EDF is a leading global energy company based in London with a reputation for excellent customer service. Eighteen months ago, it embarked on a transformative journey, turning its traditional model of a large, centralized customer service center on its head and creating instead a series of smaller, regional centers that gave greater ownership and flexibility to teams.
By adopting Slack as its communications system and go-to for customer service, EDF has created a single hub where employees can manage tasks, request help, and share light-hearted moments. The combination of enhanced workflows and organic social interaction fosters a sense of connection and fun that drives engagement, attention, and productivity across the organization.
“Once you've got that concurrency, you’ve got a critical mass of people who can help you solve a problem. In a nutshell, that’s how and why Slack works for us.”
Empowering employees to deliver outstanding customer results
As one of the world’s largest energy providers, with 3 million domestic and business customers across the U.K., you might say that EDF is no stranger to lightbulb moments. With its classic corporate command-and-control structure, the company was very effective in its process-driven approach. “But with the pace of change, we were increasingly seeing that it’s the exceptions to the rules where really great customer experience happens,” said EDF Director of Retail, Richard Hughes.
Intent on transforming into a truly human-centric business, the company piloted a complete and radical IT operating model and culture shift. It set about reversing the classic contact center model of a large, anonymous factory, to one in which small teams of “energy specialists” — customer service agents — were connected to specific customers and given full end-to-end responsibility to solve those customers’ needs.
But how best to do that when you have a more than 1,000-person hybrid workforce across three U.K. sites, plus multiple locations in India, the Philippines and South Africa? The answer was provided by the energy specialists themselves. While still in the pilot phase, a number of specialists were strong and vocal advocates of Slack. Previously, despite being part of a large team, specialists who were unable to answer a customer query often either had to wait for or go without assistance. They wanted a solution that was concurrent, quick and engaging.
A concurrent communications system meant EDF’s energy specialists had a considerable resource base of people sharing the same environment who could answer questions. And in the early days of the migration there were lots of them. “Once you’ve got that concurrency, you’ve got a critical mass of people who can help you solve a problem,” said Hughes. “In a nutshell, that’s how and why Slack works for us.”
“Within 30 seconds, while on a call with a customer, specialists have a 60% chance of getting the right answer to their query. People are very happy with that.”
Introducing AI agents to help access knowledge
Having moved from a very centralized planning model to, effectively, a multitude of mini contact centers, EDF leveraged Slack to further enable often dispersed customer service teams to flexibly manage their own workloads. It’s a move that has markedly improved morale and engagement. “What Slack has been great at is giving that sense of proximity,” said Hughes. “It enables us to feel connected, to feel human, and be part of a small team — whether you’re at home in the U.K. or in an office in Manila.”
EDF has also expanded its use of AI agents, the most used of which is a bot developed to enhance information accessibility for energy specialists. This bot leverages APIs to integrate with a third-party platform and connects seamlessly with SharePoint, where EDF’s Wiki is stored. By interrogating the company’s training and website materials, the bot provides instant answers to questions about products, services, and processes. Locating the bot within Slack means energy specialists can access critical information more quickly and efficiently, streamlining workflows and improving responsiveness.
“It’s about that immediacy, and having it in the place where you happen to be,” said Hughes. “Now, within 30 seconds, while on a call with a customer, specialists have a 60% chance of getting the right answer to their query. People are very happy with that.”
Those questions that go unanswered highlight deficiencies in existing training materials that can be addressed. Meanwhile, EDF’s creation of Slack channels dedicated to complaints, IT improvements, and technical ideas allows teams to review common themes and incorporate insights from frontline personnel. These can quickly be communicated to developers so that improvements are constantly being made. Operating as it does in a heavily regulated industry, EDF balances freedom and empowerment with robust accountability. Previously, there was little visibility into issues when processes failed. However, by giving employees a platform to voice ideas and report issues, the company now ensures that problems are identified and addressed effectively, improving transparency and responsiveness.
The effect on customers is reflected in EDF’s Trustpilot score, having gone from 4.2 to 4.6 while still undergoing its major system migration to a current daily average of 4.7 – in old money, “excellent.”
Enabling a culture of praise to enhance exceptional service delivery
Slack has been a big facilitator in the emergence of a praise culture within EDF — one that emphasizes psychological safety, encouraging employees to flag issues with confidence and celebrate acts of kindness. When team members help one another, whether by stepping in during busy periods or providing expert assistance, their efforts are recognized and appreciated by colleagues. Superhero-themed emoji and shoutouts have become common tools for expressing gratitude and celebrating successes. “That little endorphin rush you get each time is very satisfying,” explained Hughes. “It makes people really enjoy their jobs. I can’t emphasize enough how important praise has been. It’s something that’s come about almost by accident, but it has turned out to be one of the most important outcomes.”
The praise extends to both internal support and customer service efforts, creating a positive feedback loop that enhances job satisfaction and consolidates a culture where helping others and delivering exceptional service are core values.
Leveling the hierarchy empowers an entire workforce
Slack has further supported EDF’s cultural renaissance by breaking down silos and perceptions of hierarchy. “I think one of the biggest things about Slack is that it creates a meritocracy,” said Hughes. When a customer-facing employee needs assistance, the most important person becomes the one who can help resolve the issue, regardless of their position in the organizational structure. This dynamic has redefined perceptions of authority and influence at EDF.
Senior leaders, previously distanced from the “coalface” and accustomed instead to seeing the organization through KPIs and PowerPoints, can engage directly with daily operations and team interactions, eliminating the sense of detachment. “With Slack, you’re on the shop floor every day and you’re treated no differently to the next person,” explained Hughes.
Conversely, frontline staff no longer perceive leadership as remote or uninformed. This open, accessible communication platform breaks down traditional hierarchies and fosters equality, creating a more collaborative and transparent environment. It dismantles notions of status and brings everyone closer to the “shop floor.”
The value of Slack for EDF lies not only in its functionality, but in its ability to create a more engaging, enjoyable and interactive experience for users. It serves as a single hub where employees can manage tasks, request help and share light-hearted moments, encouraging them to be their authentic selves and nurturing a sense of belonging and ownership. The combination of enhanced workflows and organic social interaction fosters a sense of connection and fun that drives engagement, attention, and productivity across the organization.
“Looking back at when we assessed Slack, I think the thing for me was attention,” said Hughes. “In life, in general, you have to fight for people’s attention. The fact that people want to use Slack means you’ve got their attention. I’m happy and very grateful for how it’s helped us on what’s been a big and important transformation.”
