Live from NRF 2026, Will Eadie sits down with retail expert Edward (Ed) Durbin, SVP of Global Business Development at explic8, to tackle a critical question: How can retailers reduce friction for frontline teams to improve customer experience?

Ed shares why employee experience is the last mile of CX, drawing on decades of global retail and technology experience. He discusses what true in-store personalization looks like, differences he sees across UK and North American retail, and why frontline engagement directly impacts performance.

The conversation also explores real-time feedback, operational agility, and the growing role of agentic AI in helping stores respond faster and smarter. A focused discussion for retail leaders looking to strengthen frontline execution and drive better outcomes.

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In this season finale of The Frontline Factor: Hearts and Dollars, host Will Eadie talks with Mark Williams, Managing Director, EMEA & Global Customer Success at WorkJam, about what happens when a leader becomes the hero of transformation by turning vision into action and change into impact.

From his days leading global retail operations at Shell to empowering frontline organizations across EMEA, Mark shares how clarity, collaboration, and technology come together to deliver real results where they matter most: on the frontline.

It is a story of courageous leadership, connected workforces, and the lasting impact of leading transformation from the front.

🎧 Listen now and see how the right choice becomes the right outcome.

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Simon Hedaux, co-founder of Rethink Productivity, joins The Frontline Factor to dig into the realities of frontline productivity—and what really drives performance at scale. From employee engagement to process improvement, Simon shares why clear expectations and consistent training are just as important as cutting-edge technology.

The conversation spans retail’s toughest balancing acts: controlling labor costs without compromising customer experience, reducing shrinkage through better process design, and using data to eliminate non-value add tasks. Simon also explores how AI and automation will reshape retail labor management, offering a glimpse into the next wave of frontline optimization.

Packed with insights drawn from decades of advising retailers, this episode is a must-listen for leaders who want to boost engagement, reduce inefficiencies, and unlock lasting productivity gains.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.