Exclusive: WorkJam’s AI-driven evolution for a smarter frontline

WorkJam's Asia Pacific (APAC) lead says digitising frontline roles unlocks agility, engagement, and ROI for businesses across the region.

The company's push into the APAC region signals a new era for frontline workforce technology.

After nearly a decade at the company, Andy Nicholas - previously overseeing North America - relocated to Melbourne in January to lead the operations in APAC.

"I have a lot of experience in the industry, working with our customers in North America," he said. "And I'm just super excited about what's happening here in the region."

According to Nicholas, the APAC region has a unique opportunity.

"In some ways, they're a little bit behind, but in other ways, they have an opportunity to leapfrog, because there's been so much testing and trying things out elsewhere," he explained.

"They can just use the answers at the end."

At the heart of WorkJam's value proposition is a platform designed to digitise and connect non-desk workers - those in roles traditionally excluded from digital transformation efforts. "Many businesses are still running processes on paper," Nicholas said. 

"Even more shocking, a lot of official communication is still happening word of mouth."

He said COVID forced businesses to recognise this wasn't scalable. "If you don't have systems in place to reach each individual when change happens, you're left holding the bag," he said.

WorkJam's solution is a single operational platform that integrates communications, process digitisation, rostering, scheduling, and learning tools - all accessible to frontline staff. "It really meets the users where they are, which is out in the field," he added.

The industries that benefit most from WorkJam are those with large, casual or hourly workforces - particularly retail, hospitality, food and beverage, logistics, and manufacturing.

Nicholas noted that sectors like mining and healthcare are starting to show interest too.

"We think anyone that has a lot of people deployed out in the field can do this," he said.

In the current AI-driven business environment, WorkJam's regional chief said frontline digitisation has opened the door to even greater value. "Being able to query the system, as opposed to navigate yourself, and aggregate multiple sources of information into a coherent, succinct answer is a big use case."

But the real excitement lies in what happens next. "It's the ability to recommend next steps or help your employees find the appropriate remedial action," he explained. "That's where it's really powerful."

Nicholas also highlighted how WorkJam's AI-powered 'target audience engine' helps deliver personalised and contextually accurate information. "I can't just broadcast the same thing to everybody because it becomes too noisy. So now I'm getting contextual answers that are relevant to people in my role."

This precision is especially useful in markets like Australia where local labour laws differ by state.

"You just want to tell them what they need to know," he said.

The WorkJam superapp has been around for over a decade, initially launched in North America and adopted early on by companies like Shell. "Very shortly after, we signed our first customer here in Australia - Target Australia," Andy said. "We've been in the Australian market for about eight years now."

Despite advancements, some companies remain paper-based. "There's a large company here in Australia that still does everything on paper," he said. "I'm shocked they can deliver such a good customer experience with that system."

But that's changing. "The reason we're talking to them is because they're moving now," he explained.

Nicholas described change inertia and rigid legacy systems as common blockers. "It needs to be flexible enough to account for local variations," he said. "And that's where WorkJam comes in."

Customers who've made the shift are seeing results. The Reject Shop, a WorkJam client since before COVID, is a key example. "They were able to digitise their operation about five years ago," he said. "Having something like WorkJam was really beneficial in keeping everybody up to date."

According to Nicholas, these capabilities helped them manage stock disruptions, COVID protocols, and rapid operational changes.

"They already have a fast inventory model, but they've benefited from this agility quite a bit," he added.

In terms of return on investment, WorkJam commissioned a third party to assess ROI - and the numbers were striking. "They did 407% ROI in the first year," Nicholas said. "The payback period was around 90 days."

Though the company doesn't widely publish those figures due to how dramatic they appear, Nicholas cited smaller wins. "One customer saved half a million dollars a year just because employees no longer had to print out material," he said.

In the UK, Marks & Spencer reported saving its 5,000 department managers 45 minutes a week thanks to WorkJam. "That's a tremendous amount of savings," he said.

Nicholas also emphasised the role of peer-to-peer communication within the platform. "It's seen as a risk by some companies," he said. "But in fact, it's been a huge uplift for the business."
He said peer recognition creates a viral, positive feedback loop. "They help each other, they recognise each other," he said. "It becomes aspirational."

Looking ahead, Nicholas said WorkJam is well-positioned to support businesses as consolidation and specialisation cycles reshape industries. "Those frontline team members become the last mile of digital transformation, of operational efficiency," he said.

He envisions a future where frontline workers are as connected as their corporate counterparts. "We think the front lines are just getting started on getting digitally connected," he said.

As for the long-term future? "Once you have it in place, it can make change, it can bring agility to the organisation," Nicholas said. "That puts you in the best position to react to whatever's coming down the pipe."