Internal comms for DAF Trucks during lockdown – focusing on the DAF family

The Challenge

DAF Trucks’ typical customer-centric focus on press and PR activities was curtailed significantly during the pandemic lockdown. While some of this broader B2B PR activity was possible, the UK market-leading truck manufacturer and its 130-point dealer network identified a higher degree of internal comms support was essential at a time when its employees shifted to home-working.

The need for strong, clear, written communications was evident, with regular comment from senior figures within the organisation seen as an appropriate method of informing and reassuring individuals facing very real anxieties.

How Torque Helped

Using DAF Trucks’ already established internal employee newsletter – DAF People – Torque took up the role of ‘ghost writer’ for a number of senior management figures in their function as guest editors for the weekly and fortnightly online publication.

Using its deep understanding of the DAF Trucks departmental structure, the DAF Dealer network, and its knowledge of the commercial vehicle sector generally, Torque was able to deliver regular, insightful, written content. Informal ‘phone briefings and face-to-face interaction via Microsoft Teams with senior executives enabled Torque to get to the heart of the subject, while contact with employees at various levels of the business hierarchy provided opportunities to produce material which was both informative and entertaining.

Torque also identified content which, while originally penned for an internal readership, was successfully repurposed for a wider press audience.

Results

During the course of the first pandemic lockdown, Torque enjoyed substantial involvement with over 20 issues of DAF People, helping DAF Trucks disseminate important news and views to over 2400 employees and colleagues across their dealer network. Feedback from across the network was regular and constructive with comment widely describing a positive feeling of engagement with DAF People.

DAF Trucks Marketing Manager, Phil Moon, said, “Torque played a key role in helping us produce DAF People at a time when it became arguably our principal communications tool for our teams across our business. Torque’s proficiency in producing relevant copy on behalf of a number of my senior management colleagues, and across a wide range of topics, took away a significant workload. Torque’s close relationships with the DAF family remains key to our PR activities, with the trade press and inside the company, too.”