The “Driver” that Keeps the AA on the High Road

Examines the workings of a new and highly flexible relational database which is allowing The Automobile Association to generate more than£1 million of extra revenue a year. The additional money has come from reviewing the communication process surrounding membership renewals. Further benefits come from more efficient telemarketing, targeted mailings and cross‐selling. The “Driver” mainframe system handles subscription and financial data. A subsidiary marketing database is linked to Driver, and updated nightly so the two are kept in step. Information from the marketing database can be segmented, allowing the AA quickly to build a picture of the main factors which affect its ability to retain customers. Strategies are then developed which enable the AA to move members from a group which is unlikely to be retained into a group which is more likely to be retained.