Issue #08 — Q1 Benchmark Report: Service Business Metrics

Issue #08  ·  January 13, 2026  ·  The Operations Weekly

Every quarter I compile benchmark data from the service businesses in our community. This is the Q1 2026 report. Use it to calibrate where you stand and identify your highest-leverage improvement opportunity.

Close Rate Benchmarks

Across all service industries surveyed: median close rate on quoted jobs is 52%. Top quartile: 71%. If you’re below 40%, your pricing, presentation, or follow-up process needs attention. If you’re above 70%, you may be underpricing.

Customer Acquisition Cost

Median CAC across respondents: $187. Range: $42 (referral-heavy businesses) to $640 (paid ads dependent). The lowest-CAC businesses invest heavily in reviews, referral programs, and organic content — all channels that compound over time.

Average Job Value

Highly variable by industry, but median across respondents is $847 per job. Top-quartile businesses are at $1,400+ — almost entirely because of upsell and service bundling strategies, not different customer types.