Benchmarking involves comparing a company's processes and performance metrics to industry best practices. It is done in key areas like quality, time, and cost. Companies identify top performers in their industry or similar industries and compare their results and processes to find areas for improvement. There are several types of benchmarking, including process, financial, performance, strategic, functional, and product benchmarking. Benchmarking is also used in the public and nursing sectors to improve services and identify best practices over time.