Which KPIs should we use to measure CRM success?

There are a hundred possible metrics. Six are enough, and they should be divided into two groups.

Usage, the first six months

Percentage of active users per week. Percentage of sales opportunities updated in the past two weeks. Percentage of cases registered in the system rather than by email. If these figures are low, the rest of the numbers are just noise.

Results, from the second half of the year

Conversion rate from lead to closed-won deal. Average sales cycle. Percentage of cases resolved by the deadline. You now have enough data for the figures to be meaningful.

Always compare against the baseline

A number on its own says little. What matters is the direction, measured against how things were before.

One person owns each number

Targets without an owner are not followed up. Specify who reviews what, and how often.