Unifying cross-border teams through smarter communication

Like many growing organisations, Safestore first confronted the challenge of fragmented communication as its workforce scaled across regions. About eight years ago, staff across Safestore were relying on consumer messaging platforms to stay in touch about day-to-day operations.

While these tools may have seemed convenient, they created a patchwork of communication that started to become a risk. Phil Fryer, Group Head of IT at Safestore, and his team noticed that whenever HR issues arose, messaging apps were often involved. At the same time, GDPR had recently come into effect, and the company saw the need to bring communications into a more compliant, controlled environment.

Phil and his team responded by adopting a UK-based competitor’s platform, giving employees a more formal and centralised communication channel. It was a welcome improvement at the time, replacing personal apps with an auditable solution. And for several years, the system served the UK teams well.

But over time, limitations became evident. The platform was entirely in English and geared toward the UK market. As Safestore expanded into France, the Netherlands, Germany, and other European regions, this approach was no longer fit for purpose. The platform started to feel outdated in both look and feel, and language barriers began to hinder effective cross-border communication.

Safestore now needed something that could scale not just operationally, but culturally and linguistically. They were no longer looking just for a messaging app. They needed a platform that could bridge teams, align communications, and remove barriers.

So, Phil and his team went back to the market. They surveyed the landscape for a more modern, robust solution with translation capabilities, enabling employees across borders to read and respond in their own language without friction. It didn’t take long before they landed on Flip as the obvious choice.

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Flip stuck out – really well head above the pack – as natively inbuilt translation. We can have someone in Spain post something, we can have someone in England read that in English and reply back in English. And yeah, I can have someone in the Netherlands read all of it in Dutch.

Phil Fryer

Group Head of IT

This capability transformed communication into something truly inclusive. With Flip, Safestore wasn’t just solving a functional problem. They were enabling a culture of real-time, cross-border connection. And in a company where people are the key differentiator, that made all the difference. As Phil summed it up: ‘Language is no longer a blocker.’

As soon as Safestore had identified Flip as the right fit, everything moved very fast. The implementation process was designed to be inclusive and efficient, ensuring buy-in across all regions from day one. A cross-European project team was assembled, primarily made up of HR representatives from each country, to co-create the rollout plan and ensure compliance with local employee legislation. This collaborative approach was key to navigating region-specific challenges, such as works council approvals in Germany for instance.

Instead of positioning Flip as a UK initiative imposed on other markets, the team introduced it as a new, group-wide platform, purpose-built for Safestore’s increasingly international setup. This shift in framing helped ease political and cultural resistance, especially in non-English-speaking regions.

From an IT standpoint, Flip’s open API was another major advantage. Safestore was able to integrate Flip seamlessly into its existing systems. Onboarding and offboarding became automated: when a new employee is added to the payroll system, their Flip access is triggered automatically, complete with the right channel subscriptions. This integration significantly reduced manual admin and ensured new starters had immediate access to relevant communications from day one.

Implementation, however, wasn’t just about functionality. Phil and his team also introduced engagement strategies to build a sense of community within the app. Drawing on best-practice advice from Flip’s Customer Success team, they included non-work-related channels like pets, hobbies, and books. While some senior leaders initially questioned their relevance, these spaces helped humanise the platform and encouraged cross-store connections.

Employees were also given flexibility in how they accessed Flip. While mobile use was encouraged, especially for real-time updates and business continuity, the option to use the platform on in-store desktop computers remained available – an important point for compliance and user comfort in continental Europe.

By combining strong integration, cultural sensitivity, and flexibility in usage, the ‘My Safestore App’ rollout was not only efficient but widely embraced. Within six weeks, the app was live across all core markets, with early adoption figures already signalling success.

Today, Flip plays an essential role in Safestore’s internal communication. With over 80% adoption across the group and 94% in the UK, the app has become the single point of connection for frontline employees across seven countries. Daily usage is high, with around 40% of users active on the platform every day.

One of the most visible changes has been the way Flip supports company culture. Safestore used to produce a longstanding internal newsletter to share updates. That’s now been completely replaced by Flip posts, giving teams faster, more direct access to important information. Monthly recaps are posted and pinned with links to key content, keeping everyone aligned without slowing down the flow of news.

Recognition has also become more dynamic. Whether it’s celebrating long-service milestones, sharing customer compliments, or spotlighting great work, Flip allows colleagues across borders to recognise and support one another in real time.

Beyond engagement, Flip has delivered high value from an operational and IT perspective. The app now functions as a critical business continuity tool. In cases where a store loses internet or landline access, staff can use Flip to report the issue, triggering immediate alerts to the IT team. Video calling within the app even allows remote troubleshooting.

And the benefits don’t stop there. Flip’s IT support channel has become a space for peer-to-peer learning, with store teams often answering each other’s technical questions before the central team steps in.

Crucially, Flip’s open design has not led to misuse. Concerns about inappropriate posts never materialised only one post has ever needed to be removed, and the platform has proven to be largely self-policing.

For Phil, one of the most encouraging signs of Flip’s value is that it’s become part of the business. It’s no longer something new, it’s just how Safestore communicates. From onboarding new countries like Italy to supporting lone workers in remote stores, Flip brings Safestore’s values to life.

Safestore’s journey with Flip shows what’s possible when communication tools are built for real operational complexity and a truly diverse workforce. By choosing a platform with native translation, secure messaging, and seamless integration, Safestore has replaced fragmented systems with a single source of truth for its 800+ employees across seven countries. From real-time IT support to celebrating long-service milestones and onboarding entire new teams, Flip has become a trusted part of Safestore’s everyday operations, connecting people, not just processes.