[ARCHIVE] Leading in a Dynamic World

Maintaining a leadership position in the dynamic roadside assistance industry requires maximizing every competitive advantage. At today’s pace of change, AAA relies on actionable, association-wide collaboration – and unity – to achieve our goals. And not just among Automotive leadership, but collaboration alongside colleagues from Human Resources, Public and Government Affairs, Travel, Marketing, and Strategy and Insights. Brand relevance depends upon activating our best thinking consistently.

Clubs continue to collaborate on ways to address pandemic challenges, working together to transform the member experience. More than idea-sharing, clubs are activating new ways to do business to ensure members get the same high level of service across the federation and competitors are challenged to match service levels nationwide. For example, recruiting and retention is more difficult post-pandemic, but our creative thinking and combined resources delivered a campaign with a powerful message about the value of a AAA career. The federation has the opportunity to raise AAA’s profile as an employer of choice, and everyone participating and building on this campaign furthers our efforts. As we know, it is our people and their passion that make the difference.

Other high-impact issues addressed through collaboration include our commitment to focus on enhancements for safer technician/driver environments. Participation at the 2021 International Towing and Recovery Museum’s commemoration of those whose lives were lost at the roadside was a poignant reminder of the importance of Slow Down, Move Over laws. While our collaboration gained implementation of the law in all 50 states, that is not enough. This year, 41 names were added to the industry’s Wall of the Fallen. Focus, awareness, and collaboration continue to be a priority until we are no longer adding names to that wall.

Teen focus groups and club associates contributed to the revised How to Drive online course, which is an important channel for building relevance with younger members and non-members. Clubs have a window to plan a promotional push timed with state approval of local content, encouraging driving schools to expand program availability.

Automotive is contributing appropriately to AAA’s environmental, social, and governance impact. For example, the Automotive Subcommittee is identifying near- and long-term initiatives for relevance in a future dominated by electric vehicles, including a new EV charging initiative underway in 18 markets by the end of the year. And we have organized a collaborative EV advisory group of clubs who are leading efforts to test and implement new ways to reduce our carbon footprint while utilizing emerging new technologies to provide relevant EV services.

Considering the opportunities and challenges ahead, our collective ability to act quickly is a competitive differentiator in defense of our road service leadership position.