer satisfaction KPI is calculated and compared to the previous month's results. Trends or patterns are analyzed to identify areas for improvement, ensuring that the business is making progress towards its goal in a structured and meaningful way.
- Communicate results: Share the results of the customer satisfaction KPI with relevant stakeholders and use the information to drive business decisions and prioritize areas for improvement.
Example: Calculating KPIs for E-Shop Inc.
"E-Shop Inc." is an e-commerce company specializing in selling outdoor gear. They want to calculate their key performance indicators (KPIs) more effectively and have decided to implement the framework above.
- Define the goal: The goal is to increase the average order value (AOV) from $50 to $60.
- Choose the right metric: The metric chosen is average order value (AOV).
- Gather data: Data is gathered by analyzing the past three months of sales transactions from their ecom platform, shopify. On average, each order was worth $50.
- Calculate the KPI: The AOV is calculated by dividing the total sales revenue by the number of orders placed. In this example, the AOV is $50.
- Monitor and track progress: The AOV is calculated and compared monthly. Trends are analyzed to identify areas for improvement and track progress towards the goal.
- Communicate results: The results of the AOV calculations are shared with relevant stakeholders, and the information is used to drive business decisions and prioritize areas for improvement.
It's important to note that the calculation of a KPI can vary depending on the metric and the specific goals of an organization or individual. The above steps provide a general framework for calculating a KPI, and it's essential to tailor the process to fit your specific needs.
If you enjoyed this article, you might also like our articles on what KPI grabbing is and KPI measures.
