When All Metrics Aren’t Equal: How the Weighted Balanced Scorecard Helps Prioritize

KPM SMARTBiz
May 9
4 min read

LSS Toolkit: Giving Weight to What Matters Most

When All Metrics Aren’t Equal: How the Weighted Balanced Scorecard Helps Prioritize

Have you ever been in a meeting where everyone’s debating the “right” metric, only to leave with more questions than answers?

It happens more often than we’d like to admit. As business leaders, we’re asked to track everything under the sun—revenue, customer satisfaction, employee engagement, efficiency, safety, innovation... the list goes on. The challenge is never finding metrics, but figuring out which ones truly matter right now.

That’s where the Weighted Balanced Scorecard steps in. By giving different weights to different metrics, it helps us focus on what truly moves the needle. And in the world of Lean Six Sigma, prioritization isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.

The Wake-Up Call at CRB

At CRB, we had a habit of overloading our scorecards with data. We tracked everything from production speed to customer feedback, from team satisfaction to vendor reliability. But what we didn’t track—or at least didn’t track effectively—was how these metrics worked together.

I remember a specific quarter when we were all pushing for operational excellence. Efficiency was up, and customer complaints were down. But our team morale was dipping, and employee turnover was creeping higher.

So we redefined our approach:We adopted a weighted scorecard that allowed us to assign a level of importance to each metric. Instead of treating every number as equal, we gave more weight to areas that directly influenced our strategic goals—customer experience, team engagement, and quality.

For instance, we might weigh customer satisfaction at 50%, team morale at 30%, and efficiency at 20%. Suddenly, the conversation wasn’t just about getting numbers to look good—it was about making sure we were building a sustainable foundation.

The result? We didn’t just hit our efficiency targets—we did it while maintaining a healthy, engaged team and improving customer loyalty. It felt like a win-win because it was.

Groupe D’Resto: Finding the Right Focus

At Groupe D’Resto, our initial scorecard was straightforward but lacked depth. Financials were important—no doubt. But so was the experience of our guests and the satisfaction of our staff.

The challenge was figuring out which of those metrics deserved our full attention.

So, we created a weighted approach. For example, in our first quarter, we weighted:

Guest Satisfaction (40%)
Revenue Growth (30%)
Staff Engagement (20%)
Food Cost Control (10%)

That 40% on guest satisfaction wasn’t arbitrary—it was directly tied to our brand’s promise. Without happy customers, nothing else mattered. But by balancing that with revenue and staff engagement, we made sure we weren’t burning out our teams just to hit a number.

It worked. We saw improved guest scores, reduced staff turnover, and better-than-expected revenue growth. The weighted scorecard forced us to keep our eyes on the bigger picture.

At FoodArt: Prioritizing What Moves the Needle

At FoodArt, our goal was to maintain high standards of food quality while simultaneously improving profitability. But as we dug into our metrics, we realized we were losing focus.

We had quality control measures in place, but they didn’t always reflect the full impact on our customer experience. Profit margins were good, but we were constantly battling with stock-outs and inventory waste.

So we weighted our key performance indicators (KPIs) differently:

Food Quality (35%)
Customer Experience (40%)
Profit Margin (15%)
Operational Efficiency (10%)

We realized that customer experience should carry the heaviest weight—not just food quality. Yes, the food needed to be perfect, but a perfect meal didn’t matter if the guest experience was poor. By giving customer experience priority, we aligned our operations more effectively.

The change was subtle but powerful. Managers knew where to focus their efforts, and employees could see how their work impacted broader outcomes. That clarity led to a noticeable improvement in customer feedback and reduced operational costs.

ACCOR: The Power of Flexibility

At ACCOR, I was introduced to the power of flexibility within a weighted balanced scorecard. Managers were asked to revisit the scorecard each quarter based on shifting priorities. If, for instance, customer satisfaction was becoming a priority due to market changes, we adjusted the weightings accordingly.

It taught me a valuable lesson:A weighted scorecard isn’t static—it should evolve with your strategy. If priorities change, so should the scorecard.

My Takeaways (From Weighted Scorecards That Helped—and Some That Didn’t)

Not all metrics are created equal. When everything is important, nothing is. Use weight to reflect what drives value.
Adjust as you go. The real power of the weighted scorecard is its adaptability. Don’t be afraid to revisit weights regularly.
Balance ambition with reality. Yes, everyone wants high numbers. But if you're not hitting your most important goals, it's time to adjust.
Communicate what matters. Your team should understand not only what’s being tracked but also why it matters more than other things.

Final Thought: Focused Strategy Drives Results

A weighted balanced scorecard isn’t just about tracking performance—it’s about driving meaningful outcomes. By giving more weight to the metrics that align with your core priorities, you’re not just measuring success, you’re guiding it.

So next time you’re building out your scorecard, ask yourself:

Are we tracking what truly matters—or just what’s easiest to measure?