One of the most disheartening things a small business can discover is that their customer loyalty and retention is down. Unfortunately, the information could come too late and leave businesses scrambling to find new customers and determine what could have possibly gone wrong.

However, a recent article on the 1to1 Media website reveals numbers all businesses should track to guarantee ultimate customer satisfaction and long-term business success - and protect them from unwelcome surprises:

1. Net Promoter Score - The score effectively gives a "clear measure of an organization's performance through its customers' eyes" and measures how excited customers are by a business and where it can improve.

2. Customer retention - This is obviously a key component in long-term business. Are customers more likely to buy once or return multiple times?

3. Positive testimonials and reviews - Finding willing, enthusiastic customers to give glowing reviews on behalf of the company lets business owners know they're doing something right.

4. Sale completion rate - Keeping track of which sales were completed and which fell through can give businesses an indication of the most successful sales tactics and strategies.

5. Loyal customer spending - Monitoring how much customers spend opposed to what products they buy could reveal whether they feel a company is trustworthy and provides customer service worthy of their increased business.

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