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KPI
/ˌkeɪ piːˈaɪ/
key metric for performance
The company tracks monthly KPIs to measure sales team productivity.
The company uses specific performance indicators to evaluate how well the sales team is performing each month.
Business
formal
A quantifiable measure used to evaluate the success of an organization, employee, or project in meeting objectives.
Customer satisfaction scores are a critical KPI for our customer support team.
The team's performance is judged partly by how satisfied customers are with the service they receive.
The marketing department's KPIs include website traffic and lead conversion rates.
Marketing success is measured by how many people visit the website and how many of those visitors become potential customers.
KPIs are often tied to business goals and used in performance reviews or strategic planning.
Collocations
set KPIsestablish measurable targetstrack KPIsmonitor performance metricsmeet KPIsachieve established targetsKPI dashboardvisual tool displaying performance metrics
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
How to choose effective KPIs
Focus on metrics that directly align with your organization's strategic goals. For example, if customer retention is a priority, track churn rate rather than just website visits.
Gold Rule
KPIs vs. metrics
All KPIs are metrics, but not all metrics are KPIs. A KPI must directly measure progress toward a critical business objective.
Avoid vanity metrics
Metrics like social media followers may look impressive but don't necessarily indicate business success unless they correlate with revenue or customer retention.
Word Origin
Acronym formed from 'Key Performance Indicator' (first recorded in business contexts in the 1980s). The term gained widespread use in management literature and corporate strategy frameworks.
Usage Notes
KPIs should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). Avoid setting too many KPIs—focus on the most critical ones that directly impact business success.
Word Breakdown
K
Key
abbreviationP
Performance
abbreviationI
Indicator
abbreviationEnglish Dictionary