ZIGUP uses Oak Engage to reach frontline colleagues and overhaul their corporate brand

The challenge

ZIGUP operates as a number of businesses and brands that are recognised as experts in their field and leaders in their specialist markets. Together they are the leading integrated mobility solutions provider, working with businesses and personal customers across vehicle rental & fleet management to accident management, vehicle repairs, service and maintenance.

Their diverse service offering means that many colleagues are often on the road or “on the tools”, without access to company emails. ZIGUP needed a solution to reach, engage and connect all colleagues, no matter their geographic location or job type.The catalyst for their latest project with Oak was their complete corporate rebrand.

"We were already using a version of Oak prior to the rebrand, so we had an existing relationship with the platform. However, following a merger, we encountered a significant challenge. As a collection of 11 operational businesses, each still operated quite independently, and we needed to bring everyone together under a shared purpose. What we required was a single point of truth—a centralised platform where colleagues could access accurate, consistent information about the business. With an ambitious growth ambition we also needed it to be scalable and easy to develop as our business grows."

Liza McNamara, Head of Internal Communications at ZIGUP

The solution 

My HUB

The company rebrand following a merger created the perfect opportunity to refresh and rebrand their intranet.

Mobile access

By offering mobile accessibility to colleagues including those “on the tools” who don’t have work email addresses, ZIGUP has improved the digital experience for their frontline workforce, with colleagues being able to access info at any time.

Beth commented: “This has been particularly effective for reaching our “on the tools” colleagues, who often don’t have work email addresses. Oak helped us create a solution to ensure they aren’t left out of the loop but there’s more work to be done on this.”

Single point of truth

A major challenge that the team at ZIGUP faced previously was that their original intranet platform wasn’t updated frequently enough. This undermined trust, as colleagues couldn’t be confident that the information they were accessing was accurate or current. 

Together with Oak Engage, ZIGUP has worked hard to rebuild that trust, creating a single point of truth where colleagues know they can find reliable, up-to-date information.This demonstrates that they have taken feedback on board to ensure the platform is continuously improving and meeting their needs.

Relevant news 

On sharing company news, Beth said: “The news carousel is definitely one of the most used features. We constantly refresh the content to ensure it stays relevant and engaging. Another popular feature is the media gallery applet, which we update weekly with new things to do, read, or learn. It provides colleagues with quick access to the latest information, even if they don’t have much time.”

Interactive and social timelines

The timeline feature allows colleagues to share what they’re doing, both in and out of work. Opening up two-way communication isn’t as scary as it seems. In fact, you may often see colleagues responding to questions so that the internal communications team doesn’t have to. To top it off, colleagues are usually correct in their answers!

Beth said: “Someone might ask: “Does anyone know how to access the new HR platform?” Initially, the internal comms team would respond to these questions, but now other colleagues often step in first, creating a collaborative environment where expertise is shared.”

Permission granted

ZIGUP colleagues can easily access the resources they need, thanks to dedicated content areas and effective document storage.

Beth commented: “For operational brands, we have created dedicated spaces, with permissions in some areas to ensure that sensitive information is only accessible to the right people. For key messages, we occasionally use push notifications to drive attention to specific news articles, though we use this feature sparingly to maintain its impact.”

Success statistics

Employee surveys were a key part of ZIGUP’s strategy to increase engagement and measure their colleagues’ thoughts and concerns about the merger which they could then address.

The changes they made had a clear impact and with ongoing campaigns to not only educate but to engage and connect their dispersed workforce, they saw a significant increase in activity and engagement on My HUB.

Liza continued: “Another milestone is the increase in intranet activity. When we first introduced the platform, it received around 25,000 hits. Today, we’re nearing 100,000 hits and that is still growing every month, which shows how much colleagues value and engage with it. Staying close to the analytics has been key to this success. By monitoring trends, we’ve been able to fine-tune our strategies, such as timing uploads to maximise visibility and tailoring content to resonate with different audiences.”

Creating impact

Consistency and clarity have been game-changers for ZIGUP’s internal communications and engagement strategy.

Liza explained: “One of the biggest insights from the engagement survey was that employees wanted to know more about the company’s direction. We’ve worked hard to communicate changes regularly, not just through My HUB but across all our channels. While these might seem like basic steps, they’ve made a huge difference in building trust and keeping colleagues informed.”

Beth added: “We’ve also used My HUB as a boost to our other channels. For example, every Friday, we send out a summary email highlighting key news people might have missed throughout the week. It’s short, engaging and gives colleagues the option to click through to the full articles or simply read the highlights. This approach has reduced overall email traffic, whilst still keeping people informed.”

An exciting employee experience with Oak Engage

We asked Beth and Liza how Oak has supported their internal comms strategy.

Liza said: “When we first launched Oak, our strategy was focused on getting employees onto the platform and addressing basic challenges, like reaching people without work emails. Over time, our approach has evolved, with a stronger emphasis on knowledge sharing and learning from how others use the platform.”

Beth added: “For me, the training and support from Oak has been invaluable. When I joined, I jumped straight into the build phase and the training sessions helped me get up to speed quickly. Understanding how to use the platform’s features to their fullest potential has allowed us to create better communications for our colleagues.”

Tips for internal comms professionals

We rounded off our chat with Beth and Liza by asking them to share their top tips, and to be honest, we couldn’t have put it better ourselves!

Remember your audience

Beth said: “One of the most important things is to remember who you’re building the platform for. It’s easy to get so involved in the process that you forget about the end-user. Listening to employee feedback and incorporating it into your strategy is crucial for success.”

Consistency is key

Liza suggested: “Transforming your internal comms culture is a process and it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s taken us around 12 months to reach what I’d call a “sweet spot,” but persistence and a clear vision have been essential.”

Don’t be afraid to experiment

Beth said: “Testing new ideas and learning from what doesn’t work has been a big part of our journey. It’s all about adapting and finding what resonates best with your audience.”