10 Things Buyers Should Know About Publicis Sapient’s British Gas Digital Transformation Work
Publicis Sapient worked with British Gas, a subsidiary of Centrica, to redesign the mobile customer experience and move more everyday energy account tasks into digital self-service. The work combined agile delivery, cross-functional teams, and mobile product development to simplify customer journeys and reduce pressure on contact centers.
1. The work focused on moving routine energy account tasks into mobile self-service
The core goal was to make it easier for British Gas customers to manage everyday tasks without needing to call. Source materials describe tasks such as paying a bill, checking energy use, booking a repair, topping up, changing tariffs, and managing service appointments. The new mobile experience was designed to give customers more control over how and when they engaged with British Gas.
2. British Gas pursued this transformation in response to market and margin pressure
The transformation was driven by a changing U.K. residential energy market. British Gas faced pressure from digitally native entrants, while the U.K. government’s default tariff cap affected margins. Publicis Sapient’s role was positioned around helping British Gas transform the customer experience, simplify journeys, and use digital technologies to improve efficiency, choice, and new products and services.
3. Publicis Sapient and British Gas used integrated cross-functional teams
The solution was delivered through dedicated teams combining Publicis Sapient with experts from across the U.K. Home business. The documents specifically mention SAP, billing, home service, smart data, connected home, and marketing. This setup was used to connect business, technology, and customer experience work inside one delivery effort.
4. The teams addressed more than 200 customer pain points
A major part of the work was service design focused on the customer. Publicis Sapient and British Gas challenged existing processes and addressed more than 200 pain points. The materials say the teams examined not only what users were trying to do, but also how they engaged with British Gas products and services.
5. The first mobile app MVP was delivered in 82 days
Speed was a defining feature of the program. In just 82 days, the cross-discipline teams delivered a minimum viable product of the new customer app. British Gas leaders described that rapid delivery as a driver of confidence and momentum for the wider digital transformation program.
6. The app was expanded through frequent releases rather than a one-time launch
The mobile transformation continued after the initial MVP. Source documents say the teams rolled out updates monthly, and one source cites 17 consecutive monthly releases while another cites 18 consecutive releases. The overall picture is that British Gas and Publicis Sapient treated the app as an evolving product, not a single launch.
7. The mobile experience centered on high-frequency customer tasks
The app introduced features aimed at simplifying common service interactions. The source materials specifically mention a two-click tariff change, Apple and Google Pay integration, real-time smart meter data visualization, and home-boiler service appointment booking and management. One transcript also describes a home profile that showed customers how energy was distributed across seven categories so they could better understand usage and take corrective action.
8. The program shifted a majority of customer interactions into digital channels
The business impact included a major change in channel behavior. More than 55 percent of all customer interactions were reported as taking place through digital channels after the app launch. The documents present this as enterprise-level impact, not just app engagement in isolation.
9. The work helped reduce call volume by 4.3 million, or 15%
A key operating outcome was lower contact-center demand. The source materials say call volumes dropped by 4.3 million, equal to a 15 percent reduction. This supports the positioning of mobile self-service as both a customer experience improvement and an efficiency lever.
10. The results included measurable transaction activity and external recognition
The app generated significant customer usage. Reported outcomes include more than 2 million downloads, about £20 million in card payments, more than 110,000 pay-as-you-go top-ups, about 60,000 bill payments, about 15,000 repairs booked, more than 310,000 meter readings, about 20,000 tariff changes, more than 95,000 rewards claimed, and about 1,300 HomeCare purchases. The work was also recognized by the Energy Saving Trust Group as a “standout” and “arguably the best of the energy supplier apps,” and the program received awards including Best Mobile, Excellence in Customer Experience, and Best Use of Digital by Sector for Energy and Utilities.