Frontline Innovators

Episode summary Host Justin Lake sits down with Leza Isadora, Organizational Change Manager at Puget Sound Energy, who brings more than a decade of experience guiding digital transformations across healthcare, entertainment, government, nonprofit, and energy. Leza makes the case that frontline rollouts rarely fail because of the technology. They fail because leaders move fast on change and rarely stop to see it through the workforce's eyes. Justin and Leza dig into the operational consequences of broken trust, the metrics that translate "warm fuzzy people issues" into the language leadership actually responds to, and the practical mechanics of building support that lasts past go-live. Along the way, Leza shares a true story about a help desk turnover spiral, why 30-60-90 day follow-up plans matter, how to reach frontline workers who never read email, and why a willingness to pause an initiative is often the most strategic move a change leader can make. Key topics covered The operational fallout when frontline workers lose trust in a rollout: workarounds, call-outs, turnover, and erosion of legacy knowledge Connecting change strategy to the metrics leadership cares about, like trouble-ticket volume, time-to-resolution, and turnover rates Building a super user network that draws on early adopters across departments, not just the technically adept Recognizing change champions in ways that stick (callouts, gift cards, and the underrated currency of extra time off) Why personalization at scale starts with surveying past initiatives and reading the data already sitting in HR and engagement dashboards Replacing the project mindset with a sustained model: 30-60-90 day follow-up, hyper-care handoff, and ongoing support Closing the communication gap with field workers who do not read email, do not attend town halls, and do not pick up the phone Why "people don't resist change, they resist being changed" reframes how leaders ask for buy-in Two pieces of advice for change leaders running large-scale technology deployments: always have the conversation, and never be afraid to take a pause About Leza Leza Isadora is an Organizational Change Manager at Puget Sound Energy. She has spent more than ten years supporting digital transformations across healthcare, entertainment, government, nonprofit, and energy sectors, with a current focus on frontline workers navigating wave after wave of new technology. Her background in strategic communications and branding shapes a change approach grounded in trust, transparent dialogue, and respect for the field employees who actually carry the work. Resources & Links Frontline Innovators Podcast: https://skyllful.com/podcast Ginger Luttrell's Super User Revolution: https://sapinsight.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/super-user-revolution-pre-sale Connect with Leza on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lezaisadora/

Summary When a rollout lands badly on the frontline, the cost isn't just lost productivity. It's the people who quietly start looking elsewhere. And it's rarely the people you'd guess. In this episode, Justin talks with Kapil Dua, Associate Director of Change Management and Issues Management at a Fortune 100 company, who has spent over a decade leading large-scale SaaS implementations, including current rollouts impacting more than 20,000 stakeholders. Kapil makes the case that the real downside of a poor change isn't the immediate friction, it's the slow erosion of trust that follows: your strongest performers have options, and when they decide a workplace has a "taxed relationship" with change, they leave. From there, the conversation moves into what actually works at scale. Kapil walks through why he chases down cynics instead of avoiding them, why most change communications fail at the language layer (not the strategy layer), and why the best implementations he's been part of were the ones nobody talked about afterward. He also shares the "two wolves" story, his "right things, for the right reasons, in the right ways" rule, and a memorable line about why ignoring how something feels for the user is like designing toilet paper out of sandpaper, it gets the job done, but it hurts. If you're rolling out anything that touches the frontline this year, this one is worth your time. Key Topics Why the biggest cost of a failed rollout is the best people you didn't realize you were losing The case for being honest when a change will mean more work, not less How to convert cynics into your strongest change champions The "two wolves" story, and why change always feeds the dark wolf first Communication design: writing every message to be misread, not just understood Working through layers of stakeholders when one-on-one isn't possible at 20,000 people Why a great change isn't celebrated, it's seamless The 10:1 ratio: it takes ten good experiences to erase one bad one "How will it feel?" as the question most rollouts skip Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Change Management and Adoption 01:56 The Consequences of Poor Adoption 04:33 Measuring the Impact of Employee Satisfaction 07:32 Generational Perspectives on Work and Change 10:09 Balancing Macro and Microeconomic Perspectives 12:13 The Pressure of Public Companies 15:50 The Importance of Employee Experience 18:19 Aligning Associate Experience with Profitability 20:46 The Emotional Impact of Change 24:44 Filling the Gaps in Communication 25:32 Engaging Skeptics in Change Initiatives 29:40 The Reality of Change and Data Collection 31:32 The Importance of Honesty in Change Management 38:07 Navigating Change at Scale 46:58 Building a Change Network 57:50 The Human Element in Change Implementation Guest Bio Kapil Dua is Associate Director, Change Management and Issues Management at a Fortune 100 company, where he leads enterprise transformation focused on process alignment, operational excellence, and user adoption. With over a decade of experience driving large-scale SaaS implementations, including rollouts impacting more than 20,000 stakeholders, he brings a practical, people-first, data-driven perspective on leading change across complex organizations. Resources Frontline Innovators Podcast Kapil Dua on LinkedIn Skyllful - Frontline Enablement Platform

Summary When frontline technology misses the mark, workers don't fail. They adapt. But those workarounds come at a cost. In this episode, Justin talks with Maria Feay, a healthcare operations executive with over 30 years of experience spanning operations, quality, data analytics, and customer experience. Maria unpacks the real operational fallout of poor technology adoption: the widening gap between strategy and execution, the dangers of "everyone owns it, so no one owns it," and what it actually takes to move from compliance to true accountability. They also dig into the often-overlooked power of quality roles inside operations, why workforce enablement looks fundamentally different from traditional training, and how tools like speech analytics and AI are helping organizations surface risk before it becomes a crisis. If your org keeps running the same project plan and getting the same results, this one is for you. Key Topics Why poor frontline tech adoption creates an invisible rift between strategy and execution How to measure the real cost of an adoption gap and why metrics are the key to making the business case The role of accountability and "trust but verify" in driving meaningful change Where quality functions belong inside an organization (and why it matters) Workforce enablement vs. traditional training: a fundamental shift in perspective Leveraging AI and speech analytics to get ahead of customer risk How transparency in change management changes outcomes Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Frontline Innovators and Guest Background 02:37 Operational Consequences of Poor Frontline Technology Adoption 05:29 Measuring the Impact of Technology Gaps 08:03 Quality Roles in Operations 10:21 The Importance of Quality in Healthcare 12:00 Investment Justification for Quality Roles 14:19 Healthcare Metrics and Customer Experience 16:18 Complexities of Healthcare Customer Experience 18:46 The Role of Empathy in Healthcare 22:04 Technology's Impact on Patient Interaction 28:09 Balancing Technology and Human Interaction 31:03 The Ease of DIY in Healthcare 32:19 Training vs. Enablement: A Shift in Perspective 35:18 Workforce Enablement: Beyond Traditional Training 39:08 The Knowledge Base Dilemma 43:52 Dynamic Enablement: Personalizing Learning 47:27 The Role of Accountability in Training 51:20 Transparency in Change Management 57:34 Final Thoughts on Frontline Adoption Resources Frontline Innovators Podcast: https://skyllful.com/podcast Maria Feay on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/mariafeay Skyllful: https://skyllful.com

Summary In this episode, Keri Corbin shares her extensive experience in enterprise transformation, focusing on frontline technology adoption, making a compelling business case for improvements, and sustaining change. She discusses real-world stories, the importance of planning, confidence, and continuous improvement in operational success.   Key Topics Impact of poor frontline technology adoption on customer experience and revenue Making measurable business cases for technology investments The importance of planning, testing, and readiness in deployment The role of confidence and muscle memory in change management Strategies for continuous improvement and agile transformation   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Frontline Innovators Podcast 01:32 Impact of Poor Frontline Technology Adoption 03:47 Making the Business Case for Technology 08:21 Keri Corbin's Background and Experience 14:26 Understanding Readiness for Technology Rollouts 19:21 Identifying Potential Blind Spots in Processes 25:22 The Importance of Planning in Projects 30:45 Navigating Project Timelines and Delays 34:29 Navigating Difficult Conversations in Implementation 36:22 Empathy for Frontline Teams During Change 38:11 Understanding the Ripple Effects of Change 41:53 The Continuous Journey of Business Transformation 45:32 The Challenge of Readiness in Fast-Paced Environments 52:15 The Importance of Confidence in Adoption 01:00:18 Humanizing Digital Transformation Experiences 01:02:27 Building Comprehensive Solutions for Clients   Resources Decision Point Technologies - https://decisionpointtech.com Supply Chain Management Best Practices (Book) - https://www.amazon.com/supply-chain-management-best-practices Keri Corbin LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/keri-corbin/ Skyllful - https://www.skyllful.com/  

Summary In this episode, Justin Lake interviews Julie Whitten about the critical factors influencing frontline technology adoption, the human operating system behind change, and strategies to improve stakeholder engagement and trust. They explore practical approaches to accelerate adoption, the importance of trust, and how to effectively communicate with senior leaders. Key topics The People Stack framework and its layers Root causes of poor adoption and how to address them The importance of trust and clarity in change management Strategies for engaging senior leaders and frontline workers The role of readiness assessment and practice in successful implementation Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Change Management Challenges 02:08 Understanding the Consequences of Poor Adoption 06:00 The People Stack: Layers of Change 10:36 Trust as a Foundation for Change 11:02 Generational Perspectives on Trust 13:02 Personalizing Change in Large Organizations 17:06 Communicating Change to Senior Leaders 20:50 Assessing Readiness for Change 24:18 Implementing Effective Change Management Strategies 27:52 Prioritizing Change Management 31:19 The Importance of Early Change Strategy 34:04 Understanding Resistance and Adoption 37:39 Proactive vs Reactive Change Management 39:59 The People Stack: A New Approach to Change 44:11 Engaging with Clients for Successful Change 48:42 Connecting with Senior Stakeholders 49:42 Outro (Frontline Innovators) Final.mp4   Resources The People Stack by Julie Whitten - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H18SB1P1 Justin Lake on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinlake Julie Whitten on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewhitten Skyllful - https://www.skyllful.com/  

Summary In this episode of Frontline Innovators, Nancy Green shares expert insights on AI governance, organizational change, and effective technology adoption strategies. Discover how trust, communication, and tailored engagement are key to successful AI implementation in large enterprises. Key topics - Difference between utilization and adoption of technology - Building trust during change initiatives - Effective communication strategies for large-scale change - Role of frontline leadership in AI implementation - Measuring trust and engagement at scale - Handling resistance and skepticism towards AI - Designing scalable training and enablement programs - The importance of governance and responsibility in AI projects Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI Governance and Change Management 04:08 Utilization vs. Adoption of Technology 07:19 The Importance of Trust in Change Management 10:00 Building Trust Through Communication 11:53 Engaging Frontline Leadership 14:59 Identifying Change Champions 18:14 Understanding Resistance to Change 20:50 Addressing Anxiety Around Change 23:35 Honesty in Communication During Change 26:29 Incentives and Performance Metrics 28:23 Motivation and Technology Adoption 32:23 Personalization in Change Management 34:26 Supporting Technologically Reluctant Workers 36:20 Minimum Viable Proficiency in Training 37:56 Bite-Sized Learning and Agile Development 40:04 User Involvement in Development 45:06 Addressing AI Concerns and User Fears 48:48 Evolving Job Roles in the Age of AI 52:15 Human Judgment in AI Utilization 56:00 Governance and Responsibility in AI Projects Resources Gretchen Rubin's Four Tendencies - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K4X7Q4QAI Governance Frameworks - https://www.oecd.org/going-digital/ai/ai-governance/ Guest links LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancygreen Website - https://nancygreen.com  

Summary In this insightful interview, Wendy Vestevich shares her expertise on AI adoption, change management, and the operational and reputational impacts of technology rollouts. Discover practical strategies for fostering human-centric AI integration and overcoming adoption challenges across organizational levels. Keywords AI adoption, change management, operational impact, organizational change, human-centric AI, technology rollout, frontline workers, leadership, AI challenges, digital transformation Key topics Operational consequences of AI adoption failure Reputational impact of technology rollouts Change management strategies for AI Frontline worker engagement and incentives Measuring AI adoption success Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI Adoption Challenges 02:49 The Impact of Reputation on Technology Rollouts 05:44 Understanding User Perspectives on AI Technology 09:03 Differentiating Adoption Metrics for Leadership and Frontline Workers 11:51 Navigating Job Security Concerns in AI Adoption 14:54 Measuring AI Adoption Success Across Different Roles 17:58 The Shift in Roles and Responsibilities with AI 20:54 Coping with Change: The Human Element in AI Integration 24:09 Reframing AI as a Tool for Empowerment 27:05 The Future of Work in an AI-Driven World 28:31 Rethinking Outcomes in the Age of AI 29:49 The Role of Humans: From Creators to Curators 31:24 AI's Impact on Frontline Workers 34:43 Challenges in Implementing AI in Field Service 38:21 User Experience in the Era of AI 40:57 The Human Element in Customer Service 46:32 Advice for Successful AI Adoption   Wendy Vestevich LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyvestevich/  

Summary In this episode of the Frontline Innovators podcast, host Justin Lake speaks with Andrea Hine, a connected worker product owner in industrial technology. They discuss the significant consequences of poor technology adoption in frontline operations, the importance of device ownership, and the transformative potential of AI for frontline workers. Andrea shares her insights on the need for empathy in business, the challenges of implementing AI in industrial settings, and the exciting future of physical AI applications that can enhance safety and efficiency in the field. Takeaways - Poor frontline technology adoption leads to significant operational risks. - Empathy for frontline workers is crucial for business success. - Device ownership enhances emotional investment and technology adoption. - AI tools are finally becoming accessible for frontline workers. - Cultural resistance to AI can hinder innovation in organizations. - Physical AI can improve safety and efficiency in industrial settings. - The skilled workforce is shrinking, making technology adoption urgent. - Companies must prepare for AI by establishing connectivity and data strategies. - AI should be integrated thoughtfully to mitigate risks. - The future of work will require skilled practitioners to adapt to new technologies. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Frontline Innovation 02:05 Consequences of Poor Technology Adoption 05:34 The Importance of Device Ownership 12:44 Rethinking Frontline Needs and AI 13:11 AI's Impact on Frontline Workers 20:12 The Risk of AI in Industrial Settings 22:02 The Future of Physical AI 40:56 Preparing for the Future of AI   Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1gt7ISvFbUM Check out Skyllful: https://www.skyllful.com/ Connect with Andrea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-hine-45884928/

Summary: In this episode, Marin Richeson delves into the intricacies of organizational change, emphasizing the importance of a human-centered approach. She explores how understanding the psychology of change and fostering a culture of adaptability can lead to successful transformations. Through real-world examples, Marin highlights the significance of engaging early adopters, managing resistance, and leveraging feedback to build trust and cultivate a culture open to continuous change. Themes: The operational impact of poor frontline adoption The importance of fostering a human-centered approach to change Strategies for engaging early adopters and managing resistance How organizational culture influences transformation success Effective communication and feedback loops in large-scale change Incentivizing change: recognition, gamification, and tailored incentives Building trust and cultivating a culture open to continuous change Lessons learned from real-world examples, including the role of identity in adoption The value of iterative feedback and treating failure as part of progress Timestamps: 00:53 - Introduction to Marin Richeson and her approach to human-centered transformation 01:57 - The business consequences of poor frontline change adoption 02:21 - Importance of ROI in digital transformation initiatives 03:50 - Challenges in user adoption for major projects and their business impacts 04:48 - The psychological barriers to change and how identity influences resistance 05:12 - Strategies to shift worker identity and enhance adoption 06:44 - The necessity of asking for clear success criteria from users 07:13 - Approaches to scale conversations with large populations 08:28 - Focusing on early adopters and the role of social proof 09:21 - Naming and framing the early adopters within change initiatives 10:03 - The potential value and resistance insights from diverse team members 10:53 - Handling resistance and the importance of inclusive feedback 12:30 - Communicating at scale and strategies for effective outreach 13:36 - The iterative process of feedback collection and reflection 1 5:41 - Typical percentage of early adopters in large organizations 16:06 - Characteristics of early adopters beyond tech savviness 17:33 - Surprising examples of tech adoption among different age groups 19:20 - The impact of identity and past experience on resistance 20:50 - The deeper role of empathy and cultural understanding in change 22:28 - Cultivating a culture of openness through co-creation 24:34 - The ongoing role of early adopters in leading change 25:56 - Recognizing change champions and incentivizing participation 36:27 - Balancing diverse motivational drivers for adoption 37:46 - Personal reflections on motivation, including childhood influences 40:23 - The importance of trust and psychology in digital transformation 41:54 - The risks of rushing change and managing expectations 44:14 - Framing feedback requests to avoid misunderstandings 45:29 - The challenge of asking for success criteria when users may not have clear answers 50:21 - The philosophy of progress over perfection and human authenticity in change 51:23 - Building a culture of co-created change through understanding 52:20 - Final thoughts and Marin's role as a podcast host and change leader Watch: https://youtu.be/Je6C4kkkMR8 The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin: https://gretchenrubin.com/four-tendencies/ Check out Skyllful: https://www.skyllful.com/

Summary In this episode of the Frontline Innovators Podcast, host Justin Lake speaks with change management consultant Leslie Downing about the critical role of human factors in technology adoption. They discuss the importance of engaging frontline workers, the challenges of communicating change, and the need for effective leadership in managing transitions. Leslie shares insights on measuring behavior change, the impact of AI on the workforce, and strategies for fostering a culture of acceptance and adaptability in organizations.   Takeaways The success of technology adoption heavily relies on people actively engaging with it. Change management often overlooks the human element, focusing too much on technology. Effective communication with leadership is crucial for successful change initiatives. Middle managers play a vital role in facilitating change at the frontline. Behavior change is essential for successful technology adoption and requires measurement. AI can be a tool for empowerment, not a threat to jobs. Setting realistic timelines for change is important for managing expectations. Recognizing and rewarding positive behaviors can drive cultural change. Proactive communication can alleviate fears associated with technology changes. Understanding what 'good' looks like helps in setting measurable goals for change.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Change Management and Technology Adoption 05:43 The Human Element in Change Management 10:07 Positioning Change Management as a Strategic Resource 19:26 Understanding Role Clarity and Its Impact 23:28 Behavior Change and Measuring Success 29:49 Measuring Cultural Change in Organizations 45:12 Navigating the Impact of AI on Workforce Dynamics   Watch: https://youtu.be/xvupv_WUl-Y Read the recap: https://www.skyllful.com/en/blog/navigating-change-management-strategies-for-success

Summary   In this episode of the Frontline Innovators Podcast, host Justin Lake welcomes Kelly Kluge, an expert in technology adoption and transformation. They discuss the critical role of frontline workers as problem solvers and thought leaders, emphasizing the need for organizations to embrace their insights and experiences. Kelly highlights the operational consequences of poor technology adoption, arguing that neglecting the input of frontline workers can lead to missed opportunities and hinder overall business performance. She advocates for a shift in mindset among leadership to recognize the value of these workers and invest in their development, rather than adhering to outdated practices that may no longer serve the organization effectively. The conversation delves into the challenges of technology adoption, particularly for frontline workers who cannot afford to take time away from their duties for training. Kelly stresses the importance of rewarding frontline workers differently and adapting training methods to better suit their needs. They also explore the intersection of people and technology, with Kelly introducing her concept of "Mind and Machine," which focuses on how technology can enhance human capabilities rather than replace them. The episode concludes with Kelly's advice to stay curious and engaged with frontline workers to foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.   Key takeaways Frontline workers are problem solvers and thought leaders. Poor technology adoption can lead to significant operational consequences. Investing in frontline workers is crucial for business success. Leadership must shift their mindset to value frontline insights. Stay curious and engaged with frontline workers to improve technology adoption. Chapters   00:00 Introduction to Frontline Innovators Podcast 01:42 The Role of Frontline Workers in Technology Adoption 04:42 Kelly's Background and Experience in Transformation 06:54 Challenges of Technology Adoption for Frontline Workers 10:07 Shifting Mindsets in Leadership 15:01 The Importance of Empathy in Business 19:54 Courageous Leadership and Innovation 26:40 Mind and Machine: The Future of Work 32:50 Preparing for the Future: Embracing Change 40:44 Final Thoughts and Advice for Leaders   Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/PR6i_wsxzUI   Read our blog recap: https://www.skyllful.com/en/blog/mind-machine-transforming-frontline-workforces   Learn more about Skyllful: https://www.skyllful.com/

Host Justin Lake interviews Carlos Linares, founder and CEO of FoodOpsIQ and Third Wish Food Services, about using AI and technology to empower frontline food-service teams. Carlos explains his global experience, the idea of "virtual OPEX," and how voice-enabled generative AI can augment workers in kitchens and service roles. They cover practical change management: designing with operations, running pilots, building trust, measuring baselines and KPIs, and keeping solutions simple to increase adoption. Carlos shares a smart-kitchen example that cut costs, improved safety and sustainability, and boosted staff engagement. The episode highlights a people-first approach to digital transformation, arguing that AI should elevate frontline workers and the guest experience rather than simply replace jobs. YouTube: https://youtu.be/HYIWYAOryDo Carlos' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clinaresb/ Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.skyllful.com/podcast

In this episode of Frontline Innovators, host Justin Lake welcomes Anna Karousis, Senior Director of Change Management with more than 15 years of experience helping organizations navigate complex technology and process change. Together, they unpack why frontline technology initiatives so often fail to deliver on their promised ROI, and what leaders can do differently to drive real adoption, trust, and long-term value.  Anna brings a grounded, frontline-first perspective to change management, challenging common assumptions about automation, efficiency, and “go-live” success. This conversation is especially relevant for leaders responsible for large, distributed frontline teams who are expected to modernize operations while keeping the business running. Key Points to Listen For: The Hidden Cost of Poor Adoption: Anna explains how failed adoption erodes not just financial ROI, but “people ROI”, damaging trust, confidence, and engagement among frontline workers. Why Automation Isn't the Answer: The discussion reframes automation as a “dirty word” when applied to broken processes, emphasizing the importance of fixing workflows before digitizing them. Measuring What Actually Matters: Justin and Anna explore why organizations stop measuring ROI after implementation, and how defining success beyond “on time and on budget” changes outcomes. Frontline Reality vs. Leadership Assumptions: From technology literacy gaps to fear of making mistakes in enterprise systems, Anna shares real-world examples that highlight the disconnect between design decisions and frontline experience. The Importance of Time in Change: They break down why productivity dips are normal after go-live, why leaders must plan for them, and how setting realistic expectations builds trust. Super Users and Unspoken Leaders: Anna discusses the critical role of frontline influencers and change champions, and how investing in them can dramatically increase adoption and feedback loops. “Act and Transact”: A Simple Phrase for a Complex Problem: Anna introduces a powerful concept that captures the frontline challenge of modern enterprise systems: doing the work isn't enough unless it's accurately transacted in the system. Tune in for a thoughtful, practical conversation on what it really takes to make frontline technology investments successful—without disrupting the business or burning out the people who keep it running. YouTube: https://youtu.be/B5shttps://youtu.be/Ek2A8FkudbYbH7YrXtA Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Y4Vjf3X97AXc5Re4TwIjq?si=_n4-Isq-TmmjxpJdQ4gH6w Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/act-transact-the-frontlines-role-in-enterprise/id1572329402?i=1000747020374 Amazon Music:

In this episode, host Justin Lake sits down with Heather Brizzi, IT Director of Generative AI Initiatives at a Wholesale Building Materials company.   Heather shares her insights on the transformative power of AI and its impact on both frontline and knowledge worker roles. With a career dedicated to integrating technology with process enablement, Heather's expertise provides valuable perspectives on the evolving landscape of work.   "So whether it's software technology, whether it's automation technology, this is where, you know, for me, we have the opportunity to be able to meet people right where they are and identify 'How do we get better at the way that we work?'"   Key Points to Listen For: AI and Job Transformation: Heather discusses the impact of technology on job roles, emphasizing that the way we work today will not be the way we work tomorrow due to advancements in AI and robotics. Collaboration and Innovation: Heather highlights the importance of collaboration in solving problems and driving innovation, even across different industries and job roles. Human and AI Coexistence: The conversation delves into how humans and AI can coexist, with technology serving people rather than replacing them. Heather introduces the concept of "cobots," which work alongside humans to enhance productivity. Overcoming Resistance to Change: Heather addresses the resistance and fear that workers often feel towards technological advancements, and how understanding and upskilling can mitigate these concerns. Future Skills and Workforce: Heather talks about the skills that will remain crucial in the future workforce and the importance of continuous learning and adaptation to stay relevant in a rapidly changing technological landscape.   Tune in to this enlightening episode to gain a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of work and what it means for both frontline and knowledge workers.   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-brizzi/ Youtube - https://youtu.be/GACHs9CeZjM Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com

This week we have Justin Eubanks, Learning & Development Manager at Great Day Improvements on the Frontline Innovators podcast with host Justin Lake. Justin is a developmental strategist with extensive experience using LEAN methodologies to engage, attract, and retain the frontline workforce in a variety of ways at Great Day Improvements.    Quote: "I asked them how, how do you measure culture and how do you measure learning? You know and the answer I got was, it takes years to collect that data and you can't engage in something like this and expect six months from now everyone to be highly engaged, highly motivated, and want to stay here.  That's not how that works. What we have noticed is that the engagement has gone up and the more people that know about it, then the more people want to talk about it, engage, and ask questions."   Key Takeaways: ➖ Aligning change management throughout the company is key ➖ Let the frontline know that change is not a threat - it is a motivational factor for you to excel ➖ Creating change agents on the frontline is beneficial to increase engagement and adoption ➖ You need to have a people-first mentality and culture ➖ You have to have continuous learning for manufacturing environments to succeed   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justineubanks/ Company Website: https://greatdayimprovements.com/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music -  https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify -  https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher -  https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play -  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/yXGQO7jJVuk   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com  

This week on the Frontline Innovators host Justin Lake speaks with Jerry Ryan, Senior Solution Principal at Dell Technologies. Jerry has over thirty-five years of information technology, management, and overall business experience including IT Management, IT Project/Program/End User experience primarily around Microsoft Technologies. He is currently responsible for services pre-sales activities to DoD entities including the U.S. Air Force and Navy.   Quote: "How are you doing things now? How are you deploying? How are you getting applications to people? How are you training them? And then we go, OK, in the middle is the transformative piece. So this is how we're going to transform everything. Oh, and here's the "to be".  Here's what it's going to look like when we're done, and here's how you're going to save money by transforming everything from the way you're doing it here to the way you're doing it. And when you can show that to a customer, that usually gets them pretty well motivated."   Key Takeaways: ➖ It's important to put together a smart lifecycle plan for your frontline  ➖ Training your frontline has to be at the forefront in choosing the right device ➖ The more times you touch an asset as you're deploying it, there's more room for error  ➖ It's vital to understand how long it takes to procure devices for your frontline and how quickly they can get their essential apps  ➖ There are user experience implications when software is not up-to-date for the frontline   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-ryan-8587042/ Company Website: http://www.delltechnologies.com/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music -  https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify -  https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS titcher -  https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play -  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/qJhMa9O1oTM   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com  

This week on the Frontline Innovators we're speaking with Don Jacobson, IT Business Partner for Innovation @ City of Las Vegas Don brings 23 years of experience in municipal government with enterprise-wide initiatives, and he supports the city's many initiatives to become a model Smart City as well as the visioning for its Innovation District and associated programs and projects.   Quote: "A key factor in digital adoption is understanding the benefits to every party whether it be the public, the citizen, the resident, the tourist, the business owner or internally whether you're executive or you're the person that's out in the field. Everybody needs to understand and appreciate the benefits. Reception is better if workers know how adopting technology will help them be more successful at their job."   Key Takeaways: ➖ Lack of recognition creates added stress for the frontline  ➖ Anytime an organization grows, there's going to be potential for breakdown in communication ➖ Your frontline needs to know that their actions are contributing to a better community/public ➖ Technology ambassadors will help shift your organization's culture for the better  ➖ You need to give your frontline ample practice to adopt their new technology   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-jacobson-6050ab9/ Company Website: https://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/     Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music -  https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify -  https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher -  https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play -  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/JmG8rnpCsxk   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com

This week on the Frontline Innovators we welcome Julie Whitten, Sr. Director Change Management Strategy @ Sodexo. Julie has more than 25 years of experience in change leadership, marketing, and communications.   Julie is an empathetic leader who serves as an advisor to senior leaders and is a resourceful and creative problem-solver who drives business results with her strategic planning, organizational change management, and communications expertise.   Quote: "Maybe it's something that's coming down globally, maybe it's a structural reorganization type of change, You know that we kind of have to catch, receive and move forward with and we try to do that, you know, in the best way that we can with the people in mind. But most times, you know, whether it's a process change or a technology change, we have the opportunity to co-create that change together."   Key Takeaways: ➖ Everyone on the frontline has a different perspective ➖ At the end of the day - the frontline just wants to be included ➖ We often underestimate the amount of socialization needed for a change to go well ➖ You need to love your resistors, listen, understand, and validate ➖ We all go through an emotional journey around change   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewhitten/ Company Website: https://www.sodexo.com/en   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/vuF5cF9By_I   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com  

This week on the Frontline Innovators we have Nea Christensen, Director IT @ ProAmpac | PMP, Process Improvement.   Nea has over 10 years of experience in providing executive-level information systems and technology leadership, leading innovative strategies and solutions-driven teams that drive business performance and efficiencies.   Nea oversees a portfolio of projects valued at $1.5 million and manages the PMO, Policy, and Documentation functions for the IT department.       Quote: "So one of the things that we do in continuous improvement is called 5 whys. And with it you go through and you say what problem that you have and then you say, well, why is that a problem? And then you answer it and you say, well, why is that a problem? And you want to keep kind of pushing to the point of actually finding what the problem is that everybody like, yes, that that's the problem. And then once you have that problem, you want to decide what to do with it."     Key Takeaways: ➖ You can have all the plans in the world, but you still need the humans to do them ➖ Let's solve the problem that we have at hand that we all agree is a problem ➖ Ranking problems helps to give objectivity and see the bigger picture ➖ Gaining trust from other departments will help the rollout be successful     LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/nea-christensen-56130028/ Company Website: https://www.proampac.com/en-us/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music -  https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify -  https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher -  https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play -  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/XRyHrHPoin4   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com

This week on the Frontline Innovators we have Bill Padula, Executive VP of Strategic Consulting @ Evora IT Solutions.    Bill brings over two decades of experience and a wealth of knowledge varying from enterprise mobility, to consulting large-scale IT deployment initiatives. We're excited to dig into his knowledge!     Quote: "To me the biggest challenge facing the workforce is that the providers and the the implementers don't always fully appreciate or understand the environment that the frontline works in or the mentality of the worker. The frontline's focus is on installing equipment, repairing the broken machine, putting a pipe in the grounds, whatever it is they're wrench turning work. The mobile application that they use is just a tool that they have to have to do their job. But they don't really understand the technology behind it. They don't want to understand the technology. It's not that they can't, it's just their focus is on doing the job that they're going out to do and the app, device, and technology is really secondary."     Key Takeaways: ➖ A lot of the providers — big players just seem to not understand the frontline ➖ Don't just design a pretty app for an award - you have to make sure it's practical and functional ➖ The most distributed worker often represents the majority of your user population ➖ No user in the world wants to have to figure out five different ways to do something in a workflow ➖ It's always best when users can train on their device     LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billpadula/ Company Website:  https://www.evorait.com/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music -  https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify -  https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher -  https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play -  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/wzgovyDeXnU   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com  

This week on the Frontline Innovators we have a special guest from Alaska.

This week on the Frontline Innovators we have two guests! ✌   Jennifer Martindale is the Director of Organizational Change Management at J.R. Simplot Company. She helps people move forward through transformation management strategies that create buy-in, transition mindsets, change cultures, challenge assumptions, improve processes, and implement solutions that stick. Stacy Gibbons is a clinical licensed mental health counselor who brings a great perspective on the people side of change and how to stay curious with their response.   Quote: "It's about preparing for change. If folks are not prepared for change, then you get to deal with the negative consequences. You don't get to opt out of that. You don't get to say, you know what, we are too busy."   Key Takeaways: ➖ One size fits all approach does not work for OCM ➖ Your leaders need to have the right tools to support the frontline ➖ Understand the change trigger the frontline is facing ➖ OCM is all about preparing folks for sustainable change ➖ Communicate to the frontline that the tech will improve their job not take it away   Jennifer's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-martindale-45b7b88b/ Jennifer's Company Website: https://www.simplot.com/ Stacy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacy-gibbons-44a422183/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/ZIkTnrC9jsw   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com/  

This week on the Frontline Innovators we have a guest in aviation. Alexis Green is a Field Service Manager at Delta Airlines. She has vast experience in the frontline, having been a flight attendant for years before moving into her current role. ✈   She expands on the need to build a rapport with your frontline especially "above the wing" — where you will likely have a new set of co-workers each flight.    Quote: "I know that when I was a frontline employee, receiving recognition from my leader is really what made me like want to kind of step up my game, made me want to enhance my performance because I felt like my good deeds were not going unnoticed."     Key Takeaways: ➖ Constantly having a new set of co-workers each flight can lead to lapses in compliance ➖ Complying with industry standards is of utmost priority ➖ Be leader that you needed when you first started ➖ Flight attendants do so much more than providing food & drink on flights ➖ Technology changes are harder the older you are     LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexisbgreen/ Company Website:  https://www.delta.com/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music -  https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify -  https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher -  https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play -  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/IjxBA4hMetI   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com

This week on the Frontline Innovators we have a special guest who happens to be a Skyllful customer, Gary Brown, EAM Manager at Denbury, Inc. Gary has a wealth of experience being on the frontline and now is on the operations side. Listen to Part 1 of the conversation here.   Quote: "What's the most important asset at Denbury? I just wait for somebody to talk about that one big plant we got, or that highest-producing well and I'm just chomping at the bit - hoping they're going to say it. So, I can answer "the people." That's the bottom line."   Key Takeaways: ➖ Allow the frontline to learn without the consequences ➖ The end goal is for users to become proficient in the enterprise tech ➖ There's a big difference between using and adopting technology ➖ Communicate early and often about what changes are happening ➖ Don't roll out tech without a support infrastructure   LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-brown-860384a4/ Company Website:  https://www.denbury.com/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music -  https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify -  https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher -  https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play -  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/LkLuFGYs79c   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com

This week on the Frontline Innovators we have a special guest who happens to be a Skyllful customer, Gary Brown, EAM Manager at Denbury, Inc. Gary has a wealth of experience being on the frontline and now is on the operations side. Listen to Part 1 of the conversation and stay tuned for Part 2 next week.   Quote: "Any way you can reduce the frontline's risk of feeling like they're going to get a bad grade, bad performance review, whatever you want to call it. When you reduce that risk, it empowers them to be a little more confident and be a little more adaptable to change."   Key Takeaways: ➖ Your training should take away the excuses ➖ Your frontline leaders may be the ones that oppose the change most ➖ Frontline tech is drastically different than regular tech - far more stress-inducing ➖ Reduce the risk of fear and your frontline will feel empowered ➖ Giving your frontline a place to practice without fear is understated   LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-brown-860384a4/ Company Website:  https://www.denbury.com/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music -  https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify -  https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher -  https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play -  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube -  https://youtu.be/iRj2pOgA3k4   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com

Today's guest is a retired military pilot of 20 years turned change management professional - Sean McCarthy, Director, Change Management Lead at Takeda.  Sean has realized that there are so many parallels between the change that happens in the military world versus the civilian world and thinks there is much more we can do to help the deskless workforce adopt the changes.    Quote: "You can have the best technology in the world. If you can't use it as a community, as a business, let's face it, the military and that team together are using that technology to not just use it as one person, it's the whole community that's using it together to leverage and make everyone better. So, if you've got a frontline worker who's using the best technology but doesn't get how it's connected and everything else, then they're lost. They're not adding any additional value."   Here are a few key takeaways from the episode: ➖ Ask yourself: how can I use these technologies to be more productive, not just to gather more data? ➖ Usage is just getting people to log in, but adoption is actually integrating it into their workflows ➖ User Acceptance Testing is so valuable ➖ Understanding the gap between success and failure   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-mccarthy-9515b53b/ Company Website: https://www.takeda.com/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/IJdSRmWM11w   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com

Today's guest has a passion for leading people, change management, and driving and evangelizing programs. Welcome Kayla Thorpe, Senior Manager of Professional Services at Softchoice. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated excellence in program and project management, technology implementations, employee experience, and end-user productivity.   Quote: "What I find when you're meeting with people is humans are humans, people are people. I can throw those numbers at people and sometimes they stick. Sometimes it resonates with folks. So I actually, instead of even bothering trying to quantify with data the value that adoption or change projects bring to any implementation or any change, whether it's technical or otherwise, rather than trying to give numbers and give data, I usually approach it from the human and the people perspective and I start to ask creative questions."   Here are a few nuggets of wisdom from her episode

This week's guest is Dave Rozelle, Senior Manager Learning Development at Take 5 Oil Change.  Dave brings many years of management and supervisory experience supported by decades of computer and communications technology experience. Dave has developed new software products and is a strategic thinker and team builder.    Quote: "It's a primary goal of what I'm doing with like our employee feedback surveys, is not to make the frontline feel better or to solve every possible complaint, but establish a level of comfort that you're willing to speak up. If you don't speak up and express a concern, it will never be resolved and without that level of confidence in the company from the frontline, you're just shooting in the dark."   Key Takeaways: ➖ Give clarity to your frontline above all else ➖ Culture is not what you want it to be but, the sum of people that exist in the organization today ➖ Even though everything you're saying/doing from the top is in line, your reality at the front line is not the same ➖ You've got to be able to close the feedback loop and come full circle ➖ You need to be able to establish a level of comfort that your frontline is willing to speak up   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daverozelle/ Company Website: https://www.take5.com/oil-change/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/LZWm_hd6m8w   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com

This week's guest is Gail Norris, US Lead, SITRAIN Digital Industries Learning, Digital Industries Division at Siemens Industry Gail is experienced in all aspects of customer and employee learning, performance management and optimizing organizational growth. She has extensive experience with tech support, consulting for contact centers, field service management, and meeting the needs of the frontline worker.   Quote: "I think if you focus on what does work, the biggest one to your point is communication. Making sure you've got that dialogue, making sure you've got the stakeholders engaged, and having an understanding of what the end goal is so that everybody can kind of revolve around the same thing."   Key Takeaways: ➖ Improve the employee experience and connect your people - and you'll retain and motivate them accordingly ➖ Appreciate and respect how different generations need support ➖ Make sure you have the stakeholders engaged and understanding the end goal ➖ We can't lose the human connection    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gailnorris/ Company Website: https://www.siemens.com/us/en.html   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/qRePunV31ns   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at www.frontlineinovators.com

This week's guest is Steve Mason, General Manager - Field Service Management at GPS Insight. Steve has extensive experience with tech support, consulting for contact centers, field service management, and meeting the needs of the frontline worker.   Quote: "You can't achieve a good outcome unless you're creating a great positive environment for your employees because otherwise their frustration that 'they can't deliver good service' is picked up by the customer."   Key Takeaways: ➖ Dark data is an invaluable asset for field service management ➖ Community-based approach to aggregating knowledge from other workers is key to passing the knowledge to other technicians ➖ You can't achieve a good outcome unless you're creating a great positive environment ➖ You need to fix systemic problems faster to go out to site less   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevemason3/ Company Website: https://www.gpsinsight.com/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/UMTC8VHVctA   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at www.frontlineinovators.com

This week's guest is Cori Chang, Organizational Change Management Sr. Manager at Unisys | Global OCM Team. Cori has over 18 years of experience in helping organizations align strategy and improve performance, and she has expertise in developing and implementing effective Organizational Change Management strategies. She is skilled at working with all levels of management and staff to create innovative and sustainable solutions for the frontline.   Quote: "I think sometimes too, people don't feel like the automation's going to replace them and they'll lose their job. Sometimes that does happen, but I think the greater fear is that the automation is going to be so different that they won't have this capability to learn the new job well and that they'll just opt out and quit or they will, their fears, they'll get fired right, they won't be able to do the job."   Key Takeaways: ➖ Communicating to the frontline is not a cookie-cutter or one size fits all ➖ Leaders should empathize with the frontline worker's fears of automation ➖ Feedback loops are vital in communicating with the frontline ➖ OCM should not be brought in after a project fails - it should be included at the very beginning   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cori-chang-80579233/ Company Website: https://www.unisys.com/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/Z3MfOubLES8   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at www.frontlineinovators.com

We're excited to be back from our hiatus! This week's guest is Gyner Ozgul, President & Chief Operating Officer @ Smart Care Equipment Solutions.    Gyner has a passion for building successful teams and creating positive experiences, He has achieved significant success and growth in my career over the past 25 years by empowering teams to succeed. He oversees a commercial kitchen services business with exceptional technicians and a support team that serves customers nationwide.   Quote: "Don't wait for a stable process to fail. Step back from it and say, 'Hey, what could that be? If I kind of injected some thought into it, how could I make that better? How could I improve the experience for a frontline worker if I just took that and maybe did it totally differently or it just improved that process?' because if you run the failure, now you're kind of picking up the pieces and it's already too late."   Key Takeaways: ➖ Don't assume that all frontline workforces want to engage tech positively ➖ Knowledge is a currency in the organization ➖ As you get further up in the organization - you must stay accessible to the frontline ➖ Put your team in an environment where they can grow financially and professionally ➖ Don't wait for failure to start something new   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gynerozgul/ Company Website: https://smartcaresolutions.com/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyXOpIQ6qmg   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at www.frontlineinovators.com

We're excited for this weeks guest - Carl Hefele, the Director of Field Services East @ Idemia.    Carl has extensive experience with field service operations and leads a large team for oversight and leadership for the Eastern half of the United States Service Operations Division.   Quote: "When I work with these people, I'm trying to use all of the experiences and all the headaches of everything I had and all the frustrations, you know? And it's just that all the life experiences, you know, we got to figure out a better way to do this."   Key Takeaways: ➖ Use all of your experiences to help the frontline in a situation ➖ Let the field techs know why you're asking for the data ➖ Learn how to scale knowledge to the frontline ➖ Don't put in garbage data or you'll get garbage reporting   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlhefele/ Company Website: https://www.idemia.com/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/x9rxny7SbNo   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at www.frontlineinovators.com

Join us for our newest episode with Marie Elliston, Sr. Manager Commercial Sales Learning and Development @ WestRock Company. Marie is a learning and development strategist with 15 years of experience delivering enterprise-wide change and talent management initiatives within the performance and product fields.   Quote: "I'm a big proponent of giving people a play space, whether it's a sandbox, if it's ai, let the people get used to it in a safe environment, rather than just throwing 'em into production and being like, 'Hey, good luck.'"   Key Takeaways: ➖ Kinesthetic learners need time to fail and figure it out themselves ➖ Encourage a continuous improvement loop ➖ You need to pinpoint the issues and assign them ➖ Having a sandbox for them to fail in is invaluable   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-e-4539bb186/ Company Website: https://www.westrock.com/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/HoMT0G3isNk   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at www.frontlineinovators.com

Join us for a new episode of Frontline Innovators as we talk with Andrew Lorraine, CEO @ Resco. Andrew leads Resco's mission to help mobile workers reach their full potential with technology. His focus is on developing business solutions for the key challenges of our era through authenticity and relationships.   Quote: "So I think the biggest challenge that is impacting mobile workers or frontline workers today is making sure that technology that's dreamt up in the clouds, works on the ground, works in the real world."   A few key takeaways: ➖ You've got to anticipate the challenges and requirements for a project ➖ One size fits all doesn't always work with technology ➖ You need to get a champion from the mobile workforce involved in the design process ➖ Make sure their voice is heard and the change is quick   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlorraine/ Company Website: https://www.resco.net/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/K7NUzbcDp8I   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at www.frontlineinovators.com

Join us for a new episode of Frontline Innovators as we talk with Chris Bond, CEO @ Bluewater Learning. He has been transforming the Learning and Talent Management field for over 20 years through his leadership, articles, speaking engagements, and consulting services.   If you missed Part 1 with Chris listen here - https://www.frontlineinnovators.com/e/meeting-the-underserved-episode-103-chris-bond-part-1/   This is Part 2 of 2 with Chris Bond as he discusses:   ➖ What is Bluewater Learning & who they serve ➖ The right way to implement tech ➖ Transforming the learning experience & delivery for deskless workers ➖ Picking the right vendor that solves your problems ➖ Getting great measurements to justify your investment   Chris's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophermbond/ Company Website: https://www.bluewaterlearning.com/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/b32wmO45A20   Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at www.frontlineinovators.com

We're excited to be back with a new episode of Frontline Innovators as we talk with Chris Bond, CEO @ Bluewater Learning. He has been transforming the Learning and Talent Management field for over 20 years through his leadership, articles, speaking engagements, and consulting services.   This is Part 1 of 2 with Chris Bond as he discusses:   ➖ The biggest challenge facing the deskless workforce ➖ Solving the People, Process & Technology issue ➖ Why the frontline has been underserved ➖ The 4 segments of training in L&D ➖ Short term versus long term employee experience - investing in the frontline   Chris's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophermbond/ Company Website: https://www.bluewaterlearning.com/   Here's other ways you can listen: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw Youtube - https://youtu.be/Awcd-2K98CM Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at www.frontlineinovators.com  

In this episode, we talk with Adam Roesner, Learning and Development Technology Manager @ Pactiv Evergreen Inc. He has extensive experience in the healthcare field and medical device training. Adam delves into giving the frontline access to the right learning and understanding the nature of the learning itself.     Takeaways  

In this episode, we talk with Maria Feay, Director, Learning and Quality Coaching @ Quantum Health. She gives great insight into Learning and Development asking the right questions and solving for the problem.    Takeaways  

This episode has Summer Valdez, Learning and Development Program Manager at Rehrig Pacific Company, chatting about how to truly value your frontline with all of the impending tech changes being thrown their way and the feedback loop.   Takeaways  

This weeks episode host Justin Lake talks with Amanda Fullbright, Senior Vice President, Learning and Performance Development at BlueSprig Pediatrics. Amanda has many years of experience finding technology solutions in the healthcare field and speaks on the various challenges of developing training for the frontline.      Takeaways

This weeks episode host Justin Lake talks with Meg Vrabel Chief Revenue Officer & SVP Innovation @ Capital Factory - the Center of Gravity for Entrepreneurs in Texas. Meg has extensive experience helping and leading frontline workers and delves into some great advice for frontline leaders.   Takeaways

Abby Fordham is the Director of Learning and Development at Pactiv Evergreen Inc. Abby is passionate about making sure that frontline employees are taken care of and that they are given every chance to succeed. Abby joins the host Justin Lake to talk about some of the biggest challenges frontline employees face and how we can overcome them.   Takeaways:  The biggest challenge facing the frontline workforce today is the ability to access technology while being away from a desk. We have all the technology in the world but it is a struggle to get it to work when away from a desk or a spot without service.  Frontline workers should be allowed to use their phones while away from the desk as a source for finding the answers to any questions they might have. The more you can help the frontline workers get their job the better their lives will be. Consider motivating and giving them access to the technology they might need to complete everything.  Often when frontline workers are promoted and become their peers' boss, it is overlooked that they aren't given leadership training and it is assumed that they will take the role. It's important to provide them with the leadership skills and knowledge needed to succeed.  Just because there is an issue when trying to implement technology doesn't mean you stop what you are doing. A roadblock is an obstacle to overcome, not an excuse.  You have to follow a procedure and see how things have been done, but it's ok to have it customized slightly as long as all the proper steps are being followed. Let the technology do the hard work for you and the deskless workforce and then tailor the learning and development to them.  Quote of the show 31:47  “I never let no be a roadblock or a stop.”   Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-fordham-8061343a/ Company Website: https://pactivevergreen.com/   Ways to Tune In: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS  Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw YouTube - https://youtu.be/BwIDcwL9UxU Frontline Innovators is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Casey Jensen is the Learning and Development Lead at Medtronic. Casey is passionate about making sure the employees on the frontline are able to ask questions and achieve their ultimate goals. Casey joins the host Justin Lake to talk about some of the biggest challenges facing frontline workers and how to help them better use the technology surrounding them.   Takeaways  The deskless workforce is underrepresented in the amount of time it takes to learn a new task or technology. The change is often thrust upon them without enough training to make it viable.  There is a lack of buy-in from management that allows enough time for learning new technology to happen.  Feedback is an important part of communication with the frontline workforce. It's essential to offer them a place to provide feedback so they feel heard and then you can see how you might be able to solve any of their issues. Learning and development miss the most important thing to link the training back to business development and business strategy.  If somebody is on the floor but you are training them then you are losing productivity but at the same time, the training is essential to the frontline workers being able to do their job effectively. Different learning styles and different concepts come to people in different ways. It might take longer for some people to learn new technology and techniques than it would for others.  You always want to make sure people are using training time wisely and appropriately and not dropping on the computer and going to Facebook or wasting the time.    Quote of the show 24:27 “The number one thing that I see that learning and development misses is linking it to the business objective and business strategy.”   Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseywjensen/ Company LinkedIn: https://www.medtronic.com/us-en/index.html   Ways to Tune In: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS  Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw YouTube - https://youtu.be/9JfQN_jYdtM Frontline Innovators is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Molly Fields is the Senior Director of Learning and Development at TCC & Wireless Zone, a Verizon Authorized Retailer. Molly is passionate about making sure that leaders are emotionally invested in their teams and care for them. Molly joins the host Justin Lake to talk about the importance of being a good team leader and how that can motivate and make a difference to those working on the frontline.   Takeaways  The biggest problem facing deskless workers today is that they aren't able to balance things as well as they used to be able to because they have more on their plate than they are used to.  The emotional aspect is where a direct leader can have the most impact on other members of their team. As a leader, it is your responsibility to lead your people and treat them with respect like the people they are, and then looking at them as workers comes second. Change doesn't start from the top down. The best way to make change stick and work is by having the middle management people get the frontline workers to switch over and then the change will stick.  When it comes to bringing in new technology a new strategy, you want to try and sell it to the frontline workers with the mindset that they won't like it and then get them to see the benefits of it. Think about the “stars” of your company and get them on camera to try and sell some change. The message will be more impactful coming from them rather than from someone in upper management. If you are not actively pursuing some kind of skill development then you are falling behind. You have to look at it what you can you do to be better at your job.   Quote of the show 5:51 “As the leader, you do have to lead your people emotionally first as people, not as performers.”    Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-fields-5bb54385/ Company Website: https://www.tccrocks.com/   Ways to Tune In: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS  Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw YouTube - https://youtu.be/_Q0ntyaYFAw Frontline Innovators is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Jason Aurora is the Senior Director of Learning and Development at Hilti North America. Jason has a passion for helping deskless workers to be more knowledgeable about the current technology that surrounds them but also sees the value of human interaction and communication. Jason joins the host Justin Lake to talk about some of the biggest struggles facing frontline workers and we can overcome them.      Takeaways  It's important to be really effective from a learning perspective because in a diskless environment it is hard for those employees to find free time in their day. Communication has become more complicated as the world becomes more digital. The digital aspect creates a lot of distractions with all the different apps to communicate with. There is a model of “70 - 20 - 10” where 70% of the skills you need for the job you will learn from being trained, 20% is the informal learning of being added to projects and 10% is being certified in a certain subject.  The human interaction and the bonding that takes place during in-person training and other programs is something that can not be replaced by using zoom or other video call platforms. Everyone at a company learns differently and has different needs. To make sure you are meeting everyone in the best way possible, it's important to have a good company culture and to support each other. An office isn't just a place where you work, it's also a place where you create, celebrate, and collaborate with others.  Employees need to feel valued and appreciated in an organization so that they will bring in their best work, be dedicated to the company and want to stay at the company long term.   Quote of the show 13:56  “70% of your learning is really based on experiential.” Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-aurora/ Company Website: https://www.hilti.com/   Ways to Tune In: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS  Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw   Frontline Innovators is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Sumair Dutta is the Vice President, Product Marketing at ServiceMax. He is an experienced product marketer and industry analyst. Sumair has deep familiarity with field service, workforce management, and frontline worker needs. Sumair joins the host Eugene Signorini to talk about the changing role of frontline workers.   Takeaways  The biggest problem facing the frontline workforce today is the disruption that new technology has brought. While some jobs can be automated frontline workers can be interacting with customers and spend less time on unnecessary paperwork. A true test of automation is to see if it still works after taking some fields away from it, rather than just adding more work to it and hoping that it works out well. The technicians and those on the frontline are the ones who represent your company to your customers, so you want to make sure they are fully capable and able to do any work they need to do in the field.  The people who take on the role of a field service technician or someone else working the frontlines are people who want to help solve problems that customers are having a get over any potential hurdles. The work that frontline employees are doing is becoming more complex, requiring multiple steps for a single task to be completed.  Organizations are going to want to tap more into the customer success part of the frontline workforce. Companies will be able to use that as a source of revenue and lead generation for themselves.  It's important to understand the needs of technicians and frontline workers and see where any of the pain points are and try to solve that for them.    Quote of the show: 12:22 “The folks who take on these jobs are inherently folks who want to solve problems.” Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumairdutta/ Company Website: https://www.servicemax.com/   Ways to Tune In: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS  Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw YouTube - https://youtu.be/f-swOhgPqcg   Frontline Innovators is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Today's guest has a passion for people and is all about empowering employees. Christopher Shryock is the Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer from Sam's Club. He sees the heavy weight that is being put on frontline employees and wants to make their lives easier and their work more efficient. Christopher joins the host Justin Lake to talk about the role technology plays with frontline employees.   Takeaways:  The current rate of inflation has become one of the biggest problems for frontline workers. It creates an issue for them to make enough money to provide for their families. When it comes to communicating with frontline workers, sometimes the best ways to reach them are the “old school” methods rather than through email or app notifications. When you are creating a process for frontline workers, you want to make sure that the process is simple and designed with their needs and wants in mind. When you are designing a flywheel for your company, you want the main point to be that your company is obsessed with membership. If you have the right people in the right places, that can lead to an increase in profits for your company. You want to make sure that your employees have access to the right tools that they need to get the job done in the most efficient way, and that could be a handheld device. You can simplify the work life for frontline employees by not having them do everything, but allowing for some automation to make their life easier. At the end of the day, if you have someone at the company who doesn't meet the standard then that will bring down everyone else.    Quote of the show 17:51 “We made sure that associates had access to the right tools. So that is access to the right handheld devices.”   Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-shryock-b322743/ Company Website: https://www.samsclub.com/   Ways to Tune In: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS  Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw YouTube - https://youtu.be/0L5AXFYG_1E   Frontline Innovators is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Today's guest is Daniel Angelo, The Director of Technical Services of North America and the Global Product Manager of Services for Bosch Automotive Aftermarket. Daniel joins the host Justin Lake to talk about the problems that are facing the automotive industry and frontline workers as a whole.   Takeaways  One of the problems facing frontline workers today is that there is a constant influx of more complex data and big volumes of information. In the automotive industry, it is hard to find people who are ready to work with their hands and work on a more technical level. Most modern electric cars actually have more technology in them than the standard commercial airplane. You can use the latest technology to help make diagnosing car issues easier. For example, you can use VR to draw lines around what might need to be fixed so the mechanic can look at the same headset and see what needs to be done. It's ok to fail when you try something new, but you don't want to fail at the same thing twice. You want to learn from your previous mistakes. There are a lot of different models for electric cars like Teslas but now a lot of brands will use similar software and hardware so they end up using the same pieces for repair. If you are a leader at an organization, it's ok to admit that you might need help from other people in the organization to make sure that everyone is properly trained and ready to work.   Quote of the show 31: 26 “We accept failures, but we have to learn from them.”   Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-angelo-03b79523/?locale=en_US Company Website: https://www.bosch.us/   Ways to Tune In: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS  Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw YouTube - https://youtu.be/BMin-SP7ktY Frontline Innovators is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Today's guest has over 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. She has held roles ranging from field engineer to change management professional. Akanksha Mathur is the Director of Business Operations at Wallbox Chargers. Akanksha joins the host Justin Lake to talk about some of the biggest challenges facing frontline workers today.   Takeaways  The biggest challenge facing the frontline workers today is the lack of understanding from the corporate side. Often time they are given new technology to use and even those in corporate don't fully understand how to use it and how it will affect them. When it comes to training frontline employees on new technologies, it's not about what's in it for them today but it can also help advance them in their careers. It is your responsibility to be the “bridge” between the IT experts and the workers in the field. You need to make sure that they understand each other and are supporting each other. When it comes to solving issues within your team, take the time to scope out the priorities are, and the key issues and understand the end-to-end process. You can connect new users of your system to existing users and have them talk over a virtual conversation about what they like about the system and what they don't. When talking with your end users, you want to find out what the pain points are for them and solve those and fill in any gaps you encounter along the way. Let the frontline workers get used to a system by going in and seeing how it works. That way they can familiarize themselves with it and also find out where they might get stuck.   Quote of the show 14:11 “Be the bridge between and the translator between the IT experts and those working in the field.”   Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akanksha-mathur-34856310/ Company Website: https://wallbox.com/en_us/   Ways to Tune In: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS  Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw YouTube - https://youtu.be/P2n2qw0n4uY   Frontline Innovators is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Today's guest is a computer science graduate, but she quickly discovered that it wasn't the technology that got her pumped about her job but how people use that technology to make their work and personal lives easier and more creative. Debbie Jackson is the Director of Learning and Development at Ciena. Debbie joins host Justin Lake to talk about how the advancement in technology can help to make the lives of frontline workers easier and better.   Takeaways    The biggest challenge facing frontline workers today is the issue of fatigue. In the last few years, frontline workers have gone through a lot of changes in guidelines and rules. A lot of frontline workers haven't been given the luxury of time and during the pandemic, they were putting their lives on the line to show up to work. Learning needs to be about enabling individuals to do something in a better fashion. Learning should not be treated like a checkbox item.  It's important to enable frontline workers so that they can be successful. A mentorship is a good idea as people want to connect with others at a new company but don't know how. Many projects look at just the start date and the go-live date but there's more that goes on in between those phases that needs equal attention. You want to have communication between different departments at a company in order to make everything run smoothly. Implementation teams should not disappear after a product or service has gone live. They can still be of use by providing a helpful service to fix any issues with the product.   Quote of the show 2:54 “So when I look at our frontline workers, I have to wonder how much fatigue are they carrying? It's that emotional, physiological, mental fatigue of the change, the weight that they've been carrying while showing up every day to do their job.”   Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debleejackson/ Company Website: https://www.ciena.com/   Ways to Tune In: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS  Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRpEOGnt14c&ab_channel=FrontlineInnovators Frontline Innovators is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/