Thirty-seven percent of ecommerce marketers worldwide use artificial intelligence (AI) for customer service and assistance, according to Qualtrics and Klaviyo’s February 2024 data. Meanwhile, Fortune reported that Amazon has recently laid off 100 customer service agents. In the US, a new Forrester study revealed that customer service performance declined across all three dimensions of customer service quality–effectiveness, ease, and emotion, and only 3% of companies are currently categorized as customer-obsessed, defined as prioritizing customers’ needs.

Collectively, these narratives suggest that there is a pressing need to reevaluate the customer service sector. However, customer service excellence requires more than simply embracing cutting-edge technologies and trends. Businesses must methodically examine and optimize their customer service operations and performance in order to identify and address true areas of need. This is where The KPI Institute (TKI) can help. 

Providing leaders, professionals, and the broader business community with essential knowledge and resources, TKI curates a collection of diverse learning materials and opportunities in strategy and performance management and adjacent fields every month. Some of these resources, while released years ago, remain highly relevant due to their timeless principles and adaptability to changing business dynamics as well as their enduring value and insights for today’s challenges.

This month, TKI is pleased to present comprehensive, research-based resources focusing on customer service.

Top 10 Customer Service Key Performance Indicators (FREE): Part of the Top 10 KPIs Series, this collection of posters provides an overview of how key performance indicators (KPIs) are measured in practice today, specifically in customer service. Some of the KPIs profiled in this poster are # Frequency of customer complaints, # Speed of answer, and % First contact resolution rate.

KPI of April: $ Customer Lifetime Value (FREE): Each KPI of the Month Infographic sheds light on a specific KPI by clarifying its terminology and addressing the most challenging aspects of using it in terms of profile, calculation, balanced scorecard focus, data profile, targets, and in-practice recommendations.

Webinar: “Tools and techniques for measuring customer satisfaction:” In order to discover what customers think about your company and what can be improved, you can now deploy a series of tools and techniques for measuring customer satisfaction. This webinar presents key techniques and guidelines to support you in assessing your customers’ satisfaction.

The Top 25 Customer Service KPIs – 2020 Extended Edition: The Top 25 Customer Service KPIs – 2020 Extended Edition report compiles the most popular 25 KPIs used by Customer Service divisions throughout 2016 and 2020. This report contains not only two pages of detailed documentation for each KPI, but also interesting articles on best practices in terms of KPI selection and documentation.

The Sales and Customer Service KPI Dictionary: This dictionary enlists the names and arithmetic rules for more than 220 KPIs and covers all major components of the sales and customer service departments. This material can be used in the early stages of implementing a performance management framework, in selecting and documenting KPIs, and improving an existing performance measurement system.

Customer Service Call Center Dashboard: This is a ready-to-use instrument for managing and measuring the performance of inbound call centers. It also contains a repository of the most relevant and widely spread KPIs in the call center industry.

Customer Service Performance Consulting Services: If your organization needs support in the implementation phase– for either a performance management system in customer service or other customer service processes or instruments– TKI’s specialists can provide you with consultation and references. We will make sure that the framework, which proves its efficiency in multiple organizations, is adjusted to the specific needs of your industry or area of expertise and will overcome the expected change rejection reactions of employees that are commonly experienced by most organizations.

The KPI Institute (TKI) released the Government Services Index (GSI) 2023, a comprehensive compilation of indicators designed to evaluate government service performance based on five key dimensions: Future Readiness, Digitalization, Governance, Society Welfare, and Citizen Experience, which are aligned with the collected data from 30 indicators.

The GSI 2023 report is the result of extensive research and analysis, drawing upon a diverse array of sources. Over 100 scholarly articles and 40 global indexes were reviewed to identify pertinent areas for assessing government service quality and the availability of global data. This rigorous process ensured that the report reflects the most relevant and up-to-date insights into the state of government services across different regions and sectors.

The GSI 2023 report has major implications for governance stakeholders worldwide. Policymakers can get insights into service delivery strengths and weaknesses, guiding them to better decision-making, while researchers may benefit from comprehensive data for further studies. Moreover, citizens might gain a better understanding of government service quality, empowering advocacy for positive change.

By examining data from 107 countries and five world regions, this report has identified the top performers in each dimension, shedding light on best practices and areas for improvement. In the GSI 2022, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) dominated the overall GSI ranking. The country placed first in Adaptability and Talent, third in Impact, and fourth in Governance and Digitalization. 

Has the UAE been able to maintain its position in 2023? Which countries are currently leading in each dimension?  Grab a copy now of the Government Services Index 2023 report and find out. For more information, visit https://kpiinstitute.org/government-services-index-2023/

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are used to understand and improve performance across a diverse range of industries, departments, and teams. For companies that produce goods and commodities, KPIs are absolutely essential as they offer a detailed view of their performance—for both individual employees and the organization as a whole. Production capacity and adherence to production schedules are just a few examples of areas in such an industry where KPIs can be used.

The importance of KPIs is even more prominent nowadays, as production has slowed considerably across the globe, caused by various compounding issues such as semiconductor, iron ore, and chemical shortages just to name a few. Such problems must be dealt with, and a reliable way to determine if the implemented solutions are working is through the use of KPIs. 

On top of the production slowdown, many companies that produce goods and commodities are also dealing with the changes brought about by Industry 4.0 —chief of which is the issue of proper integration. New technology and old processes typically don’t mix, a maladjustment that is exacerbated by skills gaps. Fortunately, there are ways to close these gaps, namely through reskilling and upskilling. Reskilling and upskilling are both training-centric methodologies, requiring employees to learn new skills or update their existing skill sets to match the new technology they will be using. This is not enough, however, as the effectiveness of training must be measured, which is where the use of KPIs comes into play. 

Due to the importance of KPIs in production, The KPI Institute (TKI) has diligently collated the 10 most widely used production KPIs. This information comes from smartkpis.com, TKI’s comprehensive database comprising 21,334 KPIs, covering 16 functional areas and 25 industries. The top 10 production KPIs are as follows:

1. % Production schedule attainment – Measures the rate at which the production target for a given time period has been attained.
2. # Units per man-hour – Measures the number of completed units of a product realized per man-hour of work.
3. % Production schedule adherence – Measures the deviation between the actual production units and the planned production units for the same period.
4. % Production uptime – Measures the percentage of utilized operation time from the planned available production time.
5. # Production plants – Measures the number of manufacturing plants (e.g. assemble lines) available and functional for the production process.
6. % Recovery yield rate of returned products – Measures the percentage of product returns that were valued again from overall returned products.
7. % Production capacity utilization – Measures the percentage of the production volume actually realized from the total production capacity.
8. # Ideal run rate – Measures the theoretical ideal production rate expected to be achieved in optimal circumstances.
9. # Production capacity – Measures the volume of products that one plant or company can produce with its actual resources in a specific timeframe.
10. $ Penalties cost due to unsatisfied demand – Measures the penalty values generated by the inability to satisfy demand.

Keeping track of these metrics can prove pivotal to the survival and success of any production business. For a detailed breakdown of these KPIs, including how to calculate them and when to measure them, download the free poster on the TKI marketplace.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are metrics that gauge how effectively a business meets its goals. They have diverse applications, including monitoring performance, evaluating employees, improving processes, managing projects, and ensuring compliance. 

Moreover, KPIs provide an unbiased assessment, leading to informed decision-making and a better understanding of business dynamics. Regardless of their specific use, KPIs are essential for effective business management. 

The KPI Institute analyzed the most viewed KPIs in the first quarter of 2023 on smartKPIs.com, the largest database of documented KPIs (+21,300 KPI examples) with 75,000 community members, in their most recently published whitepaper, “TOP 10 KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 2023: Expert Tips For Choosing The Right Metrics.” These KPIs reflect key metrics that provide insights into various aspects of business performance. Analyzing these metrics helps organizations understand their operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, financial health, and employee performance. 

However, choosing the right KPIs continues to be a challenge as they should match the company’s strategy and targets. Based on findings from The KPI Institute’s 2022 State of Strategy and Performance Management Practice Report, KPI selection ranks among the top three most challenging processes for businesses globally, regardless of industry. KPI selection requires meticulous planning, analysis, and cooperation among different departments and stakeholders. 

Thus, the TOP 10 KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 2023: Expert Tips For Choosing The Right Metrics delves into the KPI selection process developed by The KPI Institute. It primarily involves scope clarification, selection criteria and techniques, leading up to the initial performance review meeting.

To discover the top 10 KPIs for 2023 and gain deeper insights into the best practices for KPI selection, download the TOP 10 KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 2023: Expert Tips For Choosing The Right Metrics for free on the TKI Marketplace. 

In response to increased participant demand, The KPI Institute held two simultaneous versions of Certified KPI Professional Live Online on July 24 – 28, 2023. 

Tailored to meet the challenges faced by professionals in key performance indicator (KPI) selection and usage, the Certified KPI Professional course applies a robust KPI Measurement Framework that is built upon two decades of research and industry best practices. This course covers various aspects of working with KPIs,  from selection to result centralization in performance reports. 

The Certified KPI Professional course has consistently ranked among the top most popular courses offered by The KPI Institute. This program attracts professionals across all management levels and industries from different parts of the world. The lessons are delivered in different languages, such as English, Arabic and Spanish.

Throughout the training session, participants are equipped with the skills needed to manage KPIs and improve their current processes and systems. Moreover, this learning opportunity enables them to apply the learned concepts immediately within their organizations.

At the end of the course, participants are expected to distinguish between objectives, KPIs, and initiatives, document KPIs using a standardized template, understand the appropriate use of benchmarking for target-setting, and optimize the KPI activation and data-gathering process.

The benefits of enrolling in this course include access to relevant performance data, pre-populated tools for KPI implementation, an innovative three-stage learning process; the opportunity to join the Certified KPI Professionals Community; and 40 CPD credits.

Do not miss this opportunity and register now for Certified KPI Professional Live Online! For additional information and the course schedule, visit https://kpiinstitute.org/kpi-certification-presentation/

Testimonials for the Certified KPI Professional program

“This certification is not only for seniors and businesses. It’s also about how you can think in a constructive way to set some measurements for your performance on a daily basis even in normal life. It’s a must.” – Senior Organization Excellence Specialist, ADES-Advanced Energy Systems, Egypt

“One of the best knowledge-filled courses I have ever attended. Don’t ever let anything or anyone take away your focus or attention from the sharing because the presenter is the best in the field.” – Deputy Director, Institute Aminuddin Baki, Malaysia

“Slot Thailand The contents were well-organized and supported with guidance and schedule that helps me to navigate easily with the certification process.” – Quality Assurance Auditor, GDCME, Saudi Arabia

Reports featuring the most popular KPIs of 2022 are now all available at The KPI Institute’s Marketplace platform. This series covers different contexts in which KPIs can be used by professionals and offers up-to-date information and resources on selecting and using KPIs.

The most popular KPIs were processed based on the data from smartKPIs.com, the world’s largest database of documented KPIs. In every report, users will find a KPI profile, analysis, notes on KPI reporting, and other details pertaining to performance measurement.

Explore the most popular KPIs in their respective industries or areas through the KPI of the Month poster collection, which can be downloaded for free:

KPI of January: # Days on market – measures the number of days a property stays on the market on average, between the listing for sale and the contract signing

KPI of February: # Berry ratio – measures the ratio of an organization’s gross profits to operating expenses

KPI of March: % Production First Time Yield (FTY) – measures the percentage of good units produced as per specifications from the first run of the process, out of the units going into the process

KPI of April: % Hospital bed occupancy rate – measures the percentage of beds in the hospital that are occupied by patients on a daily basis, out of the overall number of hospital beds

KPI of May: # Pick-to-ship cycle time for customer orders – measures the average time (in hours or days) from the moment of picking the order to the moment of shipping the product to the client

KPI of June: # Liquidity ratio – measures the available cash or other assets easily convertible into cash that could cover short term payables

KPI of July: % On time departures – measures the percentage of flights that are departing within 15 minutes from the initially scheduled take-off time out of the total number of flights scheduled for departing

KPI of August: % Project schedule variance – measures the variance in terms of schedule, revealing the alteration between the planned project timeframe and the actual project phase

KPI of September: % Production uptime – measures the percentage of the utilized operation time, from the planned available production time

KPI of October: % Employee turnover – measures the rate at which employees leave the organization in a given period

KPI of November: # Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) – measures the number of work-related incidents generating time loss that are occurring per one million hours worked

KPI of December: $ Revenue Per Available Seat Hour (RevPASH) – measures the restaurant’s revenue on a per available seat hour basis.

The Government Services Index Report –  2022  is a composite set of indicators that aims to capture the performance of governments in key areas of public service that drive resilience and high adaptability to change.

Through a thorough assessment of some of the most crucial aspects of good governance in the post-pandemic period, The KPI Institute releases the Government Services Index 2022. The report investigates the performance of governments in critical areas of public service that drive resilience and high adaptability to change through five key dimensions:

• Adaptability – the ability to easily adapt to change, respond to problems quickly and efficiently, and maintain resilience in a constantly changing environment.
• Talent –  attracting, retaining, and developing skills and knowledge in the public sector.
• Digitalization – the significance of rethinking citizen-public service interactions in light of technology.
• Governance – fulfilling governments’ obligations to develop and carry out policies that advance their nations’ development while demonstrating effectiveness, efficiency, openness, and integrity.
• Impact – ensuring that citizens of the nation have improved access to essential services and a higher quality of life.

The Government Services Index Report covers seven world regions, ranks  66 countries, and corroborates data from 32 indicators reflective of the aforementioned dimensions. 

Report Overview

• Preface
• Index Methodology
• Country Profiles

General Findings

• Global Leaders in Government Services
• Government Performance by Income Levels
• Regional Dashboards

Overview of Rankings

Adaptability

• General Outlook
• Global Overview of Indicators
• Regional Insights

Talent

• General Outlook
• Global Overview of Indicators
• Regional Insights

Digitalization

• General Outlook
• Global Overview of Indicators
• Regional Insights

Governance

• General Outlook
• Global Overview of Indicators
• Regional Insights

Impact

• General Outlook
• Global Overview of Indicators
• Regional Insights

Get your free copy of the Government Services Index 2022 today, from here! For inquiries regarding the Index, contact Marcela Presecan, Head of Research:  [email protected], or +61 (390) 282 223.

Take a deep dive into the newest PERFORMANCE Magazine – Printed Edition. 

The 23rd PERFORMANCE Magazine – Travel Issue reveals the new strategies established by hotels, airlines, restaurants, and other industry participants in the aftermath of the pandemic. This issue unveils the difficulties these industry face in reviving their operations and everything in between that affects their community, efficiency, and performance.

What Is Inside the 23rd PERFORMANCE Magazine?

Get updates and inclusive insights on the recent status of businesses in the tourism and travel industry. Have a glimpse at the extended and newest edition of a report compiled with the top key performance indicators (KPIs) in the airline industry and explore fresh approaches to reviving the hospitality industry.

Learn about new ideas, best practices, case studies, agile practices, and insightful perspectives on strategy planning and execution, performance management cycles, benchmarking, data analysis and visualization, and the use of KPIs.

Determine how silo transformation can improve organizational performance directly from Dr. Keith Clinkscale, Strategic Planning and Performance Management Director in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. Take a look at the tools they developed in monitoring and evaluating their performance and discover it helped them advance their competition in the industry. 

Travel the world of strategy and performance management through recent initiatives of hospitality, tourism, and travel industry in different countries, as well as through interviews with subject matter experts, seasoned consultants, practitioners, business leaders, academicians, and research analysts. Seize the recommended tools, webinars, podcasts, and talks you will encounter on the final pages of the magazine.

To get your own copy of the 23rd PERFORMANCE Magazine – Printed Edition, visit TKI Marketplace. You can download a free digital copy there! You can also get an additional printed copy of the magazine through Amazon. 

“State of Strategy Management Practice Report – 2022” is an international research study that explores the latest issues, trends, and best practices impacting the field of strategic planning, KPI usage, and strategy execution.

Developed and published by The KPI Institute, the report presents the results of a survey held from November to December 2021. The survey questions were formulated by forming a focus group of internal subject matter experts and aggregating the feedback of thousands of professionals and practitioners in The KPI Institute’s community.

The report covers the major areas affecting organizations today, from target setting to performance measurement and from the role of communication in strategic planning to the common pitfalls in strategy execution.

The data captured in the study reflects the insights of 500 professionals (27% are Executives, and another 34% occupy managerial positions), and nearly half of them are either directly involved in strategy planning or responsible for the design and maintenance of the strategy and performance management system. The survey has addressed 26 topic-related items.

Inside the report, readers would find:

Report overview

• Introduction
• Methodology
• Executive summary

Key Findings

Strategic Planning

• Highlights
• Strategy formulation process
• Strategy alignment
• Strategy tools
• Key success factors
• Strategy communication

Performance Measurement

• Highlights
• KPI usage
• Target setting
• Technology

Strategy Execution

• Highlights
• Overview
• Initiative Management
• Agility

Demographics

Conclusions and Implications for Practice

• Conclusions
• Implications for practice

Get your free copy of “State of Strategy Management Practice Report – 2022” today! For inquiries regarding the report, contact Cristina Mihăiloaie, Business Unit Manager – Research Division:  [email protected], +61 (390) 282 223 or +40 (749) 424 517.

Editor’s Note: Below is an excerpt from the article “Sustainability Standards and KPIs As Game Changers,” written by Silvana Badita and published in the latest edition of Performance Magazine. It presents trends, solutions, and best practices for strategy and performance management through in-depth articles, first-hand how-to’s, concept presentations, case studies, and expert insights.

Companies can no longer afford to ignore sustainability. It is not just a trend but a major factor that drives where most businesses are headed. According to Globescan’s The State of Sustainable Business 2019, reputational risks, consumer demand, investor interest, operational risk, and employee engagement are some of the catalysts behind the sustainability efforts of most organizations. 

Manufacturing is one of the industries that are pressured to realign their activities with the mounting call for sustainability practices. Sustainable manufacturing refers to developing products with minimal negative environmental impacts and maximum contribution to the conservation of natural resources. These products are expected to be economically sound and safe for employees, communities, and consumers. 

Sustainable manufacturing aims to reduce the intensity of materials use, energy consumption, emissions, and unwanted byproducts while maintaining or improving the value provided for society and organizations. 

Some relevant key performance indicators that are often considered when evaluating the sustainability of manufacturing companies are:

• Environmental performance KPIs, such as: # Air emissions, % Energy utilization, % Hazardous waste etc.
• Economic performance KPIs: % Product reliability, % Conformance to specifications, $ Material cost, % Labor cost etc.
• Social performance KPIs: % Occupational health and safety, % Turnover rate, % Supplier commitment etc.

Sustainability standards are observed to ensure quality, transparency, compliance, and results in terms of making organizations accountable for their economic, environmental, and social performance.

The GRI Standards

Among the internationally renowned frameworks is the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) Sustainability Reporting Standards. The GRI Standards consist of Universal Standards, which apply to all organizations and report on human rights and environmental due diligence, the new Sector Standards for sector-specific impacts, and the Topic Standards that come with the revised Universal Standards and relate to a particular topic.

Their vision is to create a sustainable future enabled by transparency and open dialogue about impacts. In this regard, they are a provider of the world’s most widely used sustainability disclosure standards.

With GRI Standards, companies can publicly present the outcomes of their activities in a structured way. This allows their stakeholders and interested parties to better see their status of how they are responding to calls for sustainability. GRI Standards can be used by any type of organization, whether large or small, public or private, or from any location or industry.