Important KPIs for Inventory Management

Effective inventory management can be a game-changer for your business, regardless of industry or size. By utilizing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), you can make informed decisions to optimize your inventory processes. When monitored and leveraged correctly, businesses can see increased customer satisfaction, reduced costs, and greater profits. In this article, we'll explore the significant KPIs for inventory management and how they can help you grow your business successfully and sustainably.  

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Defined

Before we get too ahead of ourselves, it is important to know what KPIs are and why they matter for your business. KPIs are like your personal trainer. They inform you on how well you are doing and ensure you stay on track towards your specific goals. By keeping an eye on KPIs, you can readily spot areas that need improvement and take steps to make your business more efficient and profitable.

However, not every KPI is meaningful. Different industries and businesses track different KPIs depending on what they do and want to achieve. For example, retail businesses often use inventory turnover rate, sell-through rate, and order fulfillment accuracy KPIs. In contrast, manufacturers may focus on KPIs like product yield, lead time, and supplier performance. Knowing which KPIs are most relevant to your business can help you make informed decisions and improve your business.

It’s worth mentioning that setting KPIs isn’t a one-and-done thing. It is an ongoing process that needs to be reviewed regularly and adjusted. As your business changes, your KPIs should change to keep up with your goals.

Operational Inventory KPIs

Sometimes it feels like the path to a successful and well-optimized inventory operation is out of reach. Lucky for you we can help you bridge that gap. Introducing operational inventory KPIs. These metrics focus on the day-to-day inner workings of managing your inventory. Operational inventory KPIs give invaluable insight into how well your stock is being managed, from helping you find inventory turnover rates to determining order accuracy. By closely monitoring these performance indicators, businesses can be better informed on how to optimize and improve strategies that enhance the overall operational performance. Below are some of the most important operational KPIs to keep in mind.

Inventory Turnover: This measures the number of times your inventory is sold and replaced within a specific period. A higher inventory turnover means a business is efficient with inventory control and reduces the risk of deadstock or expired products.

Stockout Rate: Without inventory, there are no sales. This KPI helps to measure the frequency and duration of stockouts to void missed opportunities. A high stockout rate shows poor inventory planning and leads to lost sales and dissatisfied customers.

Fill Rate: This shows how many orders are fulfilled entirely, keeping those returns at bay. A high fill rate indicates robust inventory management practices and enhances customer satisfaction.

Order Accuracy: You don’t want to send out incorrect orders. This KPI measures the accuracy of order picking and shipping processes. When you have higher order accuracy then you are doing something right and your customers will appreciate it. It also cuts down on returns and exchanges.

Inventory Shrinkage: Ever wondered where your inventory disappears to? This KPI helps measure the loss due to theft, damage, or any other reason.

Inventory Holding Cost: This KPI indicates the price of keeping your inventory cozy and safe. Calculate this to understand the true cost of storing unsold goods.

Sales and Demand KPIs

Imagine with me for a second that you have foresight into the performance and potential sales of your business. With sales and demand KPIs, it is a reality! These KPIs offer insight into your customer base, market trends, and the effectiveness of your sales strategies. What more could you ask for? Analyzing these metrics is almost like looking into the future and can help you optimize your inventory levels and meet customer demand efficiently. There are several important sales and demand KPIs that you should pay attention to, including:

Customer Demand Variability: This KPI lets you see into the minds of your customers and see which products they desire the most. Understand the demand, and you can almost guarantee the sales.

Sales Forecast Accuracy: Assess the accuracy of your sales forecast against your actual sales. The higher the accuracy, the better you can optimize inventory levels to reduce costs and prevent overstocking.

Inventory-to-Sales Ratio: Are your inventory levels matching your sales? If not, you may need to get rid of some excess inventory through sales or re-up on some more Stanly tumblers.

Lost Sales: Keep a pulse on your inventory levels by tracking sales lost due to stockouts or low stock levels.

Sales Conversion Rate: See if your sales strategies hold up to scrutiny by determining the percentage of customers who purchase after engaging with your sales channels. A high conversion rate indicates an effective sales strategy.

Average Order Value (AOV): Monitoring AOV gives you a peak into customers’ carts, offering a better understanding of purchasing behavior.

Employee KPIs

Employee KPIs evaluate the performance and productivity of your inventory management team. They are crucial in assessing the effectiveness of your employees, ensuring that meeting performance expectations and  enhancing efficiency isn’t like pulling teeth. By monitoring and analyzing these KPIs you can get a better understanding of how well teams work and what improvements can be made. Here are some important employee KPIs you should consider:

Labor Cost: First up, let's talk dollars and cents – or should we say, labor cost per hour! This KPI gives you a sneak peek into how much it costs to keep the wheels turning.

Employee Turnover Rate: Next on our list is the employee turnover rate. A high turnover rate might mean it's time to spice up the playlist or add a few more perks to keep the crew happy and motivated.

Labor Cost Per Item: Last but not least, let's talk about the labor cost per item. Ever wondered how much it costs to whip up each product? This KPI helps you fine-tune your pricing strategy and keep those profit margins in check.

Choosing the Right KPIs for Your Business

Choosing the right KPIs is like selecting the right tool for the job. You wouldn’t use a hammer on a screw, would you? Similarly, every business is unique, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to monitoring performance metrics. Before you decide on which KPIs fit your needs, do a bit of sleuthing and determine what specific aspects of your business require improvements and what goals you are working towards. Once you have found your clues, you can begin to piece together your squad of KPIs that will lead you to success.

It is also essential to strike a balance between leading and lagging indicators, like walking and running. Leading indicators are like walking, a steady pace that helps predict future performance. On the other hand, lagging indicators are like running, retrospective, and measure the results of past actions. By incorporating both types of indicators, you can walk before you run and gain a comprehensive view of your inventory management performance.

Take Control of Your KPIs, and Master Inventory Management with Genie

Picture a world where inventory management is smooth sailing, where reaching and surpassing your goals feels effortless. That's the magic of using Genie. Genie allows you to not only track inventory KPIs but also gives you complete control of every aspect of your inventory.

With Genie, you are the puppet master of your inventory. Each string is a direct line to the inner workings of your business, and with seemingly endless and expanding tools, customizations, and features, you will never miss a beat. Whether you are looking to see what your highest-performing products are or have concerns about a stock gap coming up, Genie will provide you with live updates and give you the ability to get ahead of them.

KPIs are essential to effective inventory management. Using Genie, you can monitor and analyze your KPIs in a breeze. No more manual headaches, no more guesswork, and finally no more spreadsheets! It is everything you could have wished for and more.

‍