Marks & Spencer Embraces the Future of Retail with Microsoft Teams for Frontline Workers
In its journey to becoming a digital-first business, British retailer Marks & Spencer embraces Microsoft Teams and deploys Surface Go 2 devices to frontline workers across hundreds of stores in the United Kingdom. Watch this video to discover how Microsoft helps Marks & Spencer empower frontline workers to spend more time interacting with customers and co-workers on the shop floor while reducing paper use and improving work/life balance.
How is Marks & Spencer using Microsoft Teams on the shop floor?
Marks & Spencer is using Microsoft Teams on Surface Go 2 devices to help frontline workers access the information they need directly from the shop floor. Instead of stepping away to a back office or relying on printed materials, store colleagues can now use Teams to:
- Check product and store information in real time
- Communicate quickly with colleagues and managers
- Use built-in apps like Shifts and Tasks to see schedules and store priorities
By putting Teams on lightweight tablets, Marks & Spencer is reimagining how store teams work day to day, making it easier for them to stay on the shop floor and focus on customers while still staying connected to the wider business.
What impact has Teams had on paper-based processes and scheduling?
Microsoft Teams has helped Marks & Spencer significantly cut down on manual, paper-heavy processes. By moving to digital workflows on Surface Go 2 devices, the company has:
- Reduced paper use by **one third**, as tablets now replace many paper-based tasks
- Shifted from printed rotas to digital schedules using **Shifts in Teams**, so employees receive their work schedules directly on their devices
This change not only lowers printing and distribution effort, it also makes it easier to update schedules, share store priorities, and keep everyone aligned without relying on noticeboards or paper handouts.
How has Teams changed the employee experience at Marks & Spencer?
For Marks & Spencer, Microsoft Teams has helped reshape the frontline employee experience in a few key ways:
- **More time with customers:** Because colleagues can access information, schedules, and store tasks from their devices, they spend less time on admin and more time engaging with customers on the shop floor.
- **Simplified tools:** Teams has replaced various shadow IT applications, so staff no longer need to juggle multiple unofficial tools to get work done.
- **Improved work-life balance:** With schedules and priorities delivered digitally through Shifts and Tasks in Teams, employees have clearer visibility into their work patterns and store expectations, which supports a more predictable and manageable work-life balance.
Overall, Teams is helping Marks & Spencer rethink how frontline teams collaborate, communicate, and manage their day-to-day responsibilities.
Marks & Spencer Embraces the Future of Retail with Microsoft Teams for Frontline Workers
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