Frontline Unscripted

Zoom meetings. Slack channels. Online learning. Work is more digital than ever … for some people. 

While corporate employees have a rich technology ecosystem that keeps them up-to-speed, frontline workers struggle to find timely, consistent information. Tools designed for office-based and work-from-home employees just don’t fit into the hectic frontline workday. Instead, these workers rely on analog methods, such as pre-shift-huddles and time clock postings. They struggle to keep up with the pace of workplace change. They get justifiably frustrated. Their performance declines. Your customer experience and business results suffer. 

Corporate and frontline teams do their jobs differently. They need right-fit digital solutions.

JD sits down with Andrea Curry, Senior Vice-President of Product Management at Axonify, to find out what it takes to design technology solutions for the frontline. After building a career in management consulting and professional services, Andrea transitioned into research and product development. Today, she partners with Axonify’s customer community to solve frontline training, communication and performance challenges in ways that also make sense to the market at large. Andrea shares her proven approach to solution design, including how to build user personas, align solutions with operational realities and build a business case for technology investment. 

• Why Frontline Workers Must be Part of your Digital Transformation (Forbes)
• Is WhatsApp putting your retail operation at risk? (Axonify)
• It’s time to consider personal devices on the frontline (Axonify)
• 2021 is the Year to Invest in Your Frontline Workforce (HR Daily Advisor)
• The Rise of the Deskless Workforce (Emergence)
• The New Digital Workplace Divide (Unisys)
• How remote work risks a new digital jobs divide for minorities (CNBC)

If you have a frontline story you’d like us to explore on a future episode, let us know at [email protected]

The 80 Percent is brought to you by Axonify. To learn how you can provide communication and training to your frontline workforce that actually works, visit axonify.com.

Join the #FrontlineForward effort by visiting axonify.com/frontlineforward to access free training content, download the 2020 State of Frontline Employee Training Report and subscribe for the updates.

Welcome to Frontline Questions, a bi-weekly segment in which JD answers the most popular questions we receive from The 80 Percent listeners.

Today's question is ...

How do we make frontline training more engaging?

Send your frontline question to [email protected] so JD can answer it on a future episode.

Download The Ultimate Guide to Frontline Training for more tips on how you can provide right-fit support to your frontline teams, including how you can dramatically improve engagement.

The 80 Percent is brought to you by Axonify. To learn how you can provide communication and training to your frontline workforce that actually works, visit axonify.com.

Join the #FrontlineForward effort by visiting axonify.com/frontlineforward to access free training content, download the 2020 State of Frontline Employee Training Report and subscribe for updates.

How many times have you watched viral videos of Southwest Airlines flight attendants? They sing songs. They crack jokes. They make the safety spiel worth listening to. Southwest team members always seem ready and able to create exceptional guest experiences. However, they work in an industry that’s often known for the exact opposite. So how does Southwest do it?

JD sits down with Ginger Hardage, former SVP of Culture and Communications at Southwest Airlines, to find out how they built an exceptional workplace culture through frontline empowerment. Ginger spent 25 years leading a team of 150 people responsible for building and sustaining Southwest’s legendary culture and communications enterprise. She has received numerous honors throughout her career, including being inducted into the Public Relations Hall of Fame and being named one of Texas’ Most Powerful and Influential Women. In 2017, Ginger launched Unstoppable Cultures, a brand designed to help organizations create and sustain cultures of enduring greatness.

Check out the Unstoppable Cultures Fellowship, a 4-day, interactive Masterclass Experience that teaches proven, effective culture strategies and guides participants in creating their own Culture Roadmap, leading to increased retention, happier employees, and higher-performing organizations.

The 80 Percent is brought to you by Axonify. To learn how you can provide communication and training to your frontline workforce that actually works, visit axonify.com. If you have a frontline story you’d like us to explore on a future episode, let us know at [email protected]

Join the #FrontlineForward effort by visiting axonify.com/frontlineforward to access free training content, download the 2020 State of Frontline Employee Training Report and subscribe for the updates.

Welcome to Frontline Questions, a bi-weekly segment in which JD answers the most popular questions we receive from The 80 Percent listeners.

Today's question is ...

What role does communication play in frontline training?

Learn more about the importance of communication and shared knowledge as part of the Modern Learning Ecosystem Framework.

Send your frontline question to [email protected] so JD can answer it on a future episode.

Download The Ultimate Guide to Frontline Training for more tips on how you can provide right-fit support to your frontline teams, including how you can improve your communication tactics.

The 80 Percent is brought to you by Axonify. To learn how you can provide communication and training to your frontline workforce that actually works, visit axonify.com.

Join the #FrontlineForward effort by visiting axonify.com/frontlineforward to access free training content, download the 2020 State of Frontline Employee Training Report and subscribe for updates.

Think about the last time you called a contact center. How was your experience? Odds are it wasn’t the best part of your day.

Contact centers have a questionable reputation with both employees and customers. But they’ve become a critical part of the brand experience within the digital marketplace. How can you transcend the stigma and create a best-in-class customer and employee experience?

JD speaks with Rob Siefker, Senior Director of Customer Loyalty at Zappos, to find out what it takes to build a great contact center culture. Rob joined Zappos in 2004 as a temporary contact center agent and helped the team grow from 30 people to over 500. Today, he leads the contact center operation within one of America’s best customer service companies. During our conversation, Rob shares his insights on everything from corporate values and hiring practices to workplace training and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• Learn more about this unique customer service culture at Zappos Insights.
• Check out the Newsweek 2021 list of America’s Best Customer Service Companies, including Zappos.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse or mental health, please reach out. Contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357). You can also visit checkpointorg.com for a global list of contacts and services.

The 80 Percent is brought to you by Axonify. To learn how you can provide communication and training to your frontline workforce that actually works, visit axonify.com. If you have a frontline story you’d like us to explore on a future episode, let us know at [email protected]

Join the #FrontlineForward effort by visiting axonify.com/frontlineforward to access free training content, download the 2020 State of Frontline Employee Training Report and subscribe for the updates.

Welcome to Frontline Questions, a bi-weekly segment in which JD answers the most popular questions we receive from The 80 Percent listeners.

Today's question is ...

How do we find time for frontline training?

Send your frontline question to [email protected] so JD can answer it on a future episode.

Hear how leaders at O'Reilly Auto Parts and rue21 are preparing their frontline teams for what comes next in retail during Axonify's Big Ideas Session at the NRF Big Show on January 21, 2021.

Download The Ultimate Guide to Frontline Training for more tips on how you can provide right-fit support to your frontline teams.

The 80 Percent is brought to you by Axonify. To learn how you can provide communication and training to your frontline workforce that actually works, visit axonify.com.

Join the #FrontlineForward effort by visiting axonify.com/frontlineforward to access free training content, download the 2020 State of Frontline Employee Training Report and subscribe for updates.

We’re all experiencing the same storm, but we’re doing it in different boats. This may be the best metaphor for explaining the retail experience over the past 12 months. US retail sales in November 2020 were up 7.1% year-over-year. However, while grocery was up 11%, apparel was down 27%. 

Retail clearly isn’t going back to the “normal” we knew before 2020. So what will it take for a retailer to stand out in 2021 and beyond? Will brick-and-mortar stores survive this disruption, or will customers be pushed to more digital shopping experiences? What role will frontline employees play in executing the next generation of retail strategy? 

JD makes an appointment with The Retail Doctor, Bob Phibbs, to find out what comes next for frontline retail. Bob is the world’s foremost expert on brick-and-mortar retail. He’s an internationally recognized business strategist, customer service expert, sales coach, marketing mentor, author of three books, and motivational business speaker. Bob knows what it takes to rock in retail because he’s spent 30 years in the trenches of retail ups and downs. He’s been a corporate officer, franchisor, and entrepreneur who fought his way to the top.

• Check out more of Bob’s Retail Doctor content, including his blog, podcast and Retail 101 education offerings.
• November Retail Sales Aren’t As Ominous As You Think—Just A Clear Set Of Covid-19 Winners And Losers (Forbes)
• Retailers announced record store closures in 2019. Here’s a list. (CNBC)
• Despite pandemic, retail sales jumped 3 percent this holiday season (REjournals)
• 2020 has Seen an Irreversible Change in Consumer Behavior; Now is the Time to Adapt (Retail TouchPoints)

Hear how leaders at O'Reilly Auto Parts and rue21 are preparing their frontline teams for what comes next in retail during Axonify's Big Ideas Session at the NRF Big Show on January 21, 2021.

The 80 Percent is brought to you by Axonify. To learn how you can provide communication and training to your frontline workforce that actually works, visit axonify.com. If you have a frontline story you’d like us to explore on a future episode, let us know at [email protected]

Join the #FrontlineForward effort by visiting axonify.com/frontlineforward to access free training content, download the 2020 State of Frontline Employee Training Report and subscribe for the updates.

JD revisits our 2020 episodes to identify the 10 BIGGEST frontline insights:

1. The frontline is still getting left behind. (02:14)
2. Businesses must become people-first. (05:40)
3. Train and communicate with your frontline to demonstrate your respect. (09:40)
4. The frontline needs new skills to successfully overcome disruption. (12:11)
5. Companies must adopt a continuous, focused approach to frontline training. (13:33)
6. You must understand the frontline reality to provide the right support. (16:31)
7. Right-fit technology and content are critical. (19:35)
8. Managers are the primary frontline support system. (21:16)
9. Forward-thinking companies will seize the opportunity to retain and grow new talent. (22:30)
10. Your next big innovation may come from the frontline. (24:12)

Here’s our guest list in order of appearance with links to their original episodes:

• Dani Johnson (RedThread Research)
• Carol Leaman (Axonify)
• Harold Lloyd (Grocery Industry Expert)
• Heather McGowan (Future of Work Strategist)
• Michael C. Bush (Great Place to Work)
• Peter Camerson (Axonify)
• Dan Cockerell (Disney)
• Dane Jensen (Third Factor)
• Hazel Jackson (Biz Group)
• Ellie (Frontline Worker)
• Aston Moss (Briscoe Group)
• Michelle Ockers (Learning Strategy Expert)
• Donald Taylor (The Learning and Performance Institute)
• Evan Parkes (Axonify)
• Shawn Kanungo (Queen & Rook)

The 80 Percent is brought to you by Axonify. To learn how you can provide communication and training to your frontline workforce that actually works, visit axonify.com. If you have a frontline story you’d like us to explore on a future episode, let us know at [email protected]

Hear how leaders at O'Reilly Auto Parts and rue21 are preparing their frontline teams for what comes next in retail during Axonify's Big Ideas Session at the NRF Big Show on January 21, 2021. 

Join the #FrontlineForward effort by visiting axonify.com/frontlineforward to access free training content, download the 2020 State of Frontline Employee Training Report and subscribe for the updates.

Welcome to Frontline Questions, a bi-weekly segment in which JD answers the most popular questions we receive from The 80 Percent listeners.

Today's question is ...

What skills should we focus on in frontline training right now?

Download The Ultimate Guide to Frontline Training for more tips on how you can provide right-fit support to your frontline teams.

Send your frontline question to [email protected] so JD can answer it on a future episode.

Join the #FrontlineForward effort by visiting axonify.com/frontlineforward to access free training content, download the new 2020 State of Frontline Employee Training Report and subscribe for updates.

The 80 Percent is brought to you by Axonify. To learn how you can provide communication and training to your frontline workforce that actually works, visit axonify.com. 

Welcome to Frontline Questions, a bi-weekly segment in which JD answers the most popular questions we receive from The 80 Percent listeners.

Today's question is ...

Does microlearning work on the frontline?

Download The Ultimate Guide to Frontline Training for more tips on how you can provide right-fit support to your frontline teams. Check out our Ultimate Guide to Microlearning for a full breakdown of this powerful but misunderstood workplace learning strategy.

Send your frontline question to [email protected] so JD can answer it on a future episode.

Join the #FrontlineForward effort by visiting axonify.com/frontlineforward to access free training content, download the new 2020 State of Frontline Employee Training Report and subscribe for updates.

The 80 Percent is brought to you by Axonify. To learn how you can provide communication and training to your frontline workforce that actually works, visit axonify.com.