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Investing in Communications and Collaboration Tools to Empower Frontline Workers

  • Report

  • 74 Pages
  • May 2021
  • Region: Global
  • Frost & Sullivan
  • ID: 5332703

Enhanced Frontline Worker Productivity Can Boost Company Growth and Customer Satisfaction

Estimated at approximately 2.7 billion globally, frontline workers represent a considerable untapped market and growth opportunity for communications and collaboration solution providers.

For decades, the enterprise communications market has focused much of its collective attention on the carpeted office and knowledge worker segments. While communications solutions for this audience have evolved by leaps and bounds over the years, the analyst recognizes that frontliners have been left behind and accordingly often use sub-optimal tools that fail to effectively address their needs and properly integrate them into the organization’s communications fabric. As a result, office and frontline workers within the same organization frequently operate in silos; limited communication and coordination often prevent speedy and effective decision making and otherwise adversely impact important workflows and overall business performance.

To enable an excellent end-to-end customer journey, it is imperative that businesses facilitate and actively enable effective communication links between siloed work groups, including office workers, contact center agents and frontliners. A highly collaborative workplace environment enables organizations to optimize business processes and better leverage diverse worker skillsets and expertise to increase product and services quality, improve safety, enhance customer service and support, and boost competitive power.

This study provides an analyst perspective on the opportunity to empower frontline workers with advanced communications and collaboration tools. It also includes data from a survey of global IT and telecom decision makers to quantify investment priorities and gain insights into tools used to enhance frontline worker productivity. The study also identifies growth opportunities for technology developers and service providers targeting organizations employing frontline workers.

Businesses must carefully assess frontliner technology needs and invest in advanced communications and collaboration tools that are specifically tailored for this workforce demographic. Right-fit technology investments deliver tangible business outcomes, including improved worker and customer satisfaction.

Over the years, cloud services have proved their value in enabling business agility and operational continuity - capabilities that became even more critical during the pandemic. Software-based communications and collaboration solutions that are accessible on demand from any device of the user’s choice are the preferred option for remote workers and contact center agents, as well as for many teachers, healthcare staff, and other frontline workers.

Increasing availability of mobile-ready communications and collaboration solutions creates opportunities to empower frontline workers. By providing business-class communications and collaboration capabilities on mobile devices modern cloud-based meetings, messaging and calling solutions greatly enhance remote and mobile worker productivity, align frontline and office workers, and optimize customer workflows.


Table of Contents

1. Market Overview and Key Findings from IT/Telecom Decision Makers
  • Frontline Workers Defined
  • Frontline Workers in the Spotlight
  • Equipping Frontliners with the Right Tools
  • Advancements in Enabling Technology Power Frontliner Solutions


2. Digital Transformation Strategies and the Impact on Frontline Workers
  • IT/Telecom Decision Maker Perspectives
  • Empowered Frontliners Enable Businesses to Achieve Key Goals
  • Tailored Business Solutions Can Address Security Concerns Among Frontline Workers
  • Including Frontliners in the Next Stage of Digital Transformation is Paramount
  • Digital Transformation Success Depends on Frontliner Agility
  • Frontliners will Benefit from Broader Stakeholder Involvement in IT/Telecom Decisions


3. The Role of Technology in Frontline Worker Productivity
  • Frontline Workers are an Essential Part of Most Companies’ Workforce
  • Frontliners are Inconsistently Equipped Today
  • Technology Determines Quality of Frontline Worker Performance
  • A Variety of Technologies are Empowering Frontline Workers
  • Satisfaction with Technologies Used by Frontline Workers is High
  • Frontline Worker Use of Communications and Collaboration Tools Can Be Optimized
  • Multiple Hurdles Impact Frontline Worker Enablement
  • Businesses Must Re-Evaluate the Benefits of Frontline Worker Empowerment
  • Frontliners are Often Overlooked When Providing Workers with Mobile Apps


4. Vertical Industry Trends
  • Frontline Worker Challenges and Workflows Vary by Industry
  • A Vertical Strategy is Required to Address Frontline Worker Needs
  • Disruption in the Education Industry
  • Disruption in the Healthcare Industry
  • Disruption in the Manufacturing Industry
  • Disruption in the Retail Industry
  • Disruption in the Hospitality Industry
  • Disruption in the Banking and Insurance Industries
  • Best Practices in Delivering Value to Verticals and Frontline Workers
  • Key Elements of a Successful Vertical Strategy


5. COVID-19 Impact on Frontline Worker Enablement
  • Frontline and Essential Worker Challenges During COVID-19
  • Making Frontline Workers Part of a Better Normal
  • COVID-19’s Multi-fold Impact on Frontline Workers
  • Technology Investments Must Address Frontline Workers
  • Changes in Physical Workspaces Affect Frontliners
  • Digital Technologies Enable Frontline Workers Adapt to New Work Modes
  • Prioritizing Frontline Worker Safety and Mental Health
  • Future Investment Priorities Must Align with Frontline Worker Needs


6. Conclusion
  • Growth Opportunities for Technology Providers


7. Next Steps
  • Your Next Steps
  • List of Exhibits
  • Legal Disclaimer


Appendix I - Vendor Vertical Solution Examples
  • Examples of Vertical Solutions


Appendix II - IT/Telecom Decision-maker Survey, Objectives, Methodology and Respondent Profile
  • Research Objectives
  • Research Methodology
  • Sample Distribution - Country
  • Respondent Profile - Decision-Making Authority
  • Respondent Profile - Familiarity with IT Budget
  • Respondent Profile - IT/Telecom-Related Purchase Involvement
  • Organization Profile - Industry Segments
  • Organization Profile - Size of Organization
  • 2019 Organization Revenue
  • Estimated Change in Organization Revenue 2020