Field service KPIs: 10 metrics that actually matter

Why KPIs matter

A field service business without KPIs is run on gut feel. The owner "knows" when something is off, but can't pinpoint where, can't quantify the cost, and can't tell if the next month will be better or worse. KPIs turn gut feel into decisions.

The right KPIs are few, measurable, and actionable. The wrong KPIs are many, vague, and ignored. This guide covers the 10 KPIs that actually move the needle for SMB field service teams in MY and SG.

The 10 KPIs

1. PM compliance rate

What it is: The percentage of scheduled PM visits completed on time.
What good looks like: 95%+ on time. Below 90% means customers are at risk and contracts are eroding.
Why it matters: Recurring contract revenue depends on PM compliance. Missed PMs lead to churned contracts.

2. First-time fix rate

What it is: The percentage of jobs completed in a single visit without a return trip.
What good looks like: 80%+ for general service, 90%+ for routine PMs.
Why it matters: Every return trip costs labour, fuel, and customer goodwill.

3. Average response time

What it is: The time between a job being created and the technician arriving on site.
What good looks like: Matches your SLA tiers — typically 2-4 hours for P1, 24 hours for P2.
Why it matters: Response time drives SLA compliance and customer satisfaction.

4. SLA compliance rate

What it is: The percentage of jobs that meet their SLA tier's response and resolution targets.
What good looks like: 99%+ for SLA-bound customers.
Why it matters: SLA breaches cost money directly and erode contract value over time.

5. Wasted visit rate

What it is: The percentage of jobs where the technician arrives but the work can't happen (no access, customer no-show, wrong info).
What good looks like: Below 5%. Above 10% means scheduling or comms is broken.
Why it matters: Wasted visits are pure cost — fuel, labour, opportunity cost.

6. Jobs per technician per day

What it is: The average number of completed jobs per technician per working day.
What good looks like: 4-6 for most service types. Higher is better, but quality shouldn't slip.
Why it matters: Productivity is the biggest lever on margin. Two extra jobs per technician per week is meaningful revenue.

7. Drive time as % of paid time

What it is: The percentage of a technician's paid hours spent driving between jobs.
What good looks like: Below 25%. Above 35% means routes are poorly optimised.
Why it matters: Drive time is non-billable. Reducing it directly improves margin.

8. Recurring revenue as % of total

What it is: The percentage of monthly revenue from recurring maintenance contracts vs one-off jobs.
What good looks like: 50%+ is healthy. Below 30% means the business is too dependent on finding new customers.
Why it matters: Recurring revenue compounds. It's the difference between a business that scales and one that runs to stand still.

9. Contract churn rate

What it is: The percentage of recurring contracts lost in a given period.
What good looks like: Below 5% annually. Above 10% means something is structurally wrong.
Why it matters: Recurring contracts are the backbone. Losing them is the most expensive thing that can happen to a field service business.

10. Days sales outstanding (DSO)

What it is: The average number of days between job completion and customer payment.
What good looks like: Below 25 days. Above 45 days means cash flow is suffering.
Why it matters: Faster invoicing and online payments compress DSO. The working capital recovered is significant.

How to track them

KPIs are only useful if they're measured and reviewed. The discipline that matters:

• Real-time dashboard — see the KPIs in BeanRails every day, not in a weekly report
• Weekly review — what changed, what's off-trend, what needs action
• Monthly trend report — the same 10 KPIs compared to last month, last quarter, last year
• Quarterly business review — which contracts to renew, which to walk away from, where to invest

What good looks like in numbers

For a 10-technician SMB service team in MY or SG:

• PM compliance: 95-99%
• First-time fix: 80-90%
• Wasted visits: below 5%
• Jobs per technician per day: 4-6
• Drive time: below 25% of paid time
• Recurring revenue: 50%+ of total
• Contract churn: below 5% annually
• DSO: below 25 days

The bottom line

Ten KPIs, measured weekly, reviewed monthly, and acted on when they move. That's the discipline that separates growing service businesses from ones stuck on a treadmill. BeanRails tracks all ten out of the box — they show up on the dashboard the day you start using it.