MTD Training, a leadership and management training provider based in Coventry, had plenty of data but very little shared visibility. Important numbers lived in Salesforce, spreadsheets and handwritten notes. Only a few people could access them, and even then, different reports often gave different answers.
For Chief Operating Officer Kelli Grinter, this created a real challenge. Her role spans operations, marketing, sales, apprenticeships and finance, so understanding how the whole business is performing is essential. But without a consistent view of the numbers, it was difficult to make confident decisions or keep the team aligned.
Rewinding maybe five, six years ago, we didn't have access to all the data we need.
Kelli and the senior team wanted something simple. One clear and reliable view of performance that everyone could see.
Creating one true voice
Salesforce remained their hub, but pulling accurate reports from it was a challenge.
It's like a black hole of information. One tiny filter out and you've missed a whole set of data.
Different teams used different reports. The result was multiple truths, which made transparency difficult.
With Geckoboard, MTD now has a single and consistent view of performance on screens across their office.
Geckoboard provides that one stop shop for visibility across the business. Everybody sees the same information, information we know is accurate and relevant.
Combining Salesforce with Google Sheets and Google Analytics has helped them bring more of the business into view without asking teams to change how they work.
Making quality visible
One of the biggest improvements has been in their apprenticeships team. Skills coaches deliver higher quality support when their caseloads stay manageable, but previously it was hard to spot when someone was becoming overloaded.
The dashboard shows us very quickly when new learners come on and how that affects capacity. It gives us a huge opportunity to get ahead of problems before they become a problem.
It also leads to a better learner experience.
They get to stay with one skills coach throughout their apprenticeship. That wasn't always possible before when we couldn't easily see data the that allows us to manage workloads more efficiently.
Driving friendly competition and team connection
In sales, having performance visible has boosted energy and camaraderie.
For them to see not only their own success, but what their teammates are doing, it drives that friendly competition.
They have also built in fun touches, from themed photos on the dashboards to Friday rituals where teams share wins and ring a bell when something great happens.
It is not just about data. It is about conversations. People interact with each other who might not usually, and that brings out a lot of passion in the team.
If the dashboards disappeared tomorrow?
Kelli would certainly notice a difference.
It would have a negative effect. People are used to checking the dashboards while making a cup of tea. You hear conversations across the office about what is happening and how they can help.
The cultural impact, shared understanding, ownership and connection, is now part of daily life.
Three ideas you can borrow
1. Create one true voice for your metrics
Define your key numbers once and show the same version to everyone. This removes the overhead of individuals building their own reports and avoids discrepancies.
2. Design dashboards for teams, not just leadership
Show metrics people can influence day to day. Visibility drives ownership. Have some fun with them too!
3. Build simple rituals around your screens
A quick check in, a weekly win or a visual refresh keeps data alive and sparks conversation.
See what you could surface with Geckoboard
If you want clearer visibility of your performance, stronger alignment across teams and day to day conversations grounded in live data, Geckoboard can help.
