“We have lots of data.” Nearly every organization asserts this. The good news is those that analyze their data often find great marketing stories. Sometimes analysis uncovers landmines of poor performance in key customer values.
Almost every organization tracks some level of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). These tend to be data points that reflect income, overall earnings, and other financial measures that address organizational fiscal health.
However, what is frequently missing is a good list of CRIs (Customer Relevant Indicators™). These data points address what customers value most when choosing a provider; issues like accuracy, responsiveness, complaint rate, turnaround time, completion rate, etc. Simply put, KPIs are internal performance; CRIs are customer values.
Some questions to ask about CRI’s: which do you track, if any? What should you track that you may not yet? Who within your organization is responsible for tracking performance metrics on customer buying values, and where that data is captured?
What happens when you start collecting data for CRIs? Companies often discover that their performance wasn’t very good in some key values. One company learned that over a two-month period, 80% of customers experienced a quality issue. Their data collection revealed a landmine of poor performance that needed immediate attention. Never assume all is well. CRI’s keep you aware of what is working and what is not.
Some companies learned that their performance was worth bragging about but it was best kept secret. One company learned their complaint/return rate was <0.5% and it was a great sales message they were not using. All it required was a couple hours with a spreadsheet to uncover that goldmine.
Find out what is most valued by your customers, then look for internal data showing your performance in those areas. If the performance is not great, then set up processes to improve it immediately. Once you find the goldmines, then make them the centerpiece of your communication efforts. When you know it is important to buyers, your employees need to work hardest at superior performance in those areas, and your organization should do everything in its power to make sure potential customers know of your outstanding performance.
April, 2025