What Gets Measured Gets Managed - Using KPIs and Data to Run a Smarter Business

In this episode of Business Made Smarter, host Ed Nell is joined by Doug D'Aubrey, Founder and Managing Director of Executive Training Consultancy, to dig into one of the most underused tools available to small business owners - their own data.

From understanding what a KPI actually is to knowing which numbers really matter, Doug cuts through the jargon and makes the case for why tracking even just a handful of key metrics can transform the way a business is run. Whether it is monitoring net profit, conversion rates or customer retention, the principle is always the same - if you are not measuring it, you cannot manage it.

Key Takeaways

KPIs are simpler than they sound.

A key performance indicator is just a way of measuring whether a role or activity is delivering the outcome it should. Every job in the business has one - even the ones that are not obviously measurable. The starting point is always the same: what does success look like in this role, and how can we measure it?

We remember our successes and forget our failures.

Without data, gut feeling becomes the default. One client believed he was closing 75% of his sales opportunities. When the numbers were tracked properly, the real figure was 33%. That gap is the difference between a business that thinks it is fine and one that knows exactly where to improve.

Customer retention is as important as winning new business.

If 10% of clients are quietly leaving each year, any growth target has to account for that loss first. Tracking retention rates makes the problem visible - and a visible problem is one you can actually solve.

Graphs show you what spreadsheets hide.

Numbers in a table are easy to ignore. The same numbers plotted on a graph make trends impossible to miss. When business starts dipping, a graph lets you pinpoint exactly when it changed - and forces the question of what was different at that moment.

Key Moments

"If you can't measure it, you can't manage it."

"We remember our successes and forget our failures. He genuinely thought he was closing 75% - the real number was 33%."

"If it just sort of happened in business, you're not in control. And it could just sort of stop happening."

About Business Made Smarter

Business Made Smarter is the podcast from Executive Training Consultancy, bringing no-nonsense practical advice to help businesses of all sizes grow and thrive.

Hosted by Ed Nell and featuring Doug D'Aubrey, Founder and MD of Executive Training Consultancy, each episode draws on over two decades of real-world business experience to give listeners strategies and insights they can start putting to use straight away.

How to Get in Touch

To book a free two-hour business review with one of ETC's expert consultants:

Website: www.exec-tc.com

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