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9 examples of Retention metrics and KPIs

What are Retention metrics?

Finding the right Retention metrics can be daunting, especially when you're busy working on your day-to-day tasks. This is why we've curated a list of examples for your inspiration.

Copy these examples into your preferred tool, or adopt Tability to ensure you remain accountable.

Find Retention metrics with AI

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.

Examples of Retention metrics and KPIs

Metrics for Customer Service Platform Impact

  • 1. Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)

    Measures the percentage of customers who are satisfied with their service experience on the platform by collecting feedback after interactions

    What good looks like for this metric: 80-85%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Train customer service agents regularly
    • Implement a robust feedback collection process
    • Utilise automation for frequent issues
    • Monitor and review agent performance
    • Enhance knowledge database for agents
  • 2. Net Promoter Score (NPS)

    Assesses customer loyalty through how likely they are to recommend the service to others on a scale of 0-10

    What good looks like for this metric: 30-50

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Focus on customer journey mapping
    • Address pain points identified in feedback
    • Provide timely and personalised responses
    • Recognise and reward loyal customers
    • Conduct regular product and service enhancements
  • 3. First Contact Resolution (FCR)

    Percentage of customer issues resolved at the first interaction, indicating efficiency and effectiveness

    What good looks like for this metric: 70-75%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Ensure agents have access to comprehensive information
    • Provide decision-making authority to agents
    • Implement initial troubleshooting steps in self-service
    • Analyse repeat contact reasons and address them
    • Utilise real-time collaboration tools for support
  • 4. Customer Retention Rate

    Percentage of existing customers retained over a period, reflecting long-term platform satisfaction and loyalty

    What good looks like for this metric: 75-85%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Develop loyalty programmes and incentives
    • Regularly engage with customers via newsletters
    • Offer personalised experiences and service
    • Address customer feedback promptly
    • Ensure competitive pricing and value delivery
  • 5. Average Response Time

    Average time taken for initial response by the customer service team, indicating responsiveness and efficiency

    What good looks like for this metric: 10-12 minutes on chat; 24 hours on email

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Implement automated response systems
    • Optimise and streamline workflow processes
    • Schedule efficient shift rotations
    • Set clear response time targets for teams
    • Employ predictive analytics for demand forecasting

Metrics for Sales and CSAT Targets

  • 1. Sales Revenue

    Total income generated from sales of courses, measured in USD

    What good looks like for this metric: $50,000 per month

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Enhance course offerings
    • Run targeted advertising campaigns
    • Offer early-bird discounts
    • Upsell related courses
    • Optimise pricing strategy
  • 2. Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)

    Measures the level of satisfaction of customers, usually rated on a scale of 1-5

    What good looks like for this metric: 4.0 out of 5

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Provide excellent customer support
    • Gather and act on customer feedback
    • Offer personalised learning paths
    • Improve user interface and experience
    • Ensure course content is high quality
  • 3. Learner Engagement Rate

    Percentage of learners actively participating in the course, calculated by dividing active participants by total enrolled

    What good looks like for this metric: 60%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Introduce interactive elements
    • Provide regular updates and new content
    • Encourage group discussions
    • Use gamification techniques
    • Send regular reminders and follow-ups
  • 4. Course Completion Rate

    Percentage of learners who complete the course, calculated by dividing the number of completions by the total number enrolled

    What good looks like for this metric: 70%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Design shorter, more manageable modules
    • Set clear expectations and goals
    • Offer incentives for completion
    • Provide support resources
    • Implement progress tracking
  • 5. Knowledge Retention Rate

    Measures how much information learners retain over time, assessed through follow-up tests

    What good looks like for this metric: 75%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Use varied teaching methods
    • Incorporate spaced repetition
    • Provide summary notes
    • Offer periodic refreshers
    • Encourage practical application of knowledge

Metrics for Success of recruitment campaigns

  • 1. Cost per hire

    Total recruiting costs divided by the number of hires within a specified time frame

    What good looks like for this metric: USD 4,000 - USD 6,000

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Optimize job advertisement placements
    • Leverage employee referrals
    • Automate parts of the recruitment process
    • Negotiate better rates with recruitment agencies
    • Enhance employer branding
  • 2. Time to fill

    Average number of days it takes to fill a position from the moment the job is posted until an offer is accepted

    What good looks like for this metric: 30 - 45 days

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Streamline the interview process
    • Implement applicant tracking systems
    • Pre-screen candidates effectively
    • Improve job descriptions
    • Build a talent pipeline
  • 3. Quality of hire

    Performance of new hires compared to existing employees, often measured after the first year

    What good looks like for this metric: Similar or higher performance compared to existing employees

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Enhance candidate assessment methods
    • Use behavioural interviewing techniques
    • Improve onboarding processes
    • Encourage ongoing employee development
    • Gather and act on feedback from new hires
  • 4. Retention rate

    Percentage of new hires that remain with the company for a specified period, usually one year

    What good looks like for this metric: 75%-80%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Improve company culture
    • Provide career development opportunities
    • Offer competitive salaries and benefits
    • Enhance employee engagement
    • Conduct stay interviews
  • 5. Offer acceptance rate

    Percentage of job offers extended that are accepted by candidates

    What good looks like for this metric: 90% or higher

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Ensure competitive compensation packages
    • Communicate clear career growth opportunities
    • Build a strong employer brand
    • Maintain a consistent and engaging recruitment process
    • Gather feedback from candidates who decline offers

Metrics for Affiliate B2B Program Success

  • 1. Conversion Rate

    The percentage of referred visitors who take a desired action, such as making a purchase

    What good looks like for this metric: 5-10%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Improve landing page design
    • Provide clear call-to-action
    • Offer tailored promotions
    • Optimise user experience
    • Segment traffic for analysis
  • 2. Average Order Value (AOV)

    The average dollar amount spent each time a customer completes an order

    What good looks like for this metric: $100-$200

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Upsell complementary products
    • Introduce product bundles
    • Offer discounts on larger purchases
    • Highlight premium offerings
    • Ensure easy checkout process
  • 3. Customer Retention Rate

    The percentage of repeat customers over a specific period

    What good looks like for this metric: 20-40%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Strengthen customer relationships
    • Initiate loyalty programmes
    • Provide exceptional customer service
    • Ensure consistent communication
    • Gather and act on feedback
  • 4. Click-Through Rate (CTR)

    The percentage of people who click on the affiliate link compared to those who view it

    What good looks like for this metric: 1-2%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Use compelling ad copy
    • Design eye-catching creatives
    • Test various link placements
    • Target the right audience
    • Optimise for mobile devices
  • 5. Return on Investment (ROI)

    A measure of the profitability of the affiliate program relative to its cost

    What good looks like for this metric: 150-200%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Reduce acquisition costs
    • Enhance affiliate relationships
    • Optimise budget allocation
    • Track and analyse expenses
    • Focus on high-performing affiliates

Metrics for Mobile App Engagement

  • 1. Daily Active Users (DAU)

    The number of unique users who engage with the app daily

    What good looks like for this metric: 20% of total installs

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Send push notifications to re-engage users
    • Introduce daily challenges or content
    • Optimise user onboarding process
    • Incorporate in-app social elements
    • Provide real-time customer support
  • 2. Session Length

    The average time a user spends in an app per session

    What good looks like for this metric: 4-6 minutes per session

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Improve app speed and performance
    • Offer engaging and diverse content
    • Personalise the user experience
    • Integrate gamification elements
    • Streamline user interface and navigation
  • 3. Retention Rate

    The percentage of users who continue to use the app over a given period

    What good looks like for this metric: 30% after 30 days

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Send personalised re-engagement emails
    • Regularly update app content and features
    • Offer loyalty rewards or incentives
    • Create tutorial and help sections
    • Gather and act on user feedback
  • 4. Churn Rate

    The percentage of users who stop using the app over a given period

    What good looks like for this metric: Under 5% monthly

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Analyse and address user pain points
    • Offer in-app customer support
    • Regularly update and improve the app
    • Provide special promotions for returning users
    • Monitor and enhance app performance
  • 5. In-App Purchases (IAP) Revenue

    Revenue generated from purchases made within the app

    What good looks like for this metric: $1-2 per user per month

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Offer exclusive in-app content
    • Create bundled in-app purchase offers
    • Run limited-time in-app promotions
    • Provide an easy and secure purchase process
    • Track and analyse purchase behaviour

Metrics for Employment engagement

  • 1. Employee turnover rate

    The percentage of employees who leave the company within a certain period. It's calculated by dividing the number of employees who left by the average number of employees, multiplied by 100.

    What good looks like for this metric: 10-15% annually

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Improve onboarding processes
    • Foster a positive company culture
    • Offer competitive salaries and benefits
    • Provide career development opportunities
    • Conduct exit interviews to understand reasons for leaving
  • 2. Employee net promoter score (eNPS)

    Measures the likelihood of employees to recommend the company as a good place to work. It's calculated by asking employees to rate their likelihood on a scale from 0-10 and categorizing them as promoters, passives, or detractors.

    What good looks like for this metric: 20-50

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Regularly collect and act on employee feedback
    • Enhance internal communication
    • Recognize and reward achievements
    • Ensure workload balance
    • Promote work-life balance
  • 3. Employee satisfaction survey scores

    Quantifies employees' overall satisfaction with the company. It's calculated through surveys asking employees to rate their satisfaction on various aspects, averaged into an overall score.

    What good looks like for this metric: 70-80%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Enhance job role clarity
    • Provide consistent feedback
    • Create a trustful environment
    • Increase engagement in decision-making processes
    • Offer flexible working hours
  • 4. Absenteeism rate

    The percentage of workdays lost to unplanned absences. It's calculated by dividing the total number of unplanned absence days by the total number of available working days, multiplied by 100.

    What good looks like for this metric: 1.5-3%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Promote a healthy work environment
    • Implement wellness programmes
    • Offer flexible leave policies
    • Address work-related stress
    • Provide mental health support
  • 5. Training participation rate

    The percentage of employees participating in professional development programmes. It's calculated by dividing the number of employees who participate in training by the total number of employees, multiplied by 100.

    What good looks like for this metric: 60-80%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Encourage continuous learning
    • Provide online training options
    • Make training relevant and beneficial
    • Reward participation and completion
    • Communicate the value of training programmes

Metrics for Product Engagement

  • 1. User Retention Rate

    Percentage of users who continue to use the product over a set period of time

    What good looks like for this metric: 30-40% after 90 days

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Send personalised email reminders
    • Implement user onboarding tutorials
    • Add in-app notifications for new features
    • Offer loyalty rewards or discounts
    • Conduct user feedback surveys
  • 2. Daily Active Users (DAU)

    Number of unique users who engage with the product daily

    What good looks like for this metric: 10-20% of total users

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Increase the frequency of updates
    • Incorporate gamification elements
    • Encourage social sharing
    • Optimise app load times
    • Run promotional campaigns
  • 3. Session Length

    Average duration of time a user spends on the product in a single session

    What good looks like for this metric: 5-10 minutes

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Simplify navigation within the app
    • Add value-rich content
    • Make user tasks easier to complete
    • Enable personalised experiences
    • Implement engaging design elements
  • 4. Churn Rate

    Percentage of users who stop using the product over a given period

    What good looks like for this metric: 5-7% monthly

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Identify pain points through user feedback
    • Improve customer support
    • Enhance product features based on feedback
    • Offer re-engagement incentives
    • Streamline the user experience
  • 5. Feature Adoption Rate

    Percentage of users utilising new or specific features of the product

    What good looks like for this metric: 25-30%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Create feature-specific tutorials
    • Promote new features through email
    • Highlight features in-app
    • Gather and act on feedback for new features
    • Incentivise users to try new features

Metrics for Fulfillment and growth

  • 1. Employee engagement score

    Measures the level of engagement employees feel towards their work, typically gathered through surveys

    What good looks like for this metric: 70-80%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Encourage open communication
    • Provide opportunities for feedback
    • Recognize and reward achievements
    • Offer professional development programs
    • Foster a positive work environment
  • 2. Employee retention rate

    Calculated as the percentage of employees who stay with the company over a specific period

    What good looks like for this metric: 85-90%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Create clear career paths
    • Provide competitive compensation
    • Ensure work-life balance
    • Foster a strong company culture
    • Conduct exit interviews
  • 3. Professional development participation

    Tracks the number of employees engaging in professional development activities

    What good looks like for this metric: 60-75%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Promote development opportunities
    • Subsidize costs of courses
    • Incorporate development into performance reviews
    • Provide time for learning
    • Highlight success stories
  • 4. Internal promotion rate

    Percentage of roles filled by internal candidates rather than external hires

    What good looks like for this metric: 15-20%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Identify and groom top talent
    • Offer leadership training
    • Create mentorship programs
    • Set clear promotion criteria
    • Monitor and address skill gaps
  • 5. Work-life balance score

    Evaluates how employees feel about their work-life balance, often measured through surveys

    What good looks like for this metric: 70-80%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Implement flexible work hours
    • Encourage taking vacations
    • Promote wellness programs
    • Regularly assess workloads
    • Provide support for remote work

Metrics for Subscription business performance

  • 1. Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)

    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

Tracking your Retention metrics

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 Insights DashboardTability's check-ins will save you hours and increase transparency

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Planning resources

OKRs are a great way to translate strategies into measurable goals. Here are a list of resources to help you adopt the OKR framework:

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