KPIs Every Garage Should Track
The key numbers that tell you whether your garage is healthy — utilisation, retention, average job value and more.
Last updated 1 May 2026 · 6 min read
Part of our guide to Garage Software for Independent Garages
Why KPIs matter for small garages
You cannot improve what you do not measure. A handful of key numbers tells you whether the business is getting healthier or slowly leaking revenue — without needing an accountant to interpret them.
The essential five
- Ramp utilisation — percentage of available ramp hours booked with paying work
- Average job value — total revenue divided by number of jobs completed
- Customer retention rate — percentage of customers who return within 12 months
- MOT pass rate — useful for quality control and customer trust
- Enquiry conversion rate — calls and online enquiries that become confirmed bookings
How to track them
Spreadsheets work for a while, but garage software with built-in reporting is more reliable. Check your numbers monthly — weekly during busy periods. Use the garage growth score for a quick health check. For software recommendations, see garage software for independent garages.
Act on what you find
Low retention? Set up automated MOT reminders. Low utilisation? Improve your online booking and Google visibility. Low average job value? Train your team to identify and quote advisory work. AskMike Pro provides the tools and reporting to act on these numbers.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a healthy ramp utilisation rate?
- Most profitable independents run at 75–85% utilisation during working hours. Below 60% suggests empty diary slots or jobs taking too long. Above 90% means you have no capacity for walk-ins or urgent work.
- How do I calculate customer retention?
- Divide the number of customers who returned within 12 months by the total number of unique customers from the previous year. Multiply by 100 for a percentage. Aim for 50%+ as a baseline, 65%+ as a target.
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