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Key IT Metrics More Valuable than Uptime Statistics

Written by Larry Hoehn

January 6, 2022

Frequently, IT professionals will rely on traditional metrics like uptime to gauge the success of their efforts. While these standard performance indicators can provide information about network performance, they are far from the most valuable IT metrics available.

If IT departments want to glean valuable insights about how they can keep their organization operating at peak levels, then they should be tracking the following metrics:

Application Utilization Rate

The utilization rate can be quite difficult to quantify. However, companies must track this metric, as it can help them identify sources of waste.

Every IT tool in an organization’s arsenal is designed to support the company’s long-term goals. When these tools aren’t being used, it can hinder employees’ productivity and negatively impact profitability.

If the utilization rate is alarmingly low for specific solutions, it is important to find out why. IT teams should actively seek out user feedback to find out what is working and what isn’t.

Once feedback has been collected, the organization can take steps to increase employee buy-in by rectifying any issues with current IT resources. After these issues have been resolved, the company should let the staff know that their voices have been heard. 

An encouraging email or a meeting with department heads are a few great ways to connect with employees and improve the utilization rate.

Enterprise Growth Rate

Regardless of the industry that you operate in, IT resources play a key role in your success. 

Therefore, tracking a broad metric like enterprise growth rate is an excellent way to determine whether your IT strategy is effective. If you are dissatisfied with your current growth and profitability metrics, it may be time to reevaluate your deployment of IT resources.

Improving your enterprise growth rate can be quite complex due to the number of factors that influence this statistic. At the outset of your efforts, you should perform a comprehensive analysis of your organization. Bringing in a third-party consulting firm can aid your efforts. In addition, you may need to partner with an IT services provider that offers assessment services.

Customer Acquisition Costs

Customer acquisition costs (CAC) are another profitability-related metric that can provide insights into the effectiveness of your IT strategy. 

Ideally, your IT solutions should streamline the customer acquisition process, thereby reducing CAC. Typically, a declining CAC will coincide with high utilization rates and positive feedback from end-point users.

Improving your CAC requires a multifaceted approach. You must ensure that your staff has quality training and the right resources in place to connect with consumers. 

Operational Costs

In addition to CAC, we recommend tracking metrics related to your overall operating costs. Your company’s operating costs and administrative expenses should decline following the implementation of new IT resources. If they do not, you may be experiencing a lack of employee buy-in due to negative user experiences.

As you make efforts to reduce operational costs, we recommend conducting a thorough architecture and performance review. You can perform this review in-house or partner with an experienced IT services provider. An outside entity will provide objective insights and may catch things that your internal staff did not.

User Experience

User satisfaction is by far one of the most important IT metrics that every company should be measuring. According to Forbes, companies that focus on the end-user experience generate 4 to 8% more revenue on average. This disparity is because user satisfaction is directly tied to employee productivity and business profitability.

Companies must focus on providing a dynamic experience for the end-user. No other IT metric matters if employees are having a negative experience with the technology.

The best way to improve the user experience is to regularly collect and review employee feedback. This approach ensures that key decision-makers do not become disconnected from line-level staff.

Bird Rock Systems: Driving Dynamic User Experiences

If you want to begin tracking these relevant metrics, you will need the right tools. Bird Rock Systems is an experienced IT partner that can help with this process. Our experts offer IT integration services to ensure that you can easily and accurately measure these vital statistics.

Our innovative team can partner with you, assess your organization’s unique needs, and implement customized solutions that produce results. With our help, you can improve employee productivity and increase business profitability.

If you would like to learn more, contact us today! Our experts will ensure that you maintain your competitive edge in the ever-evolving world of IT.

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