Dispensight
Case Study
KPI Transparency & Team Behavior · An anonymized 20‑person retail team

From Visibility to Velocity: How KPI Transparency Changed Behavior

A one‑year, anonymized study (May 2024 → May 2025) on a 20‑person retail team using Dispensight’s real‑time dashboards (10‑minute cadence).
Team size: 20
Window: May 2024 → May 2025
Cadence: 10‑minute updates
Focus: Retention · UPT · Basket · Discount · Sales

Executive Snapshot

Retention shift
+40 to +70 pp (several staff)
Once retention became a visible KPI, many reshaped approaches to relationships.
UPT Stabilization
1.47–1.63
Consistent upsell pattern: ~1–2 items per transaction.
Discount discipline
80.05%
Excessive giveaways curtailed; value‑driven selling emphasized.
Engagement
1,700+ logins
Heavy use of the live KPI interface across the year.
Sales dispersion
Clear stratification
KPI visibility surfaced top performers and inspired healthy competition.
Sustainability
Gains held
After the initial jump post‑deployment, KPI levels remained elevated and stable.

Context & Method

We analyzed anonymized weekly, monthly, and quarterly performance data across five metric families: Retention (%), Transaction Count, UPT, Average Basket Size, Discount Usage (%), and Gross/Net Sales. Visualization of trends and distributions revealed where behavior changed the most after KPI transparency.

Scope. The dataset spans May 2024 to May 2025 (20 employees). Real‑time dashboards updated every 10 minutes were made available to the entire team, with access logs showing heavy engagement.

Key Behavioral Outcomes

1) Retention improvement & morale

Several staff improved retention by +40 to +70 points. Visibility sparked motivation, peer learning, and friendly rivalry—customers experienced more attentive, consistent service.

2) Consistency in upselling

UPT stabilized around 1.45–1.60, reflecting disciplined attachment‑rate habits and renewed focus on consultative selling.

3) Discount control

Discount usage held steady near 3–4%, reducing margin leakage and anchoring value‑based conversations.

4) Healthy competition

Sales dispersion across employees became more visible. Scoreboard‑like dashboards highlighted exemplars and lifted the middle via observation effects.

5) Lasting change

Post‑deployment KPI gains didn’t fade. Elevated levels persisted, indicating true habit formation—not a novelty spike.

6) Proof of engagement

Over 1,700 logins in one year confirm that when a better tool exists, people use it—and use it often.

Why It Worked

  • Transparent feedback loops. Everyone sees progress at the same cadence (10‑minute rhythm), enabling quick course‑correction.
  • Shared goals. Clear KPIs align behavior and create a common language for coaching.
  • Recognition dynamics. Visible wins fuel morale and friendly competition.
  • Behavioral realism. Dashboards cluster related KPIs and reduce cognitive load, making interpretation fast and low‑stress.

Before / After (Qualitative Summary)

Before: Opaque metrics, delayed feedback, and inconsistent coaching led to uneven performance and discount sprawl.

After: A transparent scoreboard culture emerged—retention up sharply, upselling habits normalized, discounts disciplined, and sales dispersion used for learning rather than blame.

What This Means for Operators

  • Make retention and attachment rates as visible as sales—behavior follows the scoreboard.
  • Adopt a 10‑minute cadence for frontline awareness without overwhelming staff.
  • Coach to habits (UPT range, discount discipline) and celebrate micro‑wins daily.
  • Instrument usage—logins and views are leading indicators of adoption and culture change.

Next Steps

Extend analysis by segment (e.g., new vs. returning customers), test incentive structures tied to retention and attachment rate, and explore cross‑store benchmarking.


Want to see this live? Explore the real‑time demo dashboard, then read the white paper, or book a demo.