Introduction: why these numbers matter now If you’re nudging past £500k and eyeing the £1m mark, “looking busy” can hide profit leaks. Projects run long, invoices slip and hiring decisions get made on gut feel. The fix isn’t more spreadsheets — it’s a short list of service business KPIs  that give you forward-looking visibility, so you can price with confidence, plan capacity and protect cash before year-end. And with late payments still biting UK SMEs, the right KPIs help yo