Background  Cadent Gas, the UK’s largest gas distribution network, has always been a leader in workforce development. With colleagues working directly in customers’ homes and communities, ensuring they have the right skills to navigate sensitive situations is more than a tick-box exercise, it’s essential.

Recognising that customer safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, Cadent set out to empower every customer-facing team member with the knowledge, confidence and tools to spot issues and take action. Their goal? Ensure that through the use of innovative software techniques every colleague is equipped to make the right decisions, every time. 

Driving Innovation Traditional customer safeguarding training was based more upon a classroom style of information telling colleagues about the mechanics of licence requirements and a mix of stories to help them gain a broad knowledge of customer safeguarding requirements, but it needed something more to bring it to life and reflect the reality of life on the job. Cadent needed something that felt real, relevant and human. They wanted immersive, scenario-based training that would engage their people and help them truly understand the impact they can have when visiting customers in vulnerable situations.

The brief was clear: create practical, emotionally intelligent training that goes beyond theory. Something that could build confidence, inspire action and make a real difference in people’s lives.

Through the use of the Network Innovation Allowance (NIA) innovation funding mechanism, this groundbreaking immersive training will now become a benchmark of best practise that can be used for customer-facing and non-customer facing roles across all utility networks.

Solution  Cadent partnered with mXreality to design and deliver four immersive safeguarding training scenarios. These highly interactive modules were created to reflect real-life challenges engineers and call handlers may face and simulate the decisions they need to make at that time.

Each scenario ends with a performance score, offering learners personalised feedback and linking directly to further support materials, ensuring learning is continuous, not one-off.

The four bespoke modules include:

• Uncontrolled Escape – A simulated gas leak in a residential property, reinforcing the need to keep customers safe, warm and independent.
• Planned Works – Engineers take the role of a Customer Liaison Officer, managing residents’ needs ahead of street-wide gas works.
• End of Life / Oxygen Use – A powerful roleplay as a call handler during an emergency, focusing on calm communication and escalation.
• Damaged Main – A complex emergency response scenario where decisions must be made quickly and compassionately.

All modules are linked to Cadent’s Learning Management System. They are mandatory for customer facing colleagues and optional for the wider network giving more people the opportunity to learn more about safeguarding processes, tools and techniques.

Results  This training has been designed to feel real; because it is. Every situation is based on lived experience. Employees are challenged to recognise risks, respond with care, and truly understand the difference they can make.

These immersive experiences are helping Cadent shift culture, not just train staff. Teams are able to speak with greater, awareness and understanding. The modules are also being used to reinforce broader campaigns, including recognition of utility scams and emergency protocol awareness.

Looking ahead, Cadent is planning to extend access across the wider gas and utilities network, positioning this programme as a benchmark for safeguarding best practice.

Through this immersive training colleagues are being encouraged to see people as they truly are; our neighbours, our families, our communities. It’s a privilege to be welcomed into someone’s home and Cadent wants to make sure their people are ready to support, listen and act with care.

Partnership in Action  “The team at mXreality have been fantastic from day one. They took the time to understand our goals and helped us create something that genuinely brings customer safeguarding to life. It’s interactive, engaging, innovative and tailored to our people.”  Jo Giles,  Customer Safeguarding Senior Manager, Cadent Limited 

Video Link: Cadent Safeguarding Showreel on Vimeo

Priority Services Register  If you know someone who needs extra support with their energy or water supply, please register upon the Priority Services Register. It is a free service that ensures  customers who might find themselves in a vulnerable situation without their essential services get the help they need. You can register via Cadent’s website or by calling Cadent direct on 0800 074 5788. Register at: cadentgas.com/help-and-advice/priority-services-register