Winter is just around the corner and we want to help you prepare for the upcoming travel season. We recently sat down with our customer, AAA Central Penn, who has been actively involved in providing exceptional roadside assistance for nearly 100 years. Approximately 42 million Americans are expected to take a holiday road trip. With so many vehicles on the road, AAA Central Penn expects the need for roadside assistance to spike over the next few months; usually for dead batteries, flat tires, and lockouts.
Here are some helpful tips for safe winter driving:
- Prepare your vehicle for the winter months by having the battery and charging system tested. You will also want to get your brakes checked to ensure they work smoothly and apply properly.
- Carry a winter driving kit for emergency use including a bag of abrasive material (i.e. sand, salt, or cat litter), a small snow shovel, snow brush, traction mats, a flashlight with new batteries, and an ice scraper.
- Carry a cellular phone and car charger. Program your phone with important numbers including roadside assistance 1-800-AAA-HELP.
- Drive with caution. Clear all of the snow off your vehicle, especially your lights and mirrors. Drive with low beam headlights on and be careful driving over bridges, which will freeze before road surfaces in cold weather. Do not use cruise control on snow, ice, or wet roads as it may cause hydroplaning.
As the seasonal traffic increases over the winter months, AAA Central Penn prepares for the incoming calls by utilizing NICE CXone's complete cloud contact center platform. With the use of the ACD/IVR platform, they have more flexibility to scale their agent count up and down based on seasonal volume changes. AAA Central Penn recently incorporated the live chat and email feature which now offers more convenience for their members. Having the capability to reach AAA Central Penn through multiple channels after being in an accident, or experiencing car trouble, gives members more accessibility and can expedite the service. With nearly 181,000 roadside assistance calls in 2014, it is critical for AAA Central Penn to provide seamless experiences for their members.
As the busy travel season and winter months begin, be sure to take these tips on the road with you.
