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Streamlining Your Workplace with Less Software Redundancy for a Happier Workforce

Turnover rates for frontline workers are high, and most employers realize how important it is to retain and support them. What you may not realize, however, is just how closely linked job satisfaction and technology are for these employees. Even though frontline workers represent the majority of the workforce, they have been traditionally underserved by technology.

 

Recent research shows that one third of all frontline workers feel they don’t have the right technological tools to do their jobs well. Moreover, frontline workers rank having access to better technology tools as third on a list of things they believe would reduce their work-related stress. It’s their highest priority after better pay and more vacation time.

 

One way that you can add to frontline workers’ stress is by giving them a patchwork of solutions that:

  • Don’t work with one another.
  • Have overlapping features.
  • Silo essential data.

This is a common problem called software redundancy. Without technology planning, some businesses introduce new apps just to address the needs of the day, leaving frontline workers to figure out how to use them. Software redundancy also creeps in when companies add software licenses piecemeal as their headcount changes, which can lead to costly license duplications.

 

Software redundancy can overburden your service- and task-oriented workers, who must toggle through disconnected apps all day long to get the data they need and perform basic tasks—often having to look up or reenter the same information in multiple apps. Eliminating software redundancy with fewer and better-integrated apps can reduce employee overwhelm, decrease churn, streamline your software license costs, and improve customer experiences.

The problem of software redundancy

No business sets out expecting to accumulate too many apps for its own good. Software redundancy tends to happen innocently and additively as you try to create new efficiencies in your business. It can creep in when:
  • Different departments choose their own software based on the needs of just their corner of the business.
  • Individuals or departments buy their own software licenses ad hoc as the business grows, causing duplications.
  • Employees don’t use a single platform for .
  • You don’t have a set process to streamline software or periodically review software efficiency across your organization.

The most obvious result of having multiple apps to juggle in your business is that paying for duplicate subscriptions and features can wreak havoc with your bottom line. But the more subtle effect is that it can create confusion and frustration for your frontline workers, who must repeat and redo tasks in apps that don’t connect with one another.

 

The irony of software redundancy is that the very digital tools that are supposed to make work more cost-effective, efficient, and rewarding can lead to overwhelm and churn among your frontline workers—the ultimate threat to your budget and your productivity.

 

Imagine, for example, the experience of a health care professional who must handle scheduling appointments for patients with a team of providers, dozens of times per day. That task could require separate apps for:

  • Email, text, and phone inquiries.
  • Looking up provider availability in multiple calendar apps.
  • Scheduling calls on the provider’s choice of videoconferencing platform.
  • Manually scheduling confirmations and reminders on a different app.

The frontline worker would then be forced to type in the patient’s and provider’s information every time, resulting in a time-consuming and tedious process.

Elevate Experiences for Frontline Workers

Frontline workers must often rely on outdated digital tools, manual processes, fragmented communications, and information silos.
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If the same health care professional were to use a single platform that managed patient and provider data, calendars, and videoconferencing in the same place while automating confirmations and reminders on the patient’s channel of choice, the task of scheduling an appointment would take a fraction of the time. That leaves the professional with reclaimed time to put toward value-driving and rewarding activities such as interacting with patients.

 

That’s the kind of simplicity that allows frontline workers to appreciate the value they bring to your company. And because of streamlined software license needs, your operational costs would be lower.

The impact of software efficiency on customer service

Customer service is an area of your business where eliminating software redundancy can have a dramatic effect. The experience of a customer who must wait while your representative looks up information in redundant apps is vastly different than that of a customer whose entire interaction history is available on one easy-to-use platform.

Many common customer service pitfalls can be overcome with streamlined software. Today’s customers expect:
 

  • Fast response times.
  • The ability to communicate on multiple channels, such as social media, chat, phone, email, text, and in person.
  • Not to have to repeat their information.
  • A resolution to their problem in a single interaction.
  • Self-service options.
  • A consistent level of service, even when representatives are busy.


Those high expectations are much easier for your customer-facing employees to meet when they have all the information that they need on a single platform with integrated functions—rather than multiple apps that each provide only a piece of the puzzle.

When your public-facing employees are able to provide seamless and positive customer experiences and solve problems quickly, it has the reciprocal effect of boosting their own job satisfaction. Increasing software efficiency allows your representatives to spend less time on mundane information lookup and data entry and to focus more on understanding your customers’ unique needs. In short, the tools they need to have more positive interactions and succeed in their roles.

Retire redundant apps to simplify frontline training

The fewer tools a business needs to train staff on, the better. Many employers overlook how much busy work having multiple apps to juggle can create for team members, and how frustrating it can be when they never feel caught up with learning how to use the latest tech.

Reducing software redundancy has the long-term benefit of cutting down on the time you spend training staff. Having fewer tools to learn on a single, integrated platform can also increase employees’ confidence and sense of proficiency with technology, which may be more important for your frontline workers than you might think. Sixty-three percent of frontline workers report that they are excited about the job opportunities technology creates, and 76% of employees say they’d stay at their company longer if they could benefit from learning and development support.

An extra benefit of having greater software efficiency and fewer frontline technology tools is that your training costs will go down, saving more of your budget for growth-promoting activities.

Streamline software to make your business and employees more effective

How can you start eliminating software redundancy in your business? The first step is to assess all your subscriptions and consolidate them for immediate cost savings. You may find that you have multiple apps for the same functions or licenses for too many seats.

Next, begin some long-term technology planning taking your frontline workers’ experiences into account. Consider implementing a single software platform with an easy-to-use interface, greater connectivity, and simplified training requirements. When employees are empowered with the right technology tools to succeed at work, they are more likely to want to build a career with your company.

Learn more best practices to empower frontline workers by watching the webinar Unlock the Power of Your Frontline. You’ll hear about the latest research and how other businesses are transforming employee experiences through technology.

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Business Insights and Ideas does not constitute professional tax or financial advice. You should contact your own tax or financial professional to discuss your situation.

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