When Shell set out to modernize communication with its frontline staff, it wasn’t just about switching platforms. It was about closing a long-standing gap between headquarters and the people working on the ground — particularly in a franchise-driven environment spread across multiple countries.

The solution? A bold shift from inboxes to a corporate email alternative: a mobile-first platform that prioritized clarity, engagement, and reach. And no, it wasn’t just about tech. It was a complete rethink of how internal comms should work for the people who don’t sit at a desk.

Here are the seven biggest lessons they learned along the way.

7 lessons from Shell’s journey to ditching email and reaching frontline workers

1. Take your time (seriously)

Shell’s rollout didn’t happen overnight — and that was by design. With legal reviews, IT involvement, and a franchise model to navigate, the process took nearly nine months. But that extra time wasn’t a delay. It allowed the team to pilot thoroughly, align internal stakeholders, and build trust with the frontline and prepare them for the new change. Like Tobi Anderson, Head of Customer Experience at Speakap says:

The biggest lift is really the change management to make workers aware it's coming and why it will be awesome, getting them into the platform, and then concurrently ensuring leaders are onboard and getting them support along the way with use cases and tips & tricks for success.

Speed is sexy, but for a real business communications shift? Thoughtful beats fast every time.

2. Get your ambassadors before you get your launch

Before anything launched, Shell identified a handful of retailers who could act as internal champions. These pilot participants helped test the platform, provided feedback, and became vocal advocates among their peers.

In a franchise model, credibility matters. And peer-to-peer endorsement carried more weight than anything from HQ. The comms team didn’t just build a user base — they built a network of informal influencers who helped drive long-term adoption. Buy-in hits different when it comes from someone in your shoes — not someone from HQ.

If you’re moving to a corporate email alternative, make sure your team doesn’t just get told—it gets told by people they trust.

3. Talk like an actual human

In the “before” era, Shell’s internal updates were sent via traditional email services — often long, formal, and distributed only to site owners, not employees. Not surprisingly, most messages disappeared into inbox black holes, and no one really knew what was being read or passed along.

With the shift to Shell Connect (their name for the Speakap-powered employee experience platform), the team embraced a more conversational tone. Short posts, plain language, and video became the new norm. And when they made the switch to vertical, one-minute videos? Engagement improved. And best part - it was easier to measure what is working and what’s not. Because now they finally had access to analytics that could show it.

And thanks to read receipts, Shell could finally track what landed—and what didn’t. Spoiler: one-minute videos beat five-paragraph newsletters.

Bottom line? If it sounds like a press release, it gets ignored. If it sounds like a person? It gets read.

4. Organize before you overload

Shell knew that better communication wasn’t just about the platform — it was about the process behind it. They created a simple but shared Excel content calendar, with clear slots per day, a five-message daily cap, and no publishing after 3:30 PM. Departments coordinated content, minimized overlap, and avoided the dreaded Friday message dump. Everyone had visibility, and the result was cleaner, calmer communication.

Your new email alternative won’t work if it’s just a different way to spam people. Structure + clarity = less chaos and more clicks.

5. Commit or don’t bother

After launch, Shell gave users four weeks to adapt — and then pulled the plug on all other communication channels. No more email newsletters. No more duplication.

The move was intentional. Keeping legacy channels “just in case” would have sent mixed signals. By making Shell Connect the single source of truth, they encouraged real behavior change — and adoption followed.

If you want your corporate email alternative to succeed, stop hedging. Commitment signals clarity. Half-measures confuse everyone.

6. Measure what matters (and act on it)

Before the platform switch, Shell had no data on who was opening emails or what was being read. With the new platform, they gained full visibility: message reach, engagement rates, top-performing content, and more.

And they didn’t just track the numbers — they used them. Quarterly data reviews informed content strategy, identified pain points, and helped prove ROI to internal stakeholders. They learned quickly that short, visual updates worked best — and some content (like casual polls) didn’t land at all.

Analytics aren’t just a report. They’re a roadmap.

7. Let go of perfect

Of course, not everyone loved the change. Some users were enthusiastic. Others were slow to adapt. And a sizable middle group simply got on with it. But the team didn’t chase perfection — they focused on consistency and improvement.

The reality of any transformation is that some tech resistance is inevitable. What mattered was the steady momentum, supported by data, feedback, and a clear communication strategy. Over time, the platform became part of the daily rhythm.

Not everyone has to cheer. They just have to show up — and use it.

The end of email is just the beginning

Shell’s comms transformation wasn’t just about replacing a tool. It was about rethinking the whole process.

They moved from internal emails to a platform that supported group chat, video calls, task management, and frontline connection—all without needing 10 logins or buried email threads.

Their secret? Treating internal communication like a product—not a blast.

And for organizations looking for a corporate email alternative, the message is clear:

• Keep it simple
  
• Commit fully
  
• Measure everything
  
• And talk like a human
  
  

You don’t need a global comms team to pull it off.

Just a clear plan, the right employee communications app, and the will to stop sending updates into the void.

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