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Geoff GrateleyGrateley Consulting Unlock the Future Conference 2025 |
Investing in the right technology solutions to empower the right people in the right place at the right time
Corporate appreciation of the efficiency gains and operational resilience created by smart technology has accelerated in the last three years. Business and operational leaders increasingly understand that organisations that do not integrate technology will fall below customer expectations. Eventually they may exclude themselves from the customer and business opportunities they need to survive and prosper.
Placing the customer at the centre of the technology solution encourages everyone to place the frontline employee there also, because if you look after your people you look after your customers and, therefore, your business.
However:
Many frontline teams still operate in this way, and yet there are cost-effective solutions that enable leaders to realise the opportunity through integrated technology.
Frontline teams want technology
Empowering through cost-effective mobile technology, enabling frontline teams digitally, places responsibility at the point of customer interaction. Digital tools slice through, replacing inefficient process and procedure, liberating ways of working and enabling the team to better integrate.
Frontline workers want tools that empower and streamline reporting, enabling quicker communication. Tools that enable them to work smarter, with leaner processes that they can influence, offering greater levels of satisfaction.
The right technology will enable colleagues to take greater responsibility for their tasks, equipping them with dynamic information at hand, encouraging personal focus and accountability.
If the technology is smart enough to be collaborative and integrated, it will support a one-team approach, engaging communication, amplifying interest, and equipping the frontline team with solutions designed to help them better manage the increasing range of tasks, with the same or fewer resources.
Definitive case studies now exist to substantiate these assertions, where smart technology providers such as Over-C by Risktech are leading the way by placing frontline teams at the heart of their advanced software solutions.
Help to understand the organisational goals
If frontline employees understand the business objectives and the customer-centric goals, they will support and get behind technology-enabled change for the benefit of their customers and consequently the business.
However, if new ways of working are simply dropped into practice without context and an understanding of “why” then those leading the project must accept the consequences of their own ineffectiveness.
Operational success is dependent upon the clarity and simplicity of business processes and workflows, and if these are compromised and complicated then the value of digitalisation will be impacted. It takes discipline to keep solutions simple and that is where genuine engagement and involvement of frontline workers really makes the difference. Who better to simplify procedures, remove bottlenecks, and “lean” processes than the frontline people who operate them every day?
Operating as one team, effective communication, and the value of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in frontline team engagement
Frontline teams increasingly comprise people for whom English is not their first language. For these people, using paper-based operating procedures and check sheets that are written in English is a significant limiting factor in their ability to communicate, often resulting in limited response detail. As such, records of actions and incidents can be compromised, and the value of information passed onto others to administer manually is significantly reduced.
Technology solutions for frontline teams, with workflows operating in real-time, are a significant step forward in enabling people to record data through images and video to supplement the written word. Likewise, digital forms with drop down menus support people with different language skills to better record smarter information.
However, frontline workers for whom English is not their first language remain inhibited by software that is designed and set out in English. Their team integration is limited, and their confidence may be fundamentally compromised. This opportunity is the catalyst for software providers to seek solutions through the use of AI.
AI solutions, designed into frontline worker software, are now encouraging frontline teams to record information in their native language from which the software instantly translates into English, for the wider team to connect with.
Managers can communicate digitally in their own preferred language to frontline teams through a range of different languages and, in return, frontline teams can communicate in their preferred language back to their colleagues. Where communication had previously been at best compromised, at worst divisive, now there is a sense of inclusion, promoting diversity and confidence across the team. Colleagues can now be encouraged to fully participate and contribute more equally.
In September 2024, a webinar facilitated by an FM Publication, focused on the value of new technology solutions to aid learning and development amongst frontline teams. As mentioned earlier, citing McKinsey research that evidenced better software and learning experiences lead to improved staff engagement and reduced staff turnover by up to 95 per cent, the panel explored the value of AI tools to support these endeavours.
The discussion concluded that AI solutions must engage frontline teams through:
Of course, the key to overall success is blending in person with flexible digital solutions. In looking forward, the panel highlighted the opportunity for organisations to develop strategies for personalised people development programmes through AI tools, blending personal with professional needs. They discussed the example of language skills development to support individual career needs and aspirations, leading to benefits in an individual’s personal circumstances through better access to education and healthcare services for their dependents.
Frontline teams unlock the future of FM when empowered by smart technology
Frequently, frontline workers have some of the poorest tools and greatest opportunity to benefit from new ways of working.
The use of smart technology engages and supports frontline colleagues to be more effective in their tasking. The right technology will enable employees to take greater responsibility for their tasks by equipping them with dynamic information, encouraging personal focus and accountability.
If the technology is smart enough to be collaborative and integrated, it will support a one-team approach, enhancing employee interest, and equipping the frontline team with solutions designed to help them better manage the increasing range of tasks with the same or fewer resources.
Many leaders recognise success depends upon digitally enabling frontline workers through tools that encourage employees to work better together. Frontline insights, expertise and creativity can reshape work cultures and unlock ideas, offering potential to reduce costs, promote growth, spark innovation and accelerate success.
Empowerment liberates employees to engage customers, to optimise operations - employee and organisation aligned, committed, sustainable.
In 2025, if you look after your frontline teams, you look after your customers and, therefore, unlock your future business potential.
Geoff will be attending the Unlock the Future Conference on 2 April and welcomes the opportunity to network with fellow industry professionals.
Find out more and book your tickets here.