Why publish benchmarks at all
Because the alternative is a proposal full of adjectives. A buyer comparing vendors has no way to judge ‘fast’ or ‘senior’ — they can judge a number, and they can hold us to it afterwards.
The four we track
Time to first output: days from signature to something a client can look at. Defect escape rate: the share of bugs reaching production. Time to hire: requisition to accepted offer. Cost per qualified lead: total programme cost over leads the sales team accepted.
Each one is chosen because it is hard to flatter. Time to first output punishes long discovery phases. Defect escape rate punishes coverage theatre. Cost per qualified lead punishes lead volume bought at the expense of quality.
How to use them
Not as a promise — as a starting position. In the first engagement review we agree which of these matters for your business and what the target is, and every monthly report is written against that number.