1. New enquiries by source
How many enquiries came in, and from where? A sudden drop in one channel, like a broken website form or a paused ad, shows up here first.
2. First-response time
How quickly did you reply to new enquiries? It’s one of the easiest numbers to improve and one of the most important. See responding faster.
3. Pipeline and forecast
What’s the total value of open deals, and what’s likely to close this month? Compare it with last week. See forecasting.
4. Won and lost
What did you win and lose this week, and why? Look for patterns in loss reasons over a month.
5. Support backlog
How many tickets are open, and how many are overdue? A growing backlog is an early sign of unhappy customers.
Turning numbers into action
| If you see | Consider |
|---|---|
| Enquiries down | Check web forms and ads are working; contact past customers. |
| Response time up | Review the roster and who owns new enquiries. |
| Forecast below target | Chase older quotes; review stuck deals. |
| More losses on price | Review pricing and how quotes explain value. |
| Support backlog growing | Find recurring issues; add capacity in busy periods. |
Keep the routine short
Set aside 15 minutes at the same time each week, such as Monday at 8am. Look at the five numbers, compare with last week and write down one or two actions. Consistency matters more than detail: a quick weekly look catches problems far earlier than a long quarterly review.
Monthly and quarterly views
Once a month, look at trends: are enquiries, win rates and response times improving? Once a quarter, look at the bigger picture: which sources bring your best customers, which services are most profitable and which customers are growing or shrinking.
Avoiding vanity numbers
Some numbers look impressive but don’t help decisions, such as total contacts in the database. Focus on numbers you can act on this week: enquiries, response time, forecast, wins and losses, and open support requests.
A worked example
The owner of a small removalist business checks five numbers every Monday. One week, enquiries are down by half. Looking closer, every channel is normal except the website. The form had stopped sending after a website update. It is fixed by lunchtime, after one quiet week rather than a quiet month.
Quick checklist
- Check five numbers at the same time each week.
- Look at enquiries by source and first-response time.
- Review the pipeline and forecast.
- Note wins and losses with reasons.
- Check the support backlog.
- Write down one or two actions.
- Look at longer trends monthly and quarterly.
Make it automatic
Save these as a dashboard or have them sent each Monday. NovaSoft One’s dashboard covers priority work and key numbers on every plan, and on Professional plans reports and report schedules add funnel analysis and scheduled updates.
Common questions
How long should a weekly review take?
About 15 minutes if the data is up to date.
Which report matters most?
For most small businesses, new enquiries and response time, because they drive everything else.
Should staff see the numbers?
Sharing a few key numbers helps everyone understand priorities.
This guide is general information for Australian businesses, not legal, tax or financial advice. Check anything specific to your situation with a qualified adviser or the relevant government agency.