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Tag: frontline workers

  • Frontline AI in action: How AI-powered tools are reshaping work where it matters most – Microsoft in Business Blogs

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    Frontline workers are the foundation of every industry—from retail and healthcare to hospitality and field services. Yet for years, they’ve been asked to increase productivity and deliver more value, faster, often with tools that weren’t designed for the specific realities of frontline work.

    Today, that dynamic is shifting.

    When AI is applied in practical, governed ways, it has the power to transform everyday work—reducing friction in daily workflows, empowering faster and more confident decision-making, and giving workers back time for what matters most: human connection. This shift isn’t theoretical. It’s already unfolding across frontline environments, driven by tools that meet workers where they are—on shared devices, on mobile, and inside the applications they already use.

    Voices from the Frontline: AI in Action is a limited podcast series, hosted by bestselling author and industry influencer Ron Thurston and sponsored by Microsoft. Across the series, frontline leaders and practitioners share how AI is being used today to simplify work, strengthen service, and support people—not replace them.

    Below are the key themes emerging from those conversations.

    Bringing AI into everyday frontline workflows

    For frontline teams, adoption starts with simplicity.

    Rather than introducing entirely new systems, organizations are embedding AI into familiar tools—making it easier to access intelligence without disrupting the flow of work. AI agents are emerging as the next evolution of workplace apps: purpose-built, task-focused assistants that help frontline employees find information, complete routine tasks, and stay organized. Microsoft 365 Copilot is centering agents at the core of frontline digital transformation.

    Because Copilot is embedded across Microsoft tools, frontline workers can access support through a single, intuitive entry point. This reduces context switching and lowers the barrier to adoption—especially in high-paced environments.

    As Abbie Sweeney, a program leader on the Microsoft 365 Copilot team, explained during the podcast series, “the goal isn’t automation for its own sake. It’s removing everyday friction so workers can focus on customers, patients, and guests.”

    Simplifying scheduling, reporting, and communication

    Some of the most immediate impact of AI shows up in the least glamorous tasks.

    Across industries, frontline leaders spend hours each week on scheduling, reporting, and administrative follow-up. AI can help streamline these processes—summarizing emails, generating meeting notes, and answering operational questions in seconds.

    For frontline employees, this means faster access to information like inventory availability, shift details, or process guidance without leaving the floor or logging into multiple systems. These time savings compound quickly, freeing up capacity for higher value, customer facing work.

    Sweeney also emphasized that, “making those processes efficient is really what Copilot is about—giving time back to the people who need it most.”

    AI in action on Microsoft’s own frontlines

    Microsoft applies the same tools internally that it brings to customers.

    At the Microsoft Experience Center in New York City, frontline associates use Copilot in Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Dynamics 365 to coordinate work, manage events, and support customers in a live retail environment. From onboarding new hires to managing high volumes of customer interactions, AI helps associates stay informed and responsive—even during peak demand.

    New employees can ask Copilot questions to quickly learn procedures and find answers without digging through long documents. Managers rely on AI to help them keep track of schedules, emails, and event logistics, ensuring teams have what they need to deliver consistent experiences.

    This “customer zero” approach allows Microsoft to learn, iterate, and scale frontline innovation based on real-world use.

    Scaling AI responsibly, with people at the center

    One theme cuts across every conversation in the series: successful AI adoption is people led.

    Rather than imposing new tools from the top down, organizations are seeing stronger results when they empower frontline employees to experiment, provide feedback, and shape how AI fits into their work. With clear governance and responsible AI principles in place, this approach supports organic adoption, faster iteration and sustainable scale—without compromising trust or security.

    The result is not just operational efficiency, but improved customer experiences, greater consistency, and enhanced connection at the frontline.

    The future of frontline work

    Technology alone doesn’t transform work—people do.

    When frontline teams are equipped with AI tools that respect how they work and what they value, the impact is immediate and tangible. Communication becomes clearer. Decisions happen faster. And workers gain more time to focus on the human moments that define great service.

    These aren’t future-state aspirations. They’re happening now, across industries, as organizations rethink how AI can truly support the people on the frontlines.

    Listen to the full series

    Explore Voices from the Frontline: AI in Action, a limited podcast series, hosted by bestselling author and industry influencer Ron Thurston and sponsored by Microsoft.

    🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts
    🎧 Listen on Spotify
    📺 Watch on YouTube

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  • Powering productivity and skill for frontline energy workers

    Powering productivity and skill for frontline energy workers

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    The world runs on the work of frontline energy workers, but what powers their productivity and resilience?

    The energy industry is experiencing significant change. As companies strive to boost production, embrace more sustainable practices, and prepare to power the AI-driven future of technology globally, there’s increasing demand for new digital tools. This shift isn’t just creating new career possibilities but is also sparking a profound transformation in existing roles across the industry. Frontline energy workers need to learn new skills and use emerging tools to meet the sector’s evolving requirements.

    Technology is empowering frontline teams to be more productive and resilient, drive better business outcomes, and streamline costs. It also promotes knowledge sharing across roles, which is critical as an aging workforce and low retention rates among young people contribute to a growing skills gap.

    Innovation is essential to the safety, efficiency, and productivity of frontline workers. By embracing digitalization, automation, and AI, industry leaders can instill confidence in the field and propel the energy sector toward a more sustainable and efficient future.

    Adapting to the changing energy landscape requires frontline workers to adjust to evolving job requirements, such as remote or hybrid work and learning new skills. That’s where powerful digital tools can help energy companies stimulate their workforces and increase output.

    Tools that are outdated, complex, or incompatible with modern innovations stifle productivity. New, more efficient tools need to integrate seamlessly so that employees are motivated to learn them. With Microsoft solutions, implementing technologies like AI doesn’t have to be disruptive. The right tools enhance existing workflows to increase productivity and improve communication and collaboration between frontline workers and managers.

    Energy companies are successfully integrating Microsoft technology with their existing infrastructure. Ontario Power Generation (OPG) worked with Microsoft to implement Microsoft 365 and create an AI-powered bot called ChatOPG. Frontline workers use natural language to communicate with the bot, which answers questions, creates troubleshooting guides, and acts as a personal assistant. By embracing AI, the company is saving time for its workers and improving their experience, which helps attract and retain talent.

    Adopting new technology is only a part of the solution. In our Work Trend Index survey, 60% of frontline energy workers reported that they anticipated increasing stress in the coming year. Meanwhile, 31% of workers didn’t feel that they were equipped with the right digital tools to do their jobs efficiently.

    Business leaders can transform their organizations by embracing digital tools that improve the field experience for employees. With technology that promotes real-time training, frontline technicians can learn in the same environments where they’ll work. They get practical knowledge that promotes both retention and safe conditions in the field.

    Companies can deliver the flexibility their frontline workers need by training them right in the field using Microsoft technology. When Clean Energy needed to train its employees remotely during COVID-19, it used Dynamics 365 Remote Assist to prepare technicians for work in the field. Using digital solutions, the company not only fostered employee retention but also improved resiliency and reduced training costs by 15%.

    Automating work to save time with AI

    According to research from McKinsey & Company, global electricity demand is projected to rise by between 100% and 180% by 2050. Energy companies must empower frontline workers with the tools they need to work quickly and safely.

    By incorporating AI, companies can accelerate production and sustainability goals while reducing operational costs. Energy company Evergy is using the AI capabilities in Microsoft Power Platform to automate key tasks and save time. The company developed one AI-powered solution to automatically extract data from PDF receipts, making inventory tracking easier to review. With this system, Evergy is saving more than 5,600 manual hours per year.

    Frontline workers can also request new automations that a team of internal developers build. By using Microsoft Power Automate, Evergy can deploy new automations in just one day. And the company is planning further improvements with AI using Microsoft Copilot.

    Building the future of energy on the front lines

    Energy companies can make frontline employees more productive, better connected, and safer in the field with innovative technology. By automating tasks, streamlining collaboration, and facilitating field training, business leaders can give frontline workers the tools and expertise they need to meet the industry’s growing demand and evolving needs.

    Learn more by reading our e-book Elevate Experiences for Frontline Workers.

    Engage with your Microsoft representative and discover more Microsoft Sustainable Energy Solutions.

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  • Modernizing government with frontline worker technology

    Modernizing government with frontline worker technology

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    Every day, government workers worldwide serve their communities. Responders dash into crisis situations; caseworkers make decisions on child placement; and public works staff work tirelessly to serve the needs of their community. However, aging systems sometimes fail to connect critical data with the people who depend on it, leaving administrators to cobble together timely, manual, and limited solutions to facilitate critical programs and services.

    Technology can empower these dedicated government frontline heroes with digital solutions. Organizations that maximize existing resources can unlock their teams’ full potential through better coordination and automation. Opportunities to transform government processes and operations are immense, driving increased safety, more responsive services, and innovation that directly benefits the people in the community. Progress begins with taking steps to realize the full capability of tools many agencies are already using.

    Transforming the frontlines of public service

    Government workers are the central pillars of safe, healthy, and thriving communities. The people they serve include you, me, and every member of our families, as well as the communities where we live and work. The resources and services these frontline workers provide involve every level of government, including employment assistance, social housing, senior care, child welfare, disability support, and Indigenous affairs. They provide services that help us to have safe roads and parks and recreation centers and to enjoy celebrations and parades within our communities. We know these frontline workers in many roles: the local police officer or firefighter, the social worker supporting the elderly, the after-school care provider, the nurse who gave us a flu shot, the sanitation worker, the person who installed that stop sign or fixed that water main break, or the voice that answered your 911 call. The list goes on and on. Our government frontline workers use technology to protect, serve, and save nearly all aspects of our lives.

    Yet aging tools and disconnected systems prevent these professionals from readily accessing information, collaborating seamlessly, or deploying innovative solutions when they’re needed most. Without modern digital foundations, government workers cannot access the technology and tools necessary to deliver secure and personalized experiences to the community. The good news is that many public sector organizations have adopted suites of tools, like Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams, taking initial steps on their digital transformation journeys. Agencies that are ready to move beyond their initial implementations have opportunities to maximize their existing investments more fully before expanding.

    With the right foundation in place, transformative technologies—like AI, data analytics, system automation, and intelligent chatbots—can make government teams more efficient. To pursue the next phase of innovation, organizations must first prioritize the basics, like security, collaboration, and task automation. This is true for all areas within the government. By optimizing the solutions and services already at their fingertips, organizations can smooth the path for workers to deliver expanded public services.

    Modernizing ERP systems for the future

    While not widely known, frontline government workers also manage the critical enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems that underpin public services and administration. In Colombia, the national government created Enterritorio as the organizational pillar of the planning sector and the region’s strategic partner. Enterritorio helps the national and regional governments in Colombia carry out the goals of their development plans and programs. Linked to the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit and overseen by the Financial Superintendence of Colombia, Enterritorio’s main objective has been managing resources from other state entities to develop high-impact projects that improve and positively impact the lives of people throughout the country.

    Doing so means providing the process and services to support contracting through implementation and making disbursements and settlements of different taxes in each municipality of the country. Like most governments, Colombia was faced with legacy information systems siloed throughout departments. The government turned to Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations as its solution. Read how Dynamics 365 helped Colombia to reduce 25 information systems into 1 and how the days needed to prepare reports dropped from approximately 15 days to 2.

    Protecting communities with intelligent technology

    As emergency services struggle to manage operations with the ever-growing number of weather or human-made events, the need for real-time data and situational awareness is paramount. Restrictive budgets for necessities like equipment further compound risks to public well-being. Many agencies are now pursuing AI solutions to augment human expertise and guide frontline decision-making.

    Cloud-based solutions, like AI, help fire companies realize life-saving value from their data—historical and in realtime—to inform decision-making. Solutions built on AI now exist to ingest real-time sensor data, predict fire spread through modeling, map crews and assets on location overlays, and coordinate synchronized responses. Wildfire management professionals have access to better data, which increases efficiency and reduces costs.

    Modern solutions can empower frontline workers with seamless workflows that maximize their productivity. When the frontline worker is able to access and share information securely and coordinate smoothly across teams, overhead goes down while outcomes improve. Technology succeeds when the people using it succeed.

    While public safety IT journeys vary, the mission is constant: use technology to equip responders facing infernos and other hazards. Read how Canada is driving impact for frontline firefighters.

    Realizing public sector innovation

    Government workers share a calling: serving communities when it matters most. Courts and public safety agencies around the world are beginning to showcase what’s possible when agencies maximize existing tools to boost accessibility, increase collaboration, and prepare for the future with technology already in place.

    Though organizational starting points differ, the opportunity remains for fully supported solutions available today to prepare and empower public sector workforces to better serve their communities in pivotal moments tomorrow.

    What could your agency accomplish if barriers disappeared?

    Through trusted, intuitive solutions from Microsoft, government employees are empowered to better serve communities in the moments that matter. Engage with your Microsoft representative and learn more at aka.ms/gov.



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    Kirk Arthur

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  • Zello Raises $20 Million to Fuel Voice-First Communication Platform for Frontline Workers

    Zello Raises $20 Million to Fuel Voice-First Communication Platform for Frontline Workers

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    Press Release
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    Jun 8, 2022


    AUSTIN, Texas, June 8, 2022 (Newswire.com)
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    Zello, a voice-first instant communication platform powered by its industry-leading push-to-talk technology, secured $20M in equity and debt funding to support rapid growth with frontline and deskless workers worldwide. The funding was led by Virgo Capital and Recurring Capital Partners. 

    “With over 5 million monthly active users, Zello is a clear leader in providing voice-first communications to the 2 billion connected frontline workers globally. To date, Zello has achieved remarkable growth without any outside capital, and we are excited to support this next phase of growth,” said Guhan Swaminathan, Managing Director with Virgo Capital.

    “In addition to serving as a mission-critical communication platform for industry leaders worldwide, including Restoration Hardware, Yellow, Salling Group and Holcim, Zello also provides their robust enterprise platform for free to thousands of first responders around the world,” said Brian Henley, Managing Partner at Recurring Capital Partners.

    “We are excited to partner with Virgo and Recurring Capital to further help deskless workers gain more efficiency while they get the jobs done that keep our world moving,” said Bill Moore, CEO of Zello. “We started as a social radio connecting people and causes around the world with a consumer growth DNA, but transformed into business uses for the retail, transportation, construction and hospitality industries.” 

    With the frontline and deskless workforce growing across industries, businesses have recognized the importance of putting reliable communication tools into their hands. Seamless, clear communication is the key to connecting employees and enabling teams to have instant voice collaboration. Today, Zello’s communication platform supports 8 billion voice messages a month with over 1 million new app downloads a month. 

    “We are so proud of the Zello First Responders program where we provide Zello’s enterprise platform at no cost to qualified first responders across the globe,” expressed Alexey Gavrilov, Chief Product Officer and Founder of Zello. “The program began in July 2019 and now supports over 1,500 organizations across 65 countries.”

    About Zello

    Zello is a voice-first communication platform, powered by our industry-leading push-to-talk technology, built to improve collaboration and productivity for frontline workers. With over 170 million registered users worldwide and 99.99% uptime, Zello is simple to use, integrate, and manage, connecting your deskless and operations teams with one touch to solve problems, manage exceptions and collaborate more efficiently. Current customers include PepsiCo, Bechtel, Waste Connections, the Salling Group, Lufthansa, Hyatt, Yellow, Hilton, Cemex, and Holcim. Zello is recognized as one of the most reliable communication tools for mobile workers by The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, CBS, CNBC, USA Today, and TechCrunch. zello.com

    About Virgo Capital

    Virgo Capital is a private equity firm based in Austin, Texas, focused on investments in established software and technology-enabled services companies. Virgo Capital targets companies with revenue of up to $100 million, strong customer relationships, and domain expertise and actively adds value by leveraging the team’s extensive experience in areas such as operations, finance, technology, sales and marketing, and mergers and acquisitions. For more information, please visit virgocapital.com.

    About Recurring Capital Partners
    Recurring Capital Partners provides growth capital to Software as a Service (SaaS) and other recurring revenue model technology-driven companies. Our team of investors and advisors brings deep operating experience in scaling enterprise software companies to support the growth initiatives of our founders and management teams. For more information, please visit recurring.capital. 
     

    Media Contact:

    Vanessa Haughton

    vhaughton@zello.com

    901.237.0097

    Source: Zello

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  • Stars Align to Honor Frontline Health Workers and First Responders Who Died of Covid

    Stars Align to Honor Frontline Health Workers and First Responders Who Died of Covid

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    Charity Pros for Heroes Virtual Fundraiser to Support the Children of Fallen Heroes

    Press Release
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    updated: Mar 31, 2021


    FORT MYERS, Fla., March 31, 2021 (Newswire.com)
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    Rosanne Cash, Lance Bass, Ziggy Marley and John Fogerty are just a few of the stars coming together to honor the front-line healthcare workers and first responders that died of Covid-19. The “Charity Pros for Heroes” live virtual event will salute the Heroes of the pandemic and raise funds to help provide educational scholarships and grant the children of the fallen heroes a special “Megan’s Wish”.

    “Every day, we learn of incredible stories of these children nationwide who are dealing with the effects of losing their parent,” explains Megan Maloney, founder of The Charity Pros. “These Heroes went to work every day during our darkest times of the pandemic and gave their lives while protecting us from the very fate they suffered, Covid-19.”

    Megan, a budding young philanthropist by day and food server by night, founded the Ft Myers non-profit just prior to the pandemic to advocate for children’s social causes and help provide kids opportunities for a better life. However, once the pandemic hit, Megan changed up the programming after the death toll started to rise. “My dad lost two friends in the first few months of the pandemic from Covid, including childhood friend, Naples firefighter Tony Christensen. “Tony’s funeral really hit my dad, I think it made it real for a lot of people, we knew then that we wanted to help make a difference.”

    Charity Pros for Heroes will honor those like Bryant, a firefighter from Converse, TX, that leaves behind his two small children and Tawauna, a nurse from Kettering, Ohio, that leaves behind six children and her newborn that she never got to hold. “It’s heartbreaking that many of these kids never got to say goodbye to their mother or father, their Hero,” continues Megan, “sadly despite all the fundraising, these kids have been forgotten, we need to help.”

    In a time when celebrities are being inundated with requests, the Charity Pros have been able to gather support of many artists. “We started emailing artist management and immediately had support, It’s just been a blessing how some managers have really embraced the cause,” adds Megan, “they share it with the artist and if there is passion, they support it, there is no better feeling, we are so grateful.”

    Sponsors of all levels can still get involved in the live virtual broadcast. A sponsor can co-host a segment, announce the next artist, or go live to present a check, contact megan@thecharitypros.org today.

    Charity Pros for Heroes will be broadcast live on YouTube and Facebook, April 6, 2021 at 8:30 EST, featuring special appearances from Rosanne Cash, Ziggy Marley, John Fogerty, Lance Bass, Kevin Cronin (REO), Kelly Hansen (Foreigner), Don Felder, Andy Grammer, Andrea Barber, Michael Franti, Tiera, Jawan M. Jackson, Danny Arroyo, Drew Baldridge, Ben Allen and more added daily.

    Source: The Charity Pros

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