The time between purchase and when customers first experience meaningful benefits.
Time to Value (TTV) has become one of the most important metrics in SaaS and subscription businesses. In an era of monthly contracts and easy switching, the faster customers see results, the more likely they are to stay and expand.
For Customers:
For Vendors:
When customers can perform core functions. Example: First successful login and basic task completion.
When customers experience their first meaningful benefit. Example: First report generated or first insight delivered.
When customers achieve the outcomes promised in the business case. Example: Reaching projected ROI targets.
Common approaches:
Event-Based TTV: Track specific milestones (first login, first project, first integration)
Outcome-Based TTV: Measure when quantifiable benefits begin (first dollar saved, first hour saved)
Survey-Based TTV: Ask customers when they felt they received value
Industry benchmarks vary significantly:
| Product Type | Typical TTV |
|---|---|
| Self-serve SaaS | Minutes to hours |
| SMB software | Days to weeks |
| Mid-market solutions | Weeks to months |
| Enterprise platforms | Months to quarters |
Smart sales teams use TTV as a competitive differentiator:
The process of achieving and measuring the actual benefits and outcomes promised during the sales process after implementation.
A systematic method to improve the value of products or services by examining function and cost. In B2B sales, it refers to the practice of quantifying and communicating business value to support purchasing decisions.
A documented justification for undertaking a project or initiative, typically including financial analysis, risk assessment, and expected outcomes.
A structured financial framework that calculates expected returns by mapping solution capabilities to business outcomes and quantifying their impact.
See how ValueNova helps you apply these concepts to build compelling business cases.