Client Case Studies

Case Study

AAA Emergency Roadside Assistance Satisfaction Program – Fast, Accurate, Reliable, and Cost Effective

Title

Operational Satisfaction Tracking Study

Summary

AAA clubs across the United States use the AAA Emergency Roadside Assistance Member Satisfaction Program to motivate and reward independent towing service providers, repair shops, and other AAA contractors to deliver the highest service levels possible. Over the past few years, Sterling Research Group has partnered with numerous AAA clubs to design and implement a fast, accurate, reliable and cost effective survey and reporting program to measure and rank bonus-eligible contractors. AAA clubs report tremendous success with Sterling’s program.

Program Description

Sterling’s AAA ERS Member Satisfaction Program utilizes a fully automated IVR (“Integrated Voice Response”) survey methodology to track customer experiences over time. Sterling then aggregates the survey responses and reports summarized information back to the AAA club on a consistent basis.

To contact customers, Sterling downloads (via FTP) service call records from bonus eligible contractors. Sterling’s IVR system then initiates contact with recently road serviced members to capture key driver satisfaction data. Sterling captures members’ survey responses when the member presses the phone’s touch pad to enter answer choices.

Sterling dials each sample record up to 5 times in an attempt to make contact with qualified members. Sterling’s survey contains both a Service Driver and AAA Telephone Counselor question series. Sterling can accommodate other appropriate questions as long as total length of the survey is <5 minutes in duration.

Sterling immediately integrates completed survey data records into a proprietary database. Sterling flags surveys with low-satisfaction responses and makes these surveys immediately accessible to the AAA club through Sterling’s Report-IT! online data management system.

Sterling then tabulates the data using Quantum software and presents the aggregated survey responses in a series of customized reports. These reports rank and rate each contractor on one or more variables contained in the survey. Typical reports include: ranking report, contractor evaluation report, service drive key measures report, and a telephone counselor key measures report.

Key Program Benefits

AAA clubs experience a number of benefits from the program including:

Increased Accuracy. Sterling surveys members immediately after the roadside assistance event, so the member’s experience is still fresh. As a result of the timeliness of the survey, accuracy increases. In fact, Sterling’s data is so accurate that it can be “taken to the bank” – literally! When thoroughly pilot tested against both mail and CATI assisted IVR methodologies, the fully automated IVR system delivered comparable levels of member cooperation and data results.

High Scalability. Sterling’s survey is brief and non-intrusive with the average survey lasting <5 minutes. The low cost per interview increases the absolute number of responses for the same cost as other survey methodologies, thereby increasing the total number of completed surveys and providing clubs with a more accurate understanding of member satisfaction levels.

Increased Cycle Time. Survey results are very fast. Data is available real-time through Sterling’s proprietary online reporting system, Report-IT!

Increased Functionality. Sterling’s proprietary software can be used for follow-up, contractor training, and evaluation purposes. Sterling’s database records vast amounts of information from the survey, and this information can be used by clubs in a variety of different ways. Additionally, Sterling’s software can create different access tiers for authorized AAA managers and ERS contractors.

Improved Resource Allocation. Sterling’s program provides a cost-effective means of collecting statistically stable data on contractor performance through member’s eyes. As a result, AAA clubs are able to improve resource allocation and direct additional bonus funds to contractors that are truly providing great service to members.