Kantata Enables Better Decision-Making Powered by Superior Forecasting at Tribal
INDUSTRY
CHALLENGE
EMPLOYEES
GEOGRAPHY
Tribal Group Plc is a global supplier of software and services to support educational institutions. Tribal sought out a solution purpose-built for professional services after outgrowing their own system, which was built in-house.
Challenge: Efficient and simplified reporting, streamline invoicing
According to Ken Houghton, the Head of Vocational Learning Implementation Services, Further Education UK and Europe, “We had been using something that had been developed in-house and was built around Microsoft Dynamics and the finance system, but it had no remote capability. It also meant we had data stored in multiple locations, which made accessing and interpreting it a time-consuming process. We needed a single, professionally designed system that was created specifically for professional services, but was still flexible enough to be able to be used consistently across the business.”
Tribal Group PLC provides the expertise, software and services to underpin student success and empower the world of education. Tribal transforms the digital student experience through cloud-based solutions that ensure value, results and efficiency every step of the way.
“We needed a single, professionally designed system that was created specifically for professional services.”
Head of Vocational Learning Implementation Service
The Solution
After running a pilot in their Asia Pacific business, Ken implemented Kantata in his department in May 2015.
“It was a fairly smooth transition and the consultants have adjusted to it quickly. There used to be grumbles about the old system but these have faded away now that we have Kantata.”
The biggest benefit Tribal has enjoyed has been the improvement in forecasting.
“Kantata has hugely streamlined and simplified my forecasting work. Previously I had to manage multiple spreadsheets and transfer data from one place to another, but now it’s all in one place. I can control and move projects along much more easily and can see when we will need to get extra staff, or plan for when not enough revenue is coming through.”
“Where once it took me days of work to achieve a half-decent forecast, it’s now so easy to do that I forecast weekly. This means we meet more regularly to discuss our projections and, because the information is so up to date, we can make interventions earlier, which benefits the business. Seeing margins on projects is much easier now and where previously reports were ad hoc, now everything is consistent,” comments Ken.
Because Kantata can be accessed 24/7, consultants enter their expenses in a more timely manner, which means that financial reports no longer see the peaks and troughs of expenses that they once did. And having everything such as timesheets, expenses and invoicing in one place means that a much more complete picture of the client is built. Also, because Kantata provides a solution that is native to Salesforce, additional information on the client can be accessed from the same place. This has helped different parts of the business to work together.
“The sales team were preparing a pitch for a client and I was able to provide them with useful information very easily,” Ken explains. “I didn’t have to hunt high and low across different places for it. I’m also able to ask relevant questions at the sales forecast meetings so it really helps us work together. There is so much more for us to get from Kantata and I’m looking forward to continuing to use it to make improvements in the business.”
The Results
- More accurate forecasts
- Reduced revenue leakage
- Make better decisions sooner