UC Buyers’ Perspective on Equipping Frontline Workers with Digital Communications and Collaboration Tools
Frontline workers are a key part of the workforce in the majority of organizations. Out of approximately two and a half billion non-desk/frontline workers around the world, an estimated one billion require tailored communications and collaboration tools to complete their job tasks.
There is no perfect definition of frontline workers. Generally, front liners are employees within an organization who must be physically present at a business or customer location to perform their job duties. Frontline workers comprise a diverse category of workers that typically do not perform their job tasks full-time at a desk. Other characteristics that frontline workers have in common include indoor or outdoor mobility and the need for wireless connectivity, hands-free communication tools, ruggedized communications devices, and integration with vertical apps and/or IoT devices.
Frontline worker communications and collaboration requirements differ based on the job tasks they perform. Workflows vary significantly by industry and job function, which suggests that communications and collaboration tools must be tailored for different types of frontline workers.
Most technology vendors and service providers still lack clearly defined frontline worker strategies. Certain vendors have, however, launched vertical strategies, which aim to provide tailored capabilities to both desk and frontline workers in selected verticals.
To empower frontline workers, technology developers and service providers must understand key industry challenges, trends, and workflows. Tailored solution functionality, packaging, and pricing may be required. Broader solutions portfolios that enable one-stop shopping can provide value in certain verticals. Dedicated vertical experts within provider organizations, as well as multi-party industry alliances, can help communications providers develop strong value propositions for targeted verticals.
A combination of legacy and next-generation tools, tailored for each vertical, can provide the greatest value to different frontline workers.
Alongside the communications and collaboration tools typically used by office workers, equipping frontline workers may also require unique devices and services:
- Devices and solutions to support on-premises or campus mobility: digital enhanced cordless telecommunications (DECT), voice-over wireless
- Local access network (VoWLAN), push-to-talk, walkie-talkie, overhead paging, and wearable devices and peripherals, intelligent voice assistants and/or custom-tailored hands-free/voice-controlled devices
- Devices and solutions to support field or customer jobsite mobility: vehicle-mounted devices designed for hands-free use and tracking, “communications in a box” for kiosk or emergency deployments, ruggedized devices for harsh environments
- API-enabled integrations to embed communications with shift scheduling applications, inventory management, property management systems and other vertical solutions
- Vertical-specific integrations and deployments
- Artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled data reporting analytics
- Artificial reality (AR)/virtual reality (VR)-enabled tools
- API/communications platform as a service (CPaaS)-enabled notifications and alerts
- Industry compliance (e.g., Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Payment Card Industry (PCI), USA Patriot Act, Sarbanes-Oxley, Basel II)
This study provides an analyst perspective on the opportunity to empower frontline workers with advanced communications and collaboration tools. It 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 best practices and growth strategies for technology developers and service providers targeting organizations employing frontline workers.
Table of Contents
1. Research Objectives and Methodology
- Research Objectives and Methodology
- Respondent Profile
2. Introduction, Definitions and Key Findings
- Introduction
- The Frontline Worker Opportunity
- Frontline Workers Defined
- Equipping Frontliners with the Right Tools
- Key Findings
3. IT/Telecom Investment Decision Maker Survey Data and Analysis
- Top Business Goals
- Communications and Collaboration Investment Drivers
- Frontline Workers are the Backbone of Most Organizations' Workforces
- Crucial Technology Investment Drivers
- Crucial and Very Important Technology Investment Drivers
- Crucial and Very Important Technology Investment Drivers, By Vertical
- Perceptions of Whether Frontline Workers are Digitally Well Equipped
- Perceptions of Whether Frontline Workers are Digitally Well Equipped, By Vertical
- Technologies Frontline Workers are Using Today
- Technologies Frontline Workers are Using Today, By Vertical
- Technologies in which Organizations Plan to Invest to Empower Frontline Workers
- Technologies in which Organizations Plan to Invest, By Vertical
- Crucial Capabilities when Investing in Communications and Collaboration Solutions to Empower Frontline Workers
- Crucial and Very Important Capabilities when Investing in Communications and Collaboration Solutions to Empower Frontline Workers
- Crucial and Very Important Provider/Vendor Capabilities, By Vertical
- Communications and Collaboration Tools Used Most by Frontline Workers
- Factors Preventing Organizations from Meeting or Exceeding Frontline Worker Enablement Goals
4. Communications Provider Vertical Strategies and Growth Opportunities
- Communications Provider Vertical Strategies
- 8x8
- Atos
- Avaya
- Cisco
- GoTo
- Intermedia
- Microsoft
- Mitel
- RingCentral
- Theatro Labs
- Wildix
- Zoom
- Telecom Operators
- Growth Opportunities in the Frontline Worker Market Segment
5. Additional Survey Data
- Importance of Technology Investment in the Next Two Years: Manage Shifts and Schedules
- Importance of Technology Investment in the Next Two Years: Access Applications and/or Data Remotely
- Importance of Technology Investment in the Next Two Years: Work Collaboratively With Teammates
- Importance of Technology Investment in the Next Two Years: Interact with Office Workers or Management Efficiently
- Importance of Technology Investment in the Next Two Years: Track and Document their Work
- Importance of Technology Investment in the Next Two Years: Interact with Customers Efficiently
- Importance of Technology Investment in the Next Two Years: Access Integrated Information Sources
- Importance of Technology Investment in the Next Two Years: Summary - Bottom 2 Box
- Importance of Technology Investment in the Next Two Years: Summary - Mean Scores
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Enterprise Telephony (e.g., PBX/UC, Cloud PBX/UCaaS)
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Cloud Video Meetings
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Team Messaging/Team Spaces
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Self-service Analytics
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Learning and Performance Management Systems
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Artificial Intelligence
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Virtual/Remote Workspaces
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Tablets (Including Foldables)
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Security and Protection for Every Employee, Device, and End Point
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Mobile/Smartphones
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Software Bots
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Internet of Things (IoT)
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Mixed/Augmented/Virtual Reality
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Wearable Devices
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Mobile Identity
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization are Using Today: Biometric Authentication Methods
- Technologies Frontline Workers in Your Organization Using Today: Summary - Don't Need/No Plans To Invest
- Importance of Vendor/Provider Capabilities: Provider Deep Knowledge of Your Industry's Challenges
- Importance of Vendor/Provider Capabilities: Tailored Solutions for Your Frontline Workers' Unique Needs
- Importance of Vendor/Provider Capabilities: Communications Solutions Integration with Mission-Critical Workflows
- Importance of Vendor/Provider Capabilities: Provider Partnerships with Vertical Solution Specialists
- Importance of Capabilities: End-to-End Solutions Portfolio (Infrastructure, Services, Applications, Devices, Etc.)
- Importance of Capabilities: Dedicated Vertical Experts within Provider Organization
- Importance of Capabilities: Summary - Bottom 2 Box
- Importance of Capabilities: Summary - Mean Scores
6. Appendix
- Why Is It Increasingly Difficult to Grow?
- The Strategic Imperative 8
- Growth Opportunities Fuel the Growth Pipeline Engine
- List of Exhibits
- Legal Disclaimer
Companies Mentioned (Partial List)
A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:
- 8x8
- Atos
- Avaya
- Cisco
- GoTo
- Intermedia
- Microsoft
- Mitel
- RingCentral
- Telecom Operators
- Theatro Labs
- Wildix
- Zoom
