who are our members - x

Out of the Blue
y
pp
Ha
y
a
d
B irth
JULY 2012 ISSUE 48
Meet our Members
Lets Yammer!
INSIDE
Contributors
Thank you to all the employees across
the NRMA Group who contributed
ideas, stories and photos to this issue.
14
Anna Lowman
Aswin de Silva
Bill Kotopoulis
Cie’Jai Leggett
Coralie Kelly
Dale Hepworth
Daniel Stanton
Diane Metz
Elena Sergis
Eliza Canty
Emma Treadgold
Insights and Analytics team
Jane Hunter
Jarrod Whitley
Jenna Grima
Jim Bastas
Jo Casey
Josline Youssef
Leeanne Watherston
Lisa Redmond
Marie-Angela Paino
Neil Rogers
Peter Faruggia
Russell Linfoot
Sally Kennedy
Sam Khoury
Sebastian Zagarella
Sigi Leo
Simon Denic
Simon Tracy
Siobhan Spoljaric
Tim Moggridge
Tony Stuart
Troy Galant
Wayne Fenech
Endurance with a view
06 News
ASSISTING THE COUNTRY
Profile
08 Team
DATA AND ANALYTICS
Chatter
09 CCC
WELLBEING $$ FOR GOSFORD
Out of the Blue team:
Dudley Hogarth
Lindy Sivyer
Stephen Dibden
Tanya Brees
Sherree Leneghan Julie-Anne Hall
Peter Sewell
Sarah Watkins
Jennifer Shedden Jo McIntyre
Kim Gosschalk
This publication is intended for internal readership only by
employees and contractors of National Roads and Motorists
Association Ltd (trading as NRMA Motoring & Services) and its
Related Bodies Corporate including NRMA Holiday Parks, NRMA
MotorServe, NRMA Tourism & Leisure and Thrifty.
Want to
contribute?
Out
The Good Oil
11 Helping
12
SPEND THE DAY OUTDOORS
ALL ABOUT VALVOLINE
02
Boot
16 The
SOCIAL SNAPSHOT
We want to hear from you!
Send your news, photos, calendar
and social events to:
Internal.communications
@mynrma.com.au.
A MESSAGE FROM THE GROUP CEO
Member
experiences
‘The year ahead will focus on how we can
get to know our Members better as people,
and not just as a registration plate.’
ANOTHER FINANCIAL year has begun and it’s going
to be an exciting and busy 12 months.
This is the final year of our Corporate Strategy
and our FY13 Business Plan outlines our important
priorities for the year.
Our key priority is designing and building our new
Group Operating Environment (GOE) which includes
our new Group Finance System, new Group
Membership System and Group Integration
Platform.
There is some exciting work taking place around
our brand and about the services we offer Members
in the future and I look forward to sharing this with
you as the year progresses.
The purpose behind all these projects is to offer
better value, greater relevance and legendary
service to our Members.
In this edition of Out of the Blue we are giving our
Members a voice and sharing this with you to help
you get to know our Members a little better.
The year ahead will focus on how we can get to
know our Members better as people, and not just as
a registration plate.
BUSINESS PLAN
Our top 200 leaders are gathering later this month
to talk about the business plan and some of our big
projects in detail and then your leader will share this
with you, outlining what it all means for your role
and your team.
As we head into this new financial year, I have a
new year resolution to share. I will continue to
improve our safety record. Our safety results are
better but we still have a long way to go with too
many of our people being injured at work. No harm
to any of our team is acceptable.
What is your resolution? You can share it with us
through Yammer.
I look forward to achieving some great results
over our last year of the strategy.
Keep up the good work!
GROUP CEO
Tony Stuart
Our…
Group Service Standards
Delivering legendary service
Tony
Newsflash
Cost of living concerns
THANK YOU
SH
I am writing this let ARON
in May when Mem ter of appreciation for your help on
e af
be
arrived at the site r Relations Consultant Sharon Shut ternoon
in Auburn where th
tle
on our car.
e NRMA Patrol wa worth
s working
We had just flown
funeral. My emotion in from Coffs Harbour from my fa
th
as the car broke do s were raw as you could imagine, an er-in-law’s
wn
unexpectedly and , I too broke down. Sharon showed d as soon
to
the Patrol and thou ld us that she happened to be in th up
e ar
ght that she would
were going.
check in and see ho ea, knew
w things
I broke down in te
ar
s
an
d
sh
e
co
m
daughter and me.
forted and console
Th
d
with the tow truck e car had to be towed and my son my
ha
driver. Sharon drov
sister’s at Guildford
e my daughter an d to go
d
call me the next da and once we had arrived she told m I to my
e
y
was given the help to see how we were and check that she would
ne
m
hope that she is ap eded. Sharon is an asset to NRMA y son
and I truly
preciated for her ac
tions beyond her wo
rk.
PLEA SANT D
EL
I want to express m AY
recently. On arrival y appreciation for the great service
I rec
at
vehicle I had hired Coffs Harbor Airport I dropped th eived
e keys to the
from Thrifty in the
check in for my fligh
box as directed an
d
by four hours. I ret t, only to find that our flight had be went to
urned to the Thrifty
en delayed
and asked about ha
desk, picked up th
e
luck and good serv ving use of the car for a further three phone
ice would have it,
the Thrifty represen hours. As
were on their way
int
ta
keys to the car in m o the airport and within 10 minute tives
s,
y
more sights before hand again and we headed out to I had the
en
fl
Coffs Harbor for m ying back to Sydney. Thank you to joy a few
the team at
aking our flight de
lay more pleasant.
Our 2020 vision
O
T be the most trusted Member
To
organisation, through our great
people excelling at delivering
highly relevant services and
legendary roadside assistance.
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Thrifty Customer Experience and Revenue Manager
Tracey-Lee Herbert presents Sue Scott of Thrifty Reservations
with her double movie pass prize. Sue won last
month’s Legendary Service competition. For details on
how to enter see below.
WIN
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MOVIE PASS
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‘The survey received extensive coverage across
Sydney media, including a prominent news story on
Channel Ten.
‘It also gave us an opportunity to highlight the
benefits of being a More4Members Member. More
than a million people now save an average of $63
each a year thanks to the More4Members Program.
‘The Media team could not have run this
campaign without the support of the Consumer
Insights and More4Members teams,’ said Cie’Jai. ‘I’d
like to thank everyone involved for their efforts in
making this campaign a great success.’
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THE MEDIA TEAM has released the results of our
annual More4Members Cost of Living survey,
which highlights how our Members are concerned
with the rising cost of living, in particular increasess
in the price of fuel, groceries and electricity.
The survey of more than 1,500 people found
two-thirds (70%) believe supermarkets had
increased the price of grocery items, offsetting
any savings made at the bowser from petrol
shopper dockets.
The survey also found that two-thirds (62%) are
paying up to $50 more a week for petrol than they
were 12 months ago, while nearly half (42%) are
trying to drive less to avoid paying more for fuel.
Media Adviser, Cie’Jai Leggett said that the
survey had been a great success for two years
running.
‘We launched the campaign last year as a way to
support the More4Members team, to promote how
Members can benefit from being a part of the
More4Members Program.
‘We worked with the More4Members team to
create a survey that focused on the increasing costs
of living in Sydney.
RESTORED FA
I arrived home fro ITH
m
battery was dead a month overseas and found that
m
flat. Even the electr
deadlocked.
onic doors to my Sa y car
ab had
I called NRMA an
totally understood d when the Patrol Brine Fifita got th
ere
all
power into the sta my needs. He jacked the car up an he
rter motor and we
d put
doors. He started
then gained access
th
I should go for a 45 e car but told me the battery wasn’t to the
ch
from NRMA becaus minute drive. He asked me if I had th arging so
e
likely replace it. He e if it was still in warranty they would battery
th
Batteries to be on en told me that he would inform NR most
standby if my car
MA
didn’t start later.
I then took my ca
see if everything wa r for a drive and in that time NRMA
ca
if I had problems. s ok, and that I could call them in th lled to
Two days later, NR
e
MA called again to morning
everything was ok
. So
se
helped me that da a very big thank you to all the pe e if
ople who
y and for restoring
my faith in service
.
Do you know someone who delivers legendary
service and lives and breathes our Group Service
Standards? Just email the story to
internal.communications@mynrma.com.au.
Remember to include which service standard was
demonstrated: Make a Difference, Real Relationships,
All about Trust and Not Letting People Down. The
best story will be published in Out of the Blue,
winning the entrant a double pass to the movies.
03
FEATURE
GETTING TO KNOW OUR M
We have reason to celebrate! We have nearly doubled our target of 1% net paid subscription growth for this financial year. Also, we
now have over 2.4 million Members as at the end of the 2011/12 financial year.
The growth is testament to the expertise of teams
across the business who have worked hard to retain
current Members, replace any Members who didn’t
renew and in addition, attract new Members. With
the backdrop of global economic uncertainty and
consumers looking to cut their spending, this was a
fantastic achievement.
This new financial year marks an exciting step on
our road to offering greater value to our Members in
the future.
We are embarking on the development of a new
Membership system to replace the 25-year-old
system BONUS that we inherited from
demutualisation in 2000. In addition to giving us
independence from IAG and ownership of our own
data, the new system will allow us build a richer
information base about our Members and customers
to help us get to know them as individuals.
As General Manager Membership Coralie Kelly
explains: ‘The quality and the longevity of our
relationship with our Members separates NRMA
e service
id
s
d
a
o
r
(
ly
n
‘The o
aware of
s
a
w
I
)
r
e
id
prov
was the
30 years ago
u were
NRMA. If yo at pies,
me
Australian –
nd the
kangaroos a
NRMA.’
‘With advocac
y, you
have somethin
g really
valuable that p
eople
want to identif
y with
and be part of
and can
also receive be
nefits
from. It’s like
having a
big brother, a
watchdog
that can help y
ou with
difficulties, bu
t that you
can also be pa
rt of.’
04
from organisations that have just a transactional
relationship with customers. We realise though, that
even the simplest transaction with a customer is not
so simple these days as we expect the organisations
we deal with, whether they are banks or
supermarkets, to treat us as a valued individual.’
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Our Member Experience Program and its focus on
delivering legendary service, plays a huge role in how
we manage our Members’ and customers’
expectations. The program has produced Group
Service Standards that guide our interactions with
Members and a Employee Development Program
that coaches our frontline teams to reflect on their
behaviour through a variety of activities to give a
consistently great Member experience. We track how
we meet their expectations through our Member
experience surveys that give us feedback and ratings
on those experiences. Refer to the June 2012 issue of
Out of the Blue for the most recent results.
‘Some people simply want the
good old fashioned roadside
assistance, but other people
want to engage in debates
about motorcycles and the
quality of the freeway and
how much tolls cost, and they
would really like an advocate
for their opinions.’
‘You could have online forums
about different subjects,
whether it’s about buying a
new car, a new bike, getting
parts for old cars, it would be
a way of setting up areas
where people could share
information and ask
questions and if the NRMA
experts can’t answer that
questions, they could refer
them to someone who could.’
According to Senior Manager Member Relations
Simon Tracy, the number of Members and customers
who voluntarily call and email with us with feedback
has increased by 16 per cent since 2008/09.
‘Because NRMA is a mutual organisation, it is
owned by our Members who vote for who they want
on the Board and have an equal say in what we do.
Our Members don’t pay a high price to belong, but
they are proud of their individual stake in the
company and so they have high expectations of us.
And the longer they are a Member, the higher their
expectations,’ said Simon.
‘Member Relations works as an advocate for
Members in the business. We take their bad
experience to the business owner and talk to them
about what we can do to resolve the issue, and work
out how to prevent it from happening again.’
MEMBERS’ VOICE
our roadside assistance is almost 90 per cent
positive. ‘Members are commenting on how quickly
the Patrols arrive at their breakdown and how
promptly and kindly we help them at the roadside,’
she said. Patrol Team Leader Sigi Leo agrees that,
when Members are stranded at the roadside, they
are almost universally pleased to see our Patrols pull
up. ‘One of the first things that always comes out of
their mouths is how long they’ve been a Member,’
Sigi said. ‘The longer serving Members, who are
typically Gold Members, always want to show you
their card. There’s always a look of relief on their
faces, particularly the younger ones who are always
in a rush to get somewhere.’
The following samples come from our Member
experience surveys, ad hoc letters and emails, and
focus groups and illustrate the (mostly) positive and
varied perceptions our Members have of us.
So what are Members saying about the NRMA Group
today? According to Coralie, Member feedback about
‘Our new
puppy was
p
escaping
tthrough
tthe
ssmallest
hole in our fence. Thinking I
had patched up every avenue
of escape, I put the NRMA
pet tag on her collar and
went inside to relax. An hour later I got a phone
call from NRMA Premium
team to say Scruffy was at a
neighbour’s house two doors
down, cuddled up on her
lounge.
Wow, what a great service
where NRMA knew before I
did that she was missing.’
‘I find it q
uit
magical t e
ha
can call p t you
eo
they com ple,
e, s
you don’t mile
ha
anything ve
to
fix your c pay to
ar, and
that’s it.’
‘If I sign up for
roadside
assistance, I
wouldn’t see the
benefit of me
having to tell you
my life history, I
wouldn’t see why it
was relevant for
that Membership.’
MEMBERS
WHO ARE OUR MEMBERS
Our Data and Analytics team and Consumer
Insights team work together to increase NRMA’s
knowledge of our 2.4 million Members. Our Member
segments (see box at right) enable us to:
•
profile and understand our Members
•
craft targeted marketing messages
•
engage in more relevant communications
•
identify suitable cross sell opportunities
•
deliver targeted retention strategies
•
use Members’ preferred comms channels.
Once we switch on our new Membership system,
built with Oracle software, we will be able to see and
record every interaction a Member has with us so
we’ll get to know them a whole lot better. This will
make everyone’s job in helping the Member easier.
We’ll also be able to quickly and easily make
changes to prices, products, packages and more.
The new system will present us with very exciting
possibilities, but we’ll only make the right decisions
about how to use it if we know and understand our
Members and listen to what they are telling us.
Coralie reports that our Members are telling us a
lot already through their increasing use of our social
‘We know we are giving
you data because someone
is going to try and sell you
something, we are cynical
and have every reason to
think that way.’
media channels. ‘These sites not only increase our
exposure, they also give us a wider view of our
Members’ perceptions of NRMA,’ she said.
Social Media Community Manager Jane Hunter
monitors our Facebook and Twitter sites. ‘On Twitter,
Members are telling their friends and followers that
they’ve broken down. When we ask if they need help,
we usually hear that the Patrol arrived quickly and the
service was great. We also get the odd person making
a complaint about service. We put them through to
Member Relations so they can have it dealt with
through the appropriate channels,’ she said.
‘On Facebook, Members are making lively
contributions to our discussions about fuel prices,
traffic updates, transport-related policies and law
changes. They’re also sending us useful and
sometimes downright amusing content themselves,
from jokes to photos and videos.’
If you want to stay in touch with what our
Members are saying, follow us on Facebook at
facebook.com/myNRMA and Twitter @NRMA
http://twitter.com/#!/NRMA, or you can check our
social snapshots on the back page of Out of the Blue
each month.
have
n
e
r
d
l
i
h
c
‘My three through
re
learnt mo
g
er Drivin
f
a
S
A
M
NR
yself or
m
n
a
h
t
l
Schoo
ould ’ve
c
r
e
h
t
a
f
their
em.’
taught th
‘A really kind, patient, lovely young lady was so helpful with
my questions about a holiday I wanted more information
about. I have the highest respect and affection for the people
employed by NRMA. I have enjoyed their help for 54 years.’
Too many organis
ations
try to make you fe
el
part of something
you
don’t want to be p
art of,
just so they can sp
am
you in many ways.
If I’m
a respected Mem
ber of
NRMA, then that’
s
enough for me.’
‘The NRMA Patrol
who attended was
extremely helpful and
his advice not to drive
the car has saved the
gearbox of my car and
several thousand
dollars.’
HERE’S A SNAPSHOT OF
OUR MEMBER SEGMENTS IN 2012.
Our Member segments were developed based on motoring and travel data from the
Household Expenditure Survey and the Australian census. Additional information about
lifestyle patterns and motivations and needs in relation to travel and motoring were then
overlaid on top. Two other car clubs: South Australia and Victoria have adopted the NRMA
approach to segmentation.
THE BROWN SEGMENT make up nine per cent of our Membership base.
They are young, 18-44, typically with families. They tend to interact with
NRMA at country service centres or through branches. They tend to buy
used vehicles, take local road trips, go camping or stay in cabins and visit
theme parks. These Members have a high propensity to churn (not
renew)We need to demonstrate the value of Membership in order to
retain them.
THE RED SEGMENT are also younger, 18-44, but with no children. They
make up nine per cent of our Membership base and tend to live in the
inner city suburbs and inner west. They are sophisticated and technically
savvy and are heavy internet users. They interact with NRMA via the
website, social media, email and the call center. They rent cars, are heavy
domestic air travellers and frequently go away for weekends. Reds
typically take out Classic Care rather than Premium Care.
THE YELLOW SEGMENT make up 11 per cent of our Membership base,
and are aged 25 to 44 with children. They are suburban and familyfocused. They appreciate value and service and are the segment
impacted most significantly by an increase in Membership prices
without notable increases in service. They like the reassurance of having
roadside assistance.
THE PURPLE SEGMENT are mature, prosperous professionals aged 35 to
64. They make up 15 per cent of our Membership base and have
increasing independence as their children get older. They are heavy
internet users and interact with NRMA online and with email, but also
use branches and the call centre. They are interested in domestic and
international family holidays, car rental and MotorServe. They are most
likely to buy a new car and are more likely to own a European car. They
are also more likely to have Premium Care.
THE ORANGE SEGMENT represent everyday maturing Australians aged
between 45 and 64 years old. They make up 17 per cent of our
Membership base. They have no young children. They interact with
NRMA via branches and the call centre, read Open Road and are more
likely to purchase a new car. They use MotorServe and rent cars. They are
nearing retirement and enjoy spending time with their grandchildren.
THE GREY SEGMENT are aged between 55 and 74, own their home
outright and own more than one car. They make up 11 per cent of our
Membership base. Semi-retired or retired, they undertake international
holidays, rent cars and are interest in do-it-yourself travel. They interact
with NRMA online but also use branches, the call centre and country
service centres. They read Open Road and use MotorServe. A high
proportion have Premium Care.
THE KHAKI SEGMENT represent retirees aged between 45 and 74. They
make up 17 per cent of our Membership base and many live in regional
and country areas. They interact with NRMA iva country service centres
and branches. They read Open Road, are not looking to buy a car and
highly value NRMA’s advocacy role.
THE LILAC SEGMENT are active pensioners aged 75 years. They make up
11 per cent of our Membership base and live in country and regional
centres. They have the highest readership of the Open Road and interact
with NRMA via country service centres and branches. They have the
highest take up of Premium Care, have low levels of churn and enjoy
holiday tour packages.
05
GENERAL NEWS
DUAL OFFER ADDS VALUE
NRMA MEMBERSHIP and Thrifty are
piloting a joint campaign over June and
July where Thrifty have added a free
day’s car rental to the six months for
$60 promotion, if the Member rents the
vehicle for three days or more.
The pilot is designed to maximise the
six months for $60 offer through Thrifty
and to make the offer to join NRMA
more relevant for their customers.
Thrifty customers are being invited
to visit MyNRMA or call a dedicated
number that goes through to
Membership sales. Thrifty is promoting
the offer on banner ads on their website,
in their email newsletter and at store
counters.
M&S Channel Manager, Sales
Performance Elena Sergis said that over
the two month period, the offer would
be exposed to over 70,000 Thrifty
customers who live in NSW and the ACT,
boosting the link and brand awareness
of our two businesses.
‘Motoring & Services and Thrifty are
excited to test our first ever dual offer
as well as drive relevant and appealing
offers for our customers and Members,’
Elena said.
‘This initiative links to our
strategy goal of optimising business
performance where we partner with
our family companies and work smarter
together to trial new ideas to help
achieve financial targets.’
Thrifty Head of Marketing Elise Chang
said the campaign was a win-winwin proposition for Members, Thrifty
ASSISTING THE COUNTRY
customers and the Group.
‘Thrifty is pleased to provide a bonus
free rental day to our new Members
who take advantage of this Membership
offer,’ she said. ‘It’s a great example of
cross-selling opportunities that also
enrich the Member experience.’
For more information contact Elena
on 8741 6712 or email elena.sergis@
mynrma.com.au.
AMNESIA? WHAT AMNESIA?
GENERAL MANAGER Membership
Coralie Kelly says the new Group
Membership System will help us get to
know and engage with our Members
as individuals.
What is the Group Membership
system? ‘The system will be built from
Oracle software and will replace our
25-year-old data system BONUS,’ says
Coralie. ‘As with BONUS, we will use
it to collect Member and customer
contact details. However, we will also
use it to record all ongoing customer
transactions allowing us to ‘remember’
all previous interactions with
Members, which will help us create
relationships with them as individuals.’
Why do we need it? According to
Coralie, NRMA has ‘amnesia’ when it
comes to knowing what interactions
we have had with any one Member.
‘The data on individual Members in
BONUS does not tell us what their
interests are or whether they have
06
had satisfactory or unsatisfactory
interactions with us,’ Coralie said.
‘Nor does it tell us if they are a strong
advocate for NRMA, whether they
hold a significant portfolio of our
roadside products, or whether they are
a customer of NRMA Travel, Thrifty or
our other businesses.
‘It’s a bit like Adam Sandler and
Drew Barrymore’s relationship in the
movie Fifty First Dates. We have no
recollection of our Members from one
interaction to the next. This is no basis
for forming a quality and meaningful
relationship.’
The Group Membership System will
draw this information into one place
and will include our segmentation
model, which contains a lot of data
regarding likely preferences and
behaviour. Frontline employees will
access this data by way of a pop up
screen containing relevant information
while they are talking with a Member.
Who will use the system? ‘Our Sales
and Road Service frontline employees
will use it and it will be accessible to
frontline employees across our Group.
Everyone, from the frontline to the
Board will be able to access key reports
of Member engagement, participation,
product use and transactions as a
whole, on a segment basis, and right
down to the individual Member.’
Who will benefit? ‘All parts of the
business will benefit as they will be
able to design their initiatives and
programs based on actual Member
data and feedback rather than broad
assumptions. For example, as the
Member profiles will reflect their
interests and preferences, Insights
and Analytics will be able to identify
Members more precisely in our
targeted marketing campaigns. The
system will also inform advocacy and
Member engagement activity as it
will record Member engagement in
Wayne Fenech (right) with the team
who trialled the PDAs at the Orange
Country Service Centre.
The Capgemini team will
be building our Group
Membership System and
Group Finance System.
They are located in Building
M. L–R: back row: Andrea
Szekely, Steve Hill, Jason
Zhang, Lynn Duong, Krishna
Balabhadrapathuruni,
Sridhar Akkala, Iain Clarke,
Louise Ford, Jan Richards,
Carolyn Paine, Ben Osbourne,
and Igor Izotov; front row:
Padmaja Vemuri, Rick
Civil, Kane Sun, Migara
Hewapathirana, Julian Miras,
Kerr Shell and Paul Dunn.
programs as Seeing Red on Roads,
Member surveys, uptake of Member
benefits, participation in entertainment,
attendance at events, blogs and other
social media activity.’
When will it be ready? The go-live
date target is December 2013.
What is happening now? ‘We are
mapping business processes across the
Group and documenting the rules that
govern our products and Membership
categories, such as who qualifies for
Gold Member status. This will lay a
good foundation for the detailed design
process that is about to begin.’
FOR THE FIRST time we have ‘real-time’
monitoring of our country breakdowns
to help us provide a more consistent and
quality Member experience. Contractor
Patrols and Country Service Centres
(CSC) who receive over four jobs a day
are currently receiving Personal Digital
Assistants (PDAs).
With all jobs now coming through
the CAD system, our roadside assistance
service providers in regional and rural
areas now receive the same level of
detail about our Members’ breakdowns
as do our Association Patrols.
This not only improves the Member
experience but also greatly enhances
reporting capability. Previously CSCs
needed to manually report at the end
of each month the number of jobs they
competed. Now all jobs are logged
and recorded in our central database,
CAD. This means less administration
for our CSCs and more accurate data
for the business about our response
times. Currently 90 per cent of our jobs
in regional NSW are now received and
cleared on PDAs.
The PDAs also give CSCs an
emergency button for the first time.
This button is a direct line to Service
Coordination who contacts the CSC
immediately to assess the situation
and call emergency services if required.
Our smaller CSCs will receive jobs via
their mobile phones in an SMS format
and when they are all onboard, we will
have 100 per cent electronic despatch
capability for Country NSW.
The new PDAs, along with the Patrols’
portable Mobile Data Terminals, are a $5
million project investing in technology
to bulletproof our core of roadside
assistance.
LET’S YAMMER
YAMMER IS like an internal business version of Facebook that connects us with
colleagues across the business, quickly and easily.
You can ask a question, give people business updates or just say hi and virtually meet
people from all corners of the business.
We’ve been trialling Yammer for a while now, letting people explore and see what
business uses it has for us at Motoring & Services and at Thrifty.
There are 460 Motoring & Services employees now on Yammer and now that the
Patrols have their new equipment, they will be able join in too.
Thrifty has almost 200 employees on their network, which is about a third of all
their corporate employees.
Each network is secure so only employees with an email address ending in …@
mynrma.com.au can join the Motoring & Services network and only those with a …@
thrifty.com.au can join the Thrifty network.
Then there are the external networks, which can be set up so anyone with an
invitation can join the group so that Thrifty and Motoring & Services employees can
collaborate.
Yammer in action
The greatest benefits seen from using Yammer so far is that questions are often
answered very quickly and the business updates give a great awareness of what’s
happening in the NRMA world. Here are some examples:
■ One of our frontline employees at Thrifty posted an idea to help communicate
the current GPS promotion but also had a question about it. Within 20 minutes,
another frontline employee had confirmed the idea and resolved the question.
■ Thrifty CEO Bryn McGoldrick is an active member on Yammer, posting once or
twice a week to update everyone on what he’s working on.
■ Groups can be set up so that posts will only be displayed for those in the Group.
The Project Alliance Group is very active with regular posts of meeting updates,
interesting articles, best practice notes and more.
Yammer is all about being able to tap into the Group collective to help you become
more informed and efficient in your role. So if you haven’t already, go to yammer.
com, enter your work email address and find out what the Yammer buzz is all about.
David McKenzie
Megan Sier
Prue McCulloch
Sandra Midson
OUR CONTACT CENTRE SAFETY REPS
NRMA IS COMMITTED to ensuring the safety of all employees, and is
constantly looking for ways to involve employees in identifying and
eliminating risks and promoting the importance of safety in the business.
That’s why we’ve elected safety people across the Group, most recently at
our North Strathfield and Gosford Contact Centres. We asked our call centre
employees to submit expression of interest forms and then their colleagues
voted on who they wanted to represent them. We spoke to some of the
newly elected OH&S reps for North Strathfield and Gosford recently.
David McKenzie, Gosford: What made you want to become an OH&S
Representative? To help ensure that everybody had the opportunity to work
in a safe, happy and well functioning workplace.
Megan Sier, Gosford: What training is involved? I completed a four day
course in OH&S consultation last year.
Prue McCulloch, North Strathfield: Why did you apply to be an OH&S
Representative? To gain understanding and build my skills and knowledge
around workplace safety-related issues. In doing so I hope to be able to
apply what I learn to benefit NRMA and my colleagues.
Sandra Midson, North Strathfield: What’s the most rewarding part about
being a safety OH&S Representative? It would be knowing that people can
come to me with their safety concerns and I can help address them to help
make a real difference to workplace safety.
Carol Bate and Kim Hughes are also OH&S Representatives for Gosford.
Speaking about the important role the reps play in the business, Lisa
Redmond of the Safety & Wellbeing team said: ‘The dedication that these
employees show to their colleagues’ safety by undertaking this role is
inspiring and shows a real commitment to safety.’
For details of the OH&S Representatives in your area,
email OHS@mynrma.com.au.
STAKEHOLDER
TOOL
CONNECTS OUR
BUSINESSES
Anna Lowman
WITH THE amount of major projects
and change occurring at NRMA, it is
more important than ever to manage
risk and reputation.
The Stakeholder and Supplier
Relationship Management (SSRM)
system allows us to share information
about our stakeholders and the
conversations we are having with
them. The system will be Groupwide,
with relationship owners in Thrifty
and Travel, by December 2012.
Thrifty Communications Manager
Anna Lowman remarked at the June
training session: ‘For the first time
Thrifty can have a quick snapshot of
who NRMA has been dealing with
externally and we can share with the
wider Group our own stakeholder
engagement. This will help Thrifty
build better relationships with our
external partners.’
The system gathers our knowledge,
people and resources to help us
solve problems and reach objectives.
‘Getting managers into the habit of
recording and managing external
relationships is great preparation for
the Group Operating Environment
which will further extend Groupwide
tools and processes,’ said Jennifer
Shedden, Stakeholder Management
and Internal Communications Adviser.
Building trust between NRMA
and the wider community helps us
strengthen our NRMA Brand promise
and ensures that we deal with our
stakeholders with integrity. The SSRM
system will track our conversations
and help us consider stakeholders in
decision making processes.
For more information on
stakeholder management contact
Jennifer Shedden on 0439 133 491
or email
jennifer.shedden@mynrma.com.au.
07
TEAM PROFILE
MEET THE
Data and Analytics team
1 JOE WONG, Marketing Analyst
10 CHRIS WONG, Marketing Analyst
Earliest memory...family vacation aged six
Turning point of your life…when I moved up
north ... to Sydney
Proudest moment...getting my own car
Favourite item of clothing…my jeans
What book would you recommend?
Anything by Dan Brown
Best advice you’ve ever received…my Mum
once said to me, never try, never know
Best meal you’ve eaten in a restaurant... a
dessert called Snow Egg
First car... Honda CRV 2003
1
7
4
2
3
5
9
10
6
8
2 PETER SZABO, Data Analyst
9 RICHARD MORRELL, Database Engineer
Earliest memory...being naughty in the
childcare centre
Teen idol...Michael Jordan
Turning point of your life...my life has had
way too many sharp turning points
Proudest moment...scoring 31 points in the
second half of a high school basketball game
Favourite item of clothing…my basketball
gear
What book would you recommend? Rich Dad
Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
First car...a 30 year old Mercedes that I
completely restored
3 PETER DAVIS, Marketing Analyst
Earliest memory…watching the last
Apollo moonwalk on black and white
TV news
Which TV character do you relate
to? Dr Who as played by Tom Baker
Teen idol? Bruce Springsteen before
and during his Born in the USA
revival period
Turning point of your life…coming
to Sydney temporarily in the ’90s
and I’m still here
Proudest moment…carrying my
twin son and daughter from the
birthing suite to the maternity ward
Earliest memory... watching Larry Grayson’s
Generation Game on Saturday nights.
Which TV character do you relate to? Don
Hollinger from the 1960s show That Girl, he’s
polite, cultured, and has a sensible haircut
Teen idol...JRR Tolkien, sad but true
Turning point of your life...moving to London,
coming out, and learning to handle city life
What book would you recommend? If This Is
A Man by Primo Levi
Best advice you’ve ever received...The only
thing to do with good advice is to pass it on;
it is never of any use to oneself – Lord Goring
4 BILL KOTOPOULIS, Reporting
Analyst
Earliest memory... a bold attempt at
escape from kindergarten
Which TV character do you relate
to? Steve Austin from Six Million
Dollar Man.
Teen idol...Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards
Turning point of your life...surviving
a rip (just). You tend to see things
from a different perspective thereafter
Proudest moment...removing the
training wheels from my bike
Favourite item of clothing…any old
t-shirt
5 LINDA GOCK, Data Analyst
Earliest memory...in preschool not
being allowed to ride the big tricycle
Turning point of your life...getting a
job at Amex after finishing uni
Proudest moment... being in the top
one per cent in the state in the
maths comp in Year 10
Favourite item of clothing…the blue
dress I bought in Windsor for $10, it
would be worth $100 or more
Best advice you’ve ever received...
Winners make it happen, losers let it
happen – from Facebook
JOINING THE DOTS
The Data and Analytics team measures the
performance of our Membership activities. They
use the data in BONUS and external sources to
broaden the picture we have of our 2.382 million
Members and help us understand them better.
Led by Marie-Angela Paino, the team works
within Business Intelligence to help Membership
communicate with our Members and help the rest
of the NRMA Group businesses manage their
relationships with customers.
‘We look at the data from our current
Membership system BONUS, which we share with
IAG,’ said Marie-Angela. ‘The data we receive is very
raw and is very different to what Customer Service
Representatives see on the screen.
‘So we have built a level of understanding of the
difference through discussions with ICT, IAG and
the contact centres so we can join the dots
correctly and give an accurate picture of what is
really happening in Membership.’
08
Earliest memory...I told my father that he
was driving the wrong way home, aged four
Proudest moment...when my son born
Favourite item of clothing…my Levis 501
What book would you recommend? The
Revenge of Heaven by Ken Ling who
experienced the Cultural Revolution in China
during late ’60s and early ’70s
Best advice you’ve ever received… never give
up, from my father
Best meal you’ve eaten in a restaurant…
I would say probably mud crabs, I just can’t
resist them
The team uses data from other sources, such as
the Roads and Maritime Service (RMS), census and
Roy Morgan research to enrich our view of our
Members and customers.
‘For example, to understand how we are
growing as a business, we look at the RMS data to
compare how many of the total vehicles registered
in NSW are owned by our Members. We are
growing faster, in proportion to how NSW car
volume is growing,’ Marie-Angela explained.
‘When the Acquisition team runs a TV campaign
to increase the proportion of under 40s in our
Membership base, we track the Members who join
because of the campaign and determine whether
the objective was achieved,’ she said.
THE TEAM
As Head of Data and Analytics, Marie-Angela
reports to Head of Business Intelligence Romesh
Lokuge. She leads the team in delivering
6 ERIC WONG, Analytics and
Modelling Manager
Earliest memory...being given a
sandwich to eat and thinking to
myself ‘this is horrible’
Teen idol...Bill Gates – he never
came across as being corrupted by
his wealth
Turning point of your life...realising I
was more of an analyst than I am a
programmer
Proudest moment...marrying my
wife
Favourite item of clothing…my
fleece jumper
7 NIGEL VALENTINE, Database
Engineer
Earliest memory...dropping a pint of
milk, broken glass and milk
everywhere = unappreciative parents
Which TV character do you relate
to? Beaker from The Muppets as we
both communicate clearly
Proudest moment...making my
girlfriend’s obstinate cat prefer me
to her, only took me 18 months
Favourite item of clothing...M65
field jacket (I have two)
What book would you recommend?
Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
knowledge and intelligence to drive organisational
performance. She also advises the Group
Membership System Leadership team and the Data
Governance Working Group on what we need the
new Group Membership System to do.
The team has three core Subject Matter Experts
(SME). Richard Morrell makes sure the data is in
‘good health’, ie. available, accurate and reliable, for
analysis. He manages our analytics database and is
helping the ICT data consolidation team prepare
data to be migrated across to the new Group
Membership System.
Eric Wong leads analytics and modelling with
the help of Chris Wong. Together they enrich our
Member understanding by developing analytical
models, eg. who is more likely to churn (leave us)
and who is more likely to use MotorServe. Eric is an
SME for the Group Operating Environment Program
(GOE). He is bringing his knowledge to help build
the new Group Membership System.
Peter Szabo is the third SME. As the Campaign
Analyst, he analyses the Member segments that
are being targeted in a campaign to develop the
8 MARIE-ANGELA PAINO, Head of
Data and Analytics
Earliest memory...imitating my
grandfather’s style of walking, he
walked with a certain rhythm that
was amusing to me at the time
Teen idol...Filipino mega star Sharon
Cuneta, I watched her movies, sang
her songs and sketched her portrait
in my schoolbooks
Turning point of your life...when my
family migrated to Australia when I
was 11
Proudest moment...winning a
national martial arts competition
proper treatment for direct marketing. He will
provide his knowledge on our campaign processes
to the new Group Membership System team.
Nigel Valentine is a Data Developer. Nigel reports
to Richard Morrell and will be his backup as Richard
moves to GOE.
Joe Wong is a Campaign Analyst within the DataDriven Marketing team currently supporting
business as usual and ad hoc campaigns outside
Membership.
Bill Kotopoulis is a Reporting Analyst within the
Data-Driven Marketing team and produces over 50
key performance indicators and operational reports
for the consumer and business Membership area.
Linda Gock is a Business Analyst from NRMA
Tourism & Leisure who recently joined the team as
a Data Analyst for the next six months.
Peter Davis is a Marketing Analyst who is
contracted to the Data and Analytics team now
that Peter Szabo and Eric Wong are moving on to
the Group Membership System project.
Maria Riley is the Manager for Data-Driven
Marketing and is currently on maternity leave.
CCC CHATTER
Leeanne Watherston
(left) and Carole Bate
MAD TUESDAY
OUR SERVICE DELIVERY team
traditionally earmarks the Tuesday
after the Queen’s Birthday long
weekend as one of our ‘MAD’ days
that requires special planning and
resourcing in the NRMA Customer
Contact Centres.
This year was no exception with
6,600 jobs handled on the day,
nearly 50 per cent more than a usual
MAD Day, according to Network
Delivery Manager Peter Farrugia.
‘We started planning weeks earlier
to ensure there were maximum
Patrols rostered with no off-road
activity on the day, put 5am starts in
strategic locations and organised
earlier starts across the day,’ he said.
‘We also rostered extra employees
in Service Coordination to manage
the extensive workloads and liaise
with our Members to inform them of
the progress of their breakdown. This
brought an amazing result with only
four Member complaints regarding
delays. There were also fewer
Members calling back to enquire
about their progress.
‘We posted messages on our Twitter
and Facebook sites over the weekend
and during the day to communicate
with Members and the public.’
Volunteers
A number of former contact centre
employees who now work in other
areas of the business volunteered to
help through the busy morning
period. They included Kathleen Isaac,
Jessica Zammit, Vincent Canavan,
Jenna Grima and Rachael Verrills.
HEALTH GRANT
FOR GOSFORD
Vince Canavan and
Jessica Zammit
‘It was great going back to helping
Members directly, and it was
definitely a job well done by everyone
who helped out.’
Vincent Canavan, Editorial
Coordinator, NRMA Publishing
‘Working in the contact centre was
a wonderful experience, I was happy
to give support so that our Members
had the best service possible.’
Jessica Zammit, Member Relations
Consultant
A lot of people worked extra hard
on MAD day.
It was definitely a good reminder
of just how hard the contact centre
employees work every day and how
well they do it.
Jenna Grima, Product Specialist,
Batteries, AutoGlass and Car Electrics
BONUS TURNS 25
FORGET DOG YEARS, a quarter of a century is a very, very long time
in computer hardware years.
As we celebrate our Membership system BONUS turning 25, we are
also celebrating the fact that, by the end of next year, our sparkling new
Membership system will be up, running and leaving BONUS way
behind.
GOSFORD SALES TEAM MANAGER Leeanne
Watherston has made a successful
application on behalf of NRMA Gosford for a
$1,500 Healthy Workplace Grant from the
Cancer Council.
Leeanne was inspired to apply for the
grant after devising a health and wellbeing
program for the Gosford contact centre with
Roadside Service Team Manager Jodie
Walsh, during their Growth Academy course.
‘As a result of our Growth Academy
project I have had our vending machine
stock changed to include healthy snacks and
have spoken to team managers about
offering healthy food at team meetings,’
Leeanne said.
‘We have also started a lunchtime
walking group for consultants and have
invited Group Wellbeing Consultant Gemma
O’Halloran to speak to team managers from
Membership and Road Service about health
and wellbeing and encourage everyone here
to participate in our programs.’
Leeanne said she learnt about the grant
applications from Customer Sales
Representative Carole Bate who saw them
advertised in the local newspaper. Carole is
a member of the Gosford OH&S committee.
Leeanne said that she and the committee
would work with the Cancer Council to
develop a program.
‘I’m thinking that I would like to spend
the grant money to have someone come
into the contact centre and give massages,
but I will be asking for other ideas as well,’
Leeanne said.
GOING GAGA
CONGRATULATIONS to the winners of the
recent Lady Gaga competition run by the
Gosford Membership team.
All consultants who sold Premium Care
multi-year Member subscriptions were
eligible to enter the draw to win tickets to
Enjoying the concert: L–R: Laraine
Williams, Leilani Storey, Lee Clarke, Pauline
Zylstra, Kath Hudson, Heather Johnson
and Debbie Wedesweiler.
the Lady Gaga concert held in Sydney on 20
June.
The winners were Aleksandra Cervera,
Jan Ghisoni, Pauline Zylstra, Laraine
Williams, Bec Hammond, Bec Salmon, Kath
Hudson, Heather Johnson, Leilani Storey,
Lee Clarke, Debbie Wedesweiler and Frances
Page and Diane Metz.
Let’s remember the good times.
THANK YOU
THE GOSFORD CULTURE CLUB
would like to thank everyone who
donated blankets, towels and
dried and tinned food for the RSPCA
at Somersby.
09
HELPING OUT
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELPING HANDS
SIDS AND KIDS
RED NOSE DAY
Patrol 068 Jay Curac with the red nose on his van
Spending the day clearing weeds to help the ground nesting bird Bush Stone
Curlew are: (clockwise from front) Jay Kumar, Pauline Zylstra, Ash Sanders, Denise
Guest, John Rapira and Jan Dell.
DURING JUNE, NRMA Patrol vans sported red nose magnets as they
attended to Members throughout NSW and the ACT.
Throughout the month employees across the NRMA Group sold
red nose merchandise to raise funds for SIDS and Kids.
We are pleased to say we raised a total of $900 for the
organisation which will help maintain their valuable services.
WE SET OURSELVES a big challenge over the past year. We wanted to see if we could
get 350 employees from across the NRMA Group involved in volunteering.
And guess what, we did it. Employee volunteer numbers hit 352 in July!
Thank you to everyone from all offices who gave their time over the past year and
to those who have gone well above their one day’s volunteer leave to help countless
times with a range of events. We couldn’t have done it without you.
NRMA Tourism & Leisure and Thrifty joined our volunteering and fundraising
programs in 2011/12 and have thrown themselves into the charity spirit.
Spend a day in
your community
Challenges
With a diverse workforce such as ours, one of our main objectives and challenges for
the Helping Hands Program is to provide opportunities for all employees to volunteer.
This might include working around contact centre shift times, coordinating with
the Patrols’ rostering team, providing different times and locations for volunteering
or tailoring activities for team days.
We realise everyone’s interests are different and that some individuals and teams
want to get outside and plant a tree or help on the food van, while others are keen
to work alongside Sunnyfield clients or lend their professional skills in an office
environment.
Seven Patrols volunteered at the Foodbank in
Wetherill Park which distributes food to charities
all over Australia. L–R: Patrols Charlie Taliana,
Anthony Knappick, Paul Mifsud, Wayne Galey,
Saxon Bodlay, Victor Tsatlogianis and Phil Wilson
bagged oranges and onions, which were loaded
on to trucks to be taken all over the state.
What: Work with Sunnyfield
residents during their Day Options
Program making cupcakes and
sharing afternoon tea.
When: Friday 20 July
Where: Allambie Heights
Volunteers: 3–6 people
Starlight Children’s Foundation
What: Theme and decorate the
Starlight Express Rooms
When: July–October, various dates
available
Highlights
125 employees created craft packs and visited the Starlight Express rooms
46 volunteers lent a friendly ear and served dinner to the homeless for Youth Off
the Streets
■ 45 volunteers headed outside planting trees and helping our environment for
Conservation Volunteers Australia
■ 26 Patrols put their hands up to drive the patient transport vehicle for our new
program with the Leukaemia Foundation
■ 42 employees helped care for animals and refresh shelters with our new partner
RSPCA.
So if you or your team are thinking of getting involved, now is the time to do it!
For more information visit: Blue: Your NRMA/Helping Hands or email
community@mynrma.com.au.
Sunnyfield Cook Up
Where: Randwick and Westmead
hospitals
Time: 12pm–4pm
Volunteers: 3–5
■
Starlight Children’s Foundation
■
What: Create craft packs
When: TBC
Time: 10am–2pm
Our volunteers regularly gather to help create
craft packs to brighten up the days of sick kids in
hospital. L–R: Eliza Canty, Portia Malinowski, Paul
Rogerson, Maria Pappas and Kim Endacott
What: Packing food parcels, a
great team activity
When: Various dates every month
Time: 8.30am–2.30pm
What: Prepare and serve food to
the homeless in Darlinghurst
When: 27 July, 12 & 24 August, 9 &
28 September
We have also introduced the trusty NRMA Helpometer which
you may have noticed on Blue each month. This is our way of
letting you know how we’re going with our levels of volunteer
support across the Group and when we need your help!
Where: Foodbank NSW
Distribution Centre, Wetherill Park
Lunch included
Where: 325 Marrickville Rd,
Marrickville before heading into city
Time: 9pm–12 midnight
Volunteers: 3 per night
More information
Thank you
10
Foodbank NSW
Youth Off The Streets
Helpometer
A big thank you to Eliza Canty who joined our team last
September and who has taken on coordinating and promoting our employee
volunteer calendar of events with a great result.
Thank you also to our network of contacts across our NRMA Group who help rally
employees for fundraising and activities each month.
Where: North Strathfield and
Gosford
Volunteers: 10 per site
Lunch included
All smiles after spending a day with their
Sunnyfield buddies are: L–R: Andrew Mueller, Alex
Brak, David Pham and Patrol 173 Matthew Loft.
For more information visit Blue: Your NRMA/ Helping Hands Program
Register for volunteer activities by emailing Eliza Canty at
community@mynrma.com.au
Please check with your manager before registering for events.
Volunteer activities are open to all NRMA Group employees.
SPEAKING OUT
NRMA Cartographer Paul Buttigieg
designed the map below.
MAP KEY
Class: Light,
under $20,000
Vehicle: Suzuki
Alto GL 1L
Class: Small,
under $30,000
Vehicle: Proton
Persona G 1.6L
Class: SUV large,
under $75,000
Vehicle: Jeep
Grande Cherokee
Varedo 3.6L
COSTS HAVE BEEN
CALCULATED from each
location based on a return
trip to Sydney’s CBD,
five days a week, 48 weeks
a year. The costs are
calculated to include the
vehicle sale price and its
depreciation value, fuel,
roadside Membership,
tolls, servicing and repairs,
registration and insurance
for a 40-year-old with a
good driving record.
Windsor
W
Penrith
h
RUNNING A
CAR IN SYDNEY
Parramatta
P
Campbelltown
y
Sydney
Sutherland
Manly
M
SPOT THE DIFFERENCE:
Our NRMA test case took three
popular cars and ran
them on five regular routes.
SYDNEY CAR OPERATING COSTS
NRMA RELEASED its 2012 Running Costs
Calculator last month, comparing the
weekly running costs of three popular
cars on five common routes to the city.
The calculator analyses the annual
running costs of more than 1,500 new
vehicles including CTP insurance, fuel,
servicing, registration, maintenance,
repairs, roadside membership and
depreciation.
NRMA did a further analysis of the
cost of tolls across key suburbs in
Sydney and the cost of comprehensive
insurance calculated using a 40-year-old
driver with a good driving record.
The study analysed all costs
associated with running a Suzuki Alto 1L
(cheapest light car under $20,000), a
Proton Persona 1.6L (cheapest small car
under $30,000) and a Jeep Grand
Cherokee Varedo 3.6L (cheapest large
SUV under $75,000).
The three categories represent the
most popular classes of vehicles sold in
2012 and the analysis looked at costs
specifically for Campbelltown, Windsor,
Penrith, Manly and Sutherland into the
city over a year.
NRMA Motoring Research Engineer
David Carr said that Windsor was the
most expensive, with car owners forking
out at least $280 per week.
‘Windsor drivers would need to find
more than $100 for tolls in their weekly
budget for five days a week of travel to
the CBD,’ David said.
‘If you take away the tolls, the
running costs would be similar to a trip
from Penrith to the CBD.’
‘The results of the study also outline
just how more expensive it can be to
run a vehicle from the same location.
‘While the Grand Cherokee ($410 per
week) is the cheapest to run in its class,
it would cost more than twice as much
to run than it would a Suzuki Alto ($174
per week) on the Penrith to CBD trip.’
David said the Calculator could help
families plan their weekly budget.
‘To compensate for the changes in
fuel costs, the calculator allows drivers
to enter the price of petrol as it changes
REDUCE YOUR CARBON COSTS
CARBON PRICING for the top 500 big
carbon emitters began on 1 July 2012.
Households and small businesses are
not directly affected by the carbon
price, however we will see price
increases in our electricity costs and
some goods.
Research by the CSIRO and an
engineering company has found that if
100 per cent of costs were passed on to
households, the average weekly impacts
would be around $9.10 per week with a
$3.20 increase in energy bills being the
largest component. The average
household will spend an extra two cents
for a loaf of bread and a litre of milk, 11
cents for a leg of lamb and 14 cents
weekly on fruit and vegetables.
It is reported that six out of 10
households will be compensated for the
increases through government tax cuts,
household assistance payments and
pension increases amounting to $10.10
for the average household.
Carbon pricing is not the only thing
impacting on household budgets. There
will be increases in electricity costs due
to investments in poles and wires.
There are simple energy efficiencies
that can put households even further
ahead. Estimates show many families
could be another $12.75 better off per
week ($663 per year) by making small
changes in the home including cold
wash, water-saving showerheads and
reducing standby power consumption.
You can pocket more compensation
by saving electricity use around your
home using the following tips:
■ Heating and cooling the home
accounts for around a quarter of an
average household’s energy use.
Instead of cranking up the heater, use
a thermostat and set your heater to
21oC. For every degree above 21°C
you’ll be adding about 10% to your
energy bill
■ Search and eliminate drafts around
your home and heat only the rooms
you are in
■ For a cosy night in, why not rediscover
■
your favourite jumper and ugg boots.
Or maybe a blankie is more your style.
To calculate the costs, compensation
and savings from some simple energy
efficiency actions visit:
yourcarbonprice.com.au.
on a daily basis. Drivers can also enter
their purchase and insurance prices into
the calculator to provide them with an
accurate whole of life cost for keeping
their car on the road.’
Media Adviser Daniel Stanton said
that the running costs calculator story
received strong media interest across
television, radio and print and included a
feature in the Sydney Morning Herald.
To use NRMA’s Running Costs
Calculator go to mynrma.com.au/
runningcosts.
BEWARE
MISLEADING
CARBON CLAIMS
THE AUSTRALIAN CONSUMER watch
dog is warning people to be on the
lookout for price increases with
misleading carbon claims.
The Australian Competition and
Consumer Commission reported that it
had already received 334 carbon
tax-related complaints. Complaints
have included premature price rises on
a carton of beer, a tank of petrol
(on-road fuel is exempt anyway) and a
pile of bricks.
Contact the ACCC Carbon Price
Claims Hotline, 1300 303 609 to report
questionable carbon-related price hikes.
011
THE GOOD OIL
Valvoline trade night
FORMER MOTORSERVE Operations Manager
George Rollas invited the NRMA Technical
Training team to hold two trade nights last
month at the Valvoline factory, Wetherill Park,
where George now works.
The night began with a show bag give away
supplied by Valvoline. The group then went on
a guided tour through the facility. During the
tour, the presenter shared many facts such as:
•
Valvoline mixes around 45 – 50 million
litres of oil a year.
•
Valvoline uses about 75% base oil and
25% in additives
Base oil can be refined time and again
because the additives are the only
things that break down in motor oil.
The tour generated a lot of conversation
and questions and we all learned a great deal.
Thank you to everyone who attended and
made it a great experience, particularly the
Patrols who made the long journey from
Newcastle and Wollongong. Thanks also to
organisers Col Endacott and George Rollas.
Keep an eye on Patrol Blue for future trade
nights as more will come up this year.
Jason Turner, Technical Trainer
SERPENTINE BELTING
ROUTING
PART 2
THE SCHEMATICS below illustrate the serpentine belt routing for
•
HEART HEALTH
two further Toyota vehicles and pulley descriptions. Match the
model details to the schematic for correct installation. This may help
you when working on a vehicle with a missing serpentine belt.
2007–2011 Land Cruiser 200Series 1VD–FTVFE engine
2006–2011 RAV4 33 Series 3.5L 2GR–FE Engine
Hello brothers.
Having a heart attack
in December 2011 was
something that I refused
to allow to control my
future so, this year, I will
be walking the Sun Herald,
City2Surf in August in
under two hours. I am
also hoping to raise $2000
for the Heart Foundation
for research to help other
cardiac patients. I have
raised $700 so far.
If you would like to donate
something to this cause,
please visit the site:
everydayhero.com.au/
keiran_ryan_0.
For more information on
the event visit: city2surf.
com.au.
No more tailgate blues
AS MEMBERS of the Logistics Woring Group, Patrol Team Leader
Gary Bamford and Michael Agnew have been researching and
designing an easier way to open and close the tailgate on Patrol
vans that would alleviate repetitive bending,
lower the risk of back injury and encourage
Patrols to use the tailgate to access equipment.
‘We looked at automating the tailgate using
linear actuators and electric winches, however
these options were quite expensive,’ Gary said.
‘So we devised a simple strap and have advanced
to a prototype which is now fitted to 15 vans in
metro Sydney for Patrols and safety reps to trial.
‘We have fitted most to the left side but there
are two Patrols who have the strap mounted
to the centre of tailgate to test different
ergonomics and equilibrium. We are gathering feedback from this
trial and will be talking to the Logistics Working Group soon.’
The pair is also devising methods to
Patrol 585 James Saad assist removal of spare tyres from trucks
demonstrates using
and 4x4s. Michael has been busy working
the tailgate strap.
on a compact sled arrangement to slide
tyres out from under vehicles (simple,
effective and compact) and a rope / hook
for dislodging tyres from wheel wells.
This received a favourable reception when
demonstrated at a recent meeting of the
Logistics Working Group. Stay tuned for
further developments.
Gary Bamford, Patrol Team Leader A
Team North
Patrol fleet retrofit
12
Patrol 734 Glen Carey works
on a Patrol van upgrade.
SERVICE DELIVERY has seconded three Patrols for three months to upgrade
our Patrol fleet from the North Strathfield workshop.
Patrols Joe Reljanovic, Ben Taylor and Glen Carey have upgraded more
than 50 Toyota Hilux vans to date. The work consists of the installation of
new compressor motors and drain tubes, internal and under van lighting,
front jump and air point, redesigned fridge mounting, hi visibility fluoro
decals on the rear and sides of van and an upgraded rear battery.
The Patrols have also taken it upon themselves to repair the vans as they
complete the upgrades, including fitting a number of mud flaps, repairing
washbasin rubber flaps, some tool box repairs and wiring up driver’s side
spotlights. At the completion of each upgrade, the Patrols give every
vehicle a safety check.
RECALLS
RT DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AND CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY
DEFECTS
The right side power liftgate
may cause personal injury in
pinch sensor may not function,
the event of users or bystanders
resulting in an increase in force
placing their hands or fingers in
required to stop the power
the liftgate opening.
liftgate during closing.
ACTION
HAZARDS
A letter is being sent to affected
Failure of the liftgate sensor
owners.
2011–2012 CHRYSLER 300
DEFECT
The power distribution centre
may overheat, causing a loss of
function of the Antilock Brake
System (ABS) and/or Electronic
Stability Control (ESC).
HAZARD
A loss of ABS/ESC under certain
driving conditions could cause
an accident without warning.
ACTION
A letter is being sent to affected
owners.
MDTs are go!
OUR APOLOGIES to Patrol
843 Gerard Gibbons and
Canberra Patrol Team
Leader Bob Adams whose
names appeared under
Patrol Team Leader Bob Adam
each other’s photos last
likes the portability of his new
month. Let’s try that again. MDT. Canberra and Newcastle
have concluded their roll out.
Patrol 843 Gerard
Gibbons with his
new Panasonic H2.
MORE4U
EMPLOYEE OFFERS
ALL ABOARD
ADVENTURE WORLD has a great earlybird deal for NRMA Group employees on the Shongololo Express.
Enjoy a 15 day Good Hope Tour in an Ivory Class cabin from Cape Town to Johannesburg (or vice versa) from
only $2606* per person. The Ivory Class cabin contains twin beds, a fan, safe, hand basin and shared
bathroom and toilet facilities per carriage.
The Shongololo Express is a fully serviced hotel train that carries a fleet of air-conditioned Mercedes Benz
mini buses with professional guides on board to take you on inclusive scheduled tours of the unique sights
of southern Africa. These include Durban, Zululand, Swaziland and the Kruger National Park.
THE ADVENTURE WORLD OFFER INCLUDES:
Two nights’ free accommodation before or after your Good Hope Tour at the Garden Route Game Lodge,
including breakfast and dinner, transfers and activities
■ One night free accommodation at Bongani Mountain Lodge during your Good Hope Tour.
For more information visit adventureworld.com.au/travel-deals/south-africa--shongololo-express---2-freenights. To book your holiday, contact Adventure World on 1300 412 568 and mention that you are an NRMA
Group employee.
■
Terms and Conditions
*All prices are quoted in AUD, twin share per person and are correct as at 27 June 2012. Offers are subject to availability and can change without notification due to fluctuations in charges and currency. The offer is valid for sale until 30 September 2012
or until sold out. The offer is valid for travel on selected departures from 6 February 2013 until 28 October 2013. This offer cannot be used with any other special offers and is not applicable to existing bookings.
GET FIT AT
GOLF DISCOUNT
DO YOU LOVE PLAYING GOLF? If the answer is yes,
then you need to know that on Thursday 9 August
and Friday 10 August, Drummond Golf is offering a
20 percent discount to NRMA Group employees and
Members*at Drummond Golf stores in NSW and the
ACT. At all other times, you’ll save up to 10 per cent
off regular prices.
For more information visit: more4members.com.au/
drummondgolf
*You must be able to show your NRMA Member card
at the time of purchase at Drummond Golf stores on
9–10 August 2012. The discount is not to be used
with any other offer, is valid on floor stock only and
excludes the purchase of gift cards.
FRESH FROM THEIR YOGA CLASS:
L–R Umair Khalid, yoga teacher
Holly James, Jodie Parker, Giles
Smith and Stephanie Steele.
THRIFTY
GETTING READY TO POUND THE
PAVEMENT: L–R: Runners Umair
Khalid, Jia Lees-Smith, Giles
Smith and Joe Vraca.
THRIFTY EMPLOYEES at Mascot are running, walking and
stretching their way to fitness, through their new run and walk
clubs and yoga sessions and are welcoming all newcomers.
If you would like to get fit with your Thrifty work colleagues
here are the details:
YOGA SESSIONS: Tuesdays from 12pm to 1pm,
contact Jia Lees-Smith on 8337 2712
RUN CLUB: Thursdays from 12pm to 12.35pm
contact Giles Smith on 8337 2782
WALK CLUB: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12pm to 12.30pm,
contact Jessica Rossi on 8337 2915
13
SCRAPBOOK
The Membership
team practise
their CPR skills.
Heavy Vehicle Operations Manager Scott
Evans and Membership Change Specialist
Xuan Huynh recover from being rescued
and bandaged by their colleagues
Membership team bonding
Last month the Membership team got together for a St
John’s First Aid course as a team building exercise and
celebrated the end of the two-day course (and the fact that
everybody passed) with some ten pin bowling and dinner.
Membership in the country
OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS,
more than 80 employees of our
Country Service Centres have
attended Membership, product and
BusinessWise training. The centres
include Coffs Harbour, Lismore, Port
Macquarie, Wollongong, Gundagai,
ACT and Griffith.
Three more locations will receive
training shortly: Tamworth on 16 July,
Maitland on 18 July and Dubbo on on
24 July.
Getting crafty
T
Thrifty
employees
w
went with an Olympic
ttheme when they
made craft packs for
tthe Starlight Children’s
Foundation. L–R: back
row: Jess Mitchell, JoAAnne McIntosh, Miriam
Baldacchino, Karen
TTyson and Michelle
Bruce; front row: Jodie
Parker, Joe Vraca and
JJia Lees-Smith.
Head of Country NSW and ACT Wayne Gosling (far right), BACE Business
Manager Matt Dickinson (second from right) with Nambucca –
Macksville CSC Proprietor Noel Rudder (centre, navy jumper), Nambucca
Mayor Rhonda Hoban (fourth from right) and representatives of the
Nambucca Valley Dialysis Fund.
Taking a break from training
at the Gundagai CSC: L–R
Membership Product Support
Belinda Contato, Country
Manager South West Steven
Kimball, BusinessWise
Consultant Robyn O’Hara
and Gundagai CSC Proprietor
Kathy Tuckwell.
At Griffith CSC: back
row L–R Gina Harris
(Berrigan CSC), Linda
Ball (Narrandera CSC),
Clarissa Wells and Ann
Foscarini (Griffith CSC),
front row Country
Manager South West
Steven Kimball and Ann
Jones (Berrigan CSC).
Let’s talk
SOCIAL MEDIA Community
Manager Jane Hunter takes her Let’s
Talk audience at North Strathfield
through our social networking sites
and the benefits of expanding our
online community.
14
We’ve been all over the state,
holding information sessions,
training sessions or just running all
over mountainous terrain for our
own enjoyment. And the
Membership team spent two days
at a first aid course to prove that
the team that practises CPR
together, stays together.
Winner $2000 community grant
AT THE CSC CONFERENCE 2012, NRMA Batteries held a competition for Country Service Centres,
with the prize of $2,000 for the winning CSC to donate to a local charitable cause.
There were over 100 entrants in the competition and the lucky winner was Nambucca –
Macksville CSC. The employees split the money and donated $1,000 to the Nambucca Valley
Cancer Support Group to help to buy loan equipment for cancer sufferers. They donated
the other $1000 to the Nambucca Valley Dialysis Fund to help to establish a dialysis unit at
Macksville Hospital, saving locals hours of travel to get to and from their nearest dialysis unit.
Congratulations Nambucca - Macksville CSC and thanks for making a difference in your
community.
FROSTBITTEN!
Crossing the
finish line.
NRMA MEDIA ADVISER Daniel
Stanton completed the North
Face 100 ultra-endurance race in
the Blue Mountains on 19 May
in 18 hours 31 minutes and one
second.
The race took in 100km of
beautiful tracks and trails
through the Blue Mountains that
included some perilous climbs
and descents. After starting at
7am on the Saturday, he crossed
the line just after 1.30am on the
Sunday, physically and mentally
wrecked and with frostbite on his
left toes.
‘It was an amazing journey for
everyone – from the winner
who did it under 10 hours right
through to the inspirational girls
who finished in a tick under 28
hours,’ Daniel said.
Daniel (centre) enjoys
the view with his
fellow racers
ARNS ARE
UP TO
SPEED
NRMA and the Department of Fair Trading
recently hosted information sessions for
our Approved Repairer Network (ARN) to
ensure that they remain up to speed and are
compliant with the latest legislation affecting
the Motor Vehicle Industry. Particular
attention was paid to:
• Australian consumer law
• licensing requirements and compliance
• consumer guarantees
• proof of transaction.
More than 120 people attended at Newcastle, Hornsby, Blacktown, North
Strathfield and Wollongong and gave great feedback on how they would benefit
from the sessions. The strong participation from our ARN was a reflection of
the high standards we set within the Network to ensure the NRMA Brand is
represented positively within NSW.
The NRMA has a fantastic group of 192 Approved Repairers across NSW who
provide servicing and repairs for NRMA Members and the general public.
For more information on the location of our ARNs please see Blue or contact
the ARN team: Brett Hanson on 0439 133 283, Branded Services Account
Executive Peter Murray on 8741 6562 or Branded Services Account Executive
Stephen Boardman on 8741 6538.
L–R: Gary Black from the Department of
Fair Trading and Brett Hanson, Towing
and Branded Service Manager, address
the audience at the North Strathfield
information session.
CONGRATULATIONS
GILLIAN STEWART from
Thrifty’s Wynyard branch won
the Property & Facilities survey
competition. Here she is with
her prize, an Apple iPad.
Milestone
Diane Metz, 15 years
CONGRATULATIONS to
Diane Metz who reaches
her 15 year milestone this
month.
Why did you join NRMA?
When I was growing up my
grandfather always praised
the NRMA and encouraged
me to join and I always
regarded NRMA as an iconic
company. After having my
children, I saw a position
advertised at NRMA. It
was only a casual position;
however I hoped that once
I started working here I
would be able to gain a
permanent position.
What has been your career
path? I started working in
Road Service as a Customer
Service Representative (CSR)
and moved to a permanent
role after six months. I
also had an eight month
secondment as a Road
Service Team Manager when
NRMA was at Parramatta.
I took a secondment in
Membership as a CSR and
have been a team manager
in Membership for the past
three years.
Why have you stayed for 15
years? I love the NRMA as an
organisation and what we
do. It is a great place to work
and I am so lucky to work
with a professional team of
managers and CSRs.
What has changed the most
for you in your job? The
biggest change for me was
becoming a Team Manager
after 12 years helping our
Members on the telephones.
Outstanding
True Blue Award
CONGRATULATIONS to
Executive Assistant Jo
Casey who has won an
Outstanding True Blue
award. Jo was nominated by
Dale Hepworth for Customer
Service Excellence.
‘On 19 April NRMA
undertook a Business
Continuity exercise to test a
range of OH&S, audit, risk,
communication and PR
responses to a crisis. A crisis
centre was set up in North
Strathfield and Jo recorded
details of all conversations,
phone calls, emails, updates
and advice for the entire
day. This entailed an entire
A4 notepad full of
shorthand notes later
transcribed into a written
report on the day’s activities.
The documentation
provided great insight into
the shortcomings of our
business continuity practices
and the enhancements that
can be made to ensure the
safety of employees and the
integrity of our brand’s
reputation as well as service
delivery to Members. Jo
took this task on in addition
to her regular duties,
demonstrating her
commitment to help her
colleagues and deliver
quality documentation that
will enable the business to
develop greater insight into
protecting employees and
Members. The work
involved a big commitment
in time yet was quickly
delivered. Jo demonstrates a
great commitment to our
values on a daily basis and
this is a shining example of
the quality that she
continues to deliver.’
15
THE BOOT
NRMA’S
JUNE
SNAPSHOT
SOCIAL
SNAPSHOT
THIS MONTH we had one of our most popular
posts on Facebook to date. And in an unusual
twist, the post was provided by our Group CEO
Tony Stuart (I wonder if he wants to moonlight
as a Social Media Community Manager?)
We asked our community to write a caption
for a picture of an NRMA van towing another
NRMA Patrol van and the community went nuts!
We had 167 comments and were still receiving
comments two weeks after the post, which is
extraordinary for a Facebook post which usually
has a lifespan of 2–3 days. It was also shared 12
times and liked by 140 people. In total, it reached
9,470 people.
This was a great example of providing
relevant and entertaining content to help our
rapidly expanding Facebook community to grow.
People love the opportunity to be creative, witty
and have a bit of fun.
WE’RE JUST A TWEET AWAY
On Twitter, we had another great example of
how social media can help build relationships,
brand awareness and trust. Influential ‘Mummy
Blogger’ Eden Riley was on her way to a morning
NRMA Patrols’ Go Rate improved
in June and more babies required
rescuing from locked vehicles.
Number of seniors assist ed to
retain their driver’s licence
181
tea with the Prime Minister Julia Gillard, when
her tyre blew out on the M7. In a panic, she
tweeted to her 3,680 followers and one of them
contacted us. After a quick exchange between
her and her followers to ascertain if she was ok
and needed our help, a stranger stopped and
helped her change her tyre. While it wasn’t
NRMA who actually helped her in the end, we
received huge compliments from her and her
followers for making sure she was ok. She now
knows we’re only a tweet away if she needs our
help next time...and so do her 3,600 odd
followers!
If you have any questions about social media
please feel free to email us at: social@mynrma.
com.au or @janehunter and @marcelison on
Yammer.
Hear Eden Riley talk about blogging and the
PM’s morning tea on ABC 702:
http://blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2012/06/
pm-wants-the-ear-of-mommy-bloggers.html
Read about her experience on her blog, which
receives over 100,000 visitors each month:
http://www.edenriley.com/2012/06/
julia-gillard-bloggers-and-agenda.html
Number of cars serviced
across all MotorServe centres
3170
Go Rate employee Patrols
91.4%
Babies rescued from
locked cars
3
1
4
2
MEMBERSHIP COMPETITION
16
3. Our new Group Membership System will
be built with which software?
4. Where do our Red Segment Members tend
to live?
5. Which two Segments each make up 17 per
cent of our Membership base?.
Send your answers with ‘Membership
competition’ in the subject line to internal.
communications@mynrma.com.au by Friday
27 July.
Tow response time
within 60 minutes
79.5%
73.3%
Batt ery response time
within 60 minutes
5
THIS MONTH our feature on pages 4 and 5
looks at how our Members perceive us, what
they are saying about us and how we are
getting to know them. For your chance to win
a $100 NRMA Online Shop voucher, read the
feature carefully and respond to the following
questions.
1. What was our original net paid subscription
target for FY 2011/2012?
2. Our Member and customer feedback has
increased by 16% since what year?
183
BUSINESSWISE COMP WINNER
CONGRATULATIONS to Gosford Product
Support Specialist Melanie Killick on
winning the BusinessWise competition in
Out of the Blue last month. Melanie wins
a $100 Visa card. Here are her answers:
1. Name three businesses on the
BusinessWise More4Member
Program?
A. Caltex, Officeworks, Snap Printing
2. How much is the BusinessWise
Membership fee?
A. $85
3. What is the towing limitation for Light
Commercial Absolute?
A. 12 tonnes GVM
4. Do you receive free towing for Heavy
Vehicle Assist?
A. No
5. Who is the largest paying Member for
BusinessWise?
A. StateFleet