Been tracking the usual suspects - CAC, LTV, churn rates. But lately wondering what actually predicts if we’ll still be here in 3 years.
What unconventional metrics do you track that signal real business health? The stuff that goes beyond monthly dashboards.
How many customers refer others without being asked?
Retention after big updates is huge. Users who stay through changes? They actually trust you.
Revenue per unhappy customer. Track how much money you’re making from users who complain or trash you in reviews but keep paying anyway. If that number holds up, you’ve got something sticky. They hate your guts but can’t leave because you’re solving something they desperately need. Also watch how many of your top 20% performers stick around. Once your best people bail, the whole thing rots from the inside out.
Time between asking for features and actually using them tells me everything.
Someone requests a feature then uses it once we build it? They’re invested. We ship what people “want” but nobody touches it? Just noise.
I watch what happens when we’re down too. Users refreshing every 5 minutes or asking when we’ll be back - those people keep us alive. Way more honest than satisfaction surveys.
I track how many users upgrade to paid plans organically - no prompts or campaigns. That’s when you know the product actually delivers value.
I also watch support ticket trends. When people start asking about advanced features instead of “how do I do this basic thing,” you’ve built something sticky they want to grow with.