The Strategic Plan for the BMW Car Club of America sets direction for the organization, as determined by the club's senior leaders. BMW CCA senior leaders met in Houston, Texas in November, 2004 to discuss and develop the Club's strategic directions. The main areas in which the senior leaders identified the need for positive change were membership, customer satisfaction, operating efficiency, finances, and human resources. The Board of Directors used these directions to craft the strategic plan to include strategic objectives and planned or potential actions that will take us where we need to go.

The plan is made up of individual strategic directions that represent major aspects of Club policy and operations. Within each direction are one or more strategic objectives. To begin accomplishing them, each objective contains one or more actions. These actions may be tasks that are already in process, already being planned, or they may be actions that are under consideration but not yet approved. The list of actions will change and evolve as some are accomplished, and others are changed due to events, resources, or conditions.

The strategic plan is a living document. As needs are identified, actions are accomplished, and new challenges are faced, the plan's directions, objectives, and actions may change to reflect them. Comments from BMW CCA chapter leaders and members are welcome and encouraged.

To succeed, many of the actions listed in the plan will involve the work of chapter leaders, officers, and volunteers, as well as National elected representatives, the National Office staff, National Service Officers, and contractors. How well we all work together will have a huge impact on our success in taking our Club where we believe it needs to go. This will be a team effort. Fortunately, when we look at the caliber of people leading the chapters and serving at the national level, it's obvious we have a great team.

Scott Blazey
President
BMW Car Club of America

Strategic Direction: Grow the club.
We will strive to grow the club in size by offering real value for members' dues dollars, by expanding our offerings of programs, by expanding our means and methods of communicating and providing services, and by expanding member benefits. Status quo meets the needs of traditionalists who like the club exactly as it is now, but it is ultimately a recipe for extinction. Our goal is to create a home for as many BMW enthusiasts as possible by meeting their BMW information and activity needs.

 

Objective: Increase overall BMW CCA primary memberships by an average of 4% per year through 2010.

Actions:

• Create a marketing plan designed to increase the number of new members and increase the retention percentage.
• Actively recruit new BMW owners
• Actively recruit owners of used BMWs
• Improve retention
• Increase the percentage of new members joining from Internet-based groups
• Increase the percentage of new members referred through independent repair shops
• Initiate a survey program to obtain meaningful statistical samples of why people join, why people stay, and why people leave.

Strategic Direction: Build into the club organization the flexibility to create a home for BMW enthusiasts in the United States.
The club membership consists of geographically based chapters to which almost all members are assigned. The base and nature of BMW enthusiasts is changing, with increasing participation by non-BMW CCA members in Internet-based generic, model-specific, and special interest groups. These groups are meeting some of the social and technical information needs of BMW enthusiasts and in some cases, the driving event needs as well. Many of these enthusiasts are not interested in participating in chapter-based activities, at least initially. To grow the club and achieve our vision, the club must adapt its organizational structure to create a home for the growing diversity of BMW enthusiasts looking to associate with others of similar interests. Likewise, the club leadership structure and national support staff must adapt to a changing membership structure, to include adjusting the span of control of regional vice presidents and the addition of representation for non-geographically-based members.

 

Objective: Expand the organization to allow for non-geographic-based members.

Action: Propose to the membership an amendment to the bylaws to allow for the addition of non-geographic organizational structures to attract and provide representation for non-geographically based BMW enthusiasts such as special interest, model-specific, and Internet-based BMW enthusiasts.

 

Objective: Prepare the club to expand its governance capabilities commensurate with the needs of the organization.

Action: Establish trigger points for redistricting geographic regions to maintain a span of control that allows regional vice presidents to best represent their regions and visit chapter activities. The trigger points should be based on a formula that includes area (distance), number of chapters, and number of members.

Strategic Direction: Manage risk to minimize its impact on club operations and protect the club from financial loss and litigation. Continued financial and legal health of the organization depends on minimizing exposure to unnecessary or avoidable risks and protecting our club and our members from potential damage from those risks deemed acceptable or unavoidable, given the club's activities.

 

Objective: Structure risk management resources to provide effective identification, assessment, and recommended protection from bonafide risks.

Actions:

• Identify the qualifications for an on staff or on call risk manager.
• Review all policy manuals, bylaws, and programs to identify areas needing additional risk assessment.
• Complete the assignment of all chapters to the D&O insurance policy.
• Incorporate a risk identification and assessment step into club processes.

Strategic Direction: National club facilities must adequately support national club operations.

 

Objective: Continue national operations in the current club headquarters location as long as it meets our needs for space.

Actions:

• Annually, based on forecasted growth, project the corresponding staff growth and identify needed space, facilities, equipment, and other resources. Use the projections to plan floor space requirements, potential layouts, and other facilities characteristics. Develop and annually update a prioritized list of facility requirements.
• Maintain the value of current real property.

 

Objective: Plan for the funding and identification of a permanent facility that will meet the club's administrative and logistical needs through 2050.

Action: Develop specific strategies for the identification and acquisition of suitable facilities that includes consideration of buying versus leasing, new versus existing, stand alone versus contiguous.

Strategic Direction: Keep the club infrastructure strong by maintaining a strong base of chapter and national volunteers.
Governance of the national organization is only as good as the quality of the individuals elected to service in national positions, and individuals appointed as National Service Officers. Likewise, governance of chapters is only as good as the quality of individuals volunteering at that level. The health of the club, its chapters, and its programs at all levels depends on bringing good people into leadership and executive positions.

 

Objective: Develop methods and resources to identify, recruit, and train national leaders, and assist chapters to identify, recruit, and train chapter leaders.

Action:

• Create a new chapter officer information packet that will be sent to each new chapter officer, describing their duties and responsibilities and how best to communicate with the national staff and their elected representatives.
• Develop (or contract for development) an exportable package to be provided to chapter leaders that will help them identify potential chapter volunteers, appeal to those candidates, recruit those candidates, and effectively utilize those individuals within the chapter organization.
• Create a section of the web site that explains chapter officer duties, methods of accomplishing their tasks, FAQs concerning those positions, and links to forums with participation by people in those positions.
• Create a section of the web site that explains national officer duties, methods of accomplishing their tasks, FAQs concerning those positions, and links to forums with participation by people in those positions.
• Use national and regional conferences to recruit candidates for national offices and explain the extent of those positions and duties.
• When feasible, appoint non-board members to board-level committees to extend the capability of the board to address issues and make plans, and to also expose additional members to board-level activity.

Strategic Direction: Expand and improve events and programs.
National events (Oktoberfest, Tech Fest) are generally accepted as fun and worthwhile by attendees. Chapter events, including off-highway driving schools and autocrosses, and driving events such as rallies, tours, and concours, are also generally considered fun and worthwhile. Regional events, to date, have centered primarily on chapter events. The national Club Racing program is fulfilling its charter. Numerous non-BMW CCA model specific and SIG specific events have been held throughout the country with varying success. As long as they are successful and meet the needs of the members, we should maintain traditional national events, maintain national programs such as club racing, continue to support chapter events, and expand support and organization effort for regional and national model and SIG specific events.

 

Objective: Develop an optimal mix of national and regional events and programs that meet the needs of our members.

Action:

• Organize at least one model or SIG specific regional or national event in 2006. Expand by at least one additional event per year until the club, by itself or in partnership, presents at least five model or SIG specific events per year.
• Survey members attending national and regional events to determine satisfaction. Survey members not attending events to determine reasons for not attending. Use the results for input to improvement considerations.
• Expand the capability of the national office staff to include the ability to work with chapters and non-chapter groups to coordinate and plan regional events.

 

Objective: Sanction Oktoberfest and TechFest as the foundation of a flexible premier national event series designed to be financially self-sufficient and to increase overall attendance by ten percent per year for three years and by five percent per year after three years.

Actions:

• Survey all national event attendees for satisfaction with event. Tailor special survey to first-timers to determine impressions as well as likelihood of return.
• Designate locations and host chapters for national events at least two years in advance of each event.

 

Objective: From a risk management and organizational perspective, plan for the continued viability of the driving school program.

Actions:

• Determine the availability of companies that could offer track-only automobile damage insurance to school participants at a reasonable cost.
• Provide guidance and resources for continually improving the identification, selection, and development of good instructors.

 

Objective: Increase frequency of Chapter Congress and Driving Events Conference to at least every other year by 2008.

Action: Plan for the following conference schedule

• 2005 Newsletter Editor/Webmaster
• 2006 Driving Events
• 2007 Chapter Congress
• 2008 Newsletter Editor/Webmaster and Driving Events
• 2009 Chapter Congress
• 2010 Driving Events
• 2011 Newsletter Editor/Webmaster and Chapter Congress
• 2012 Driving Events

Strategic Direction: Expand, improve, and publicize member benefits.
Long-time members take for granted many of the benefits that come with club membership. New members may not be aware of all the benefits. First, we have a responsibility to publicize those benefits. Second, we have a responsibility to expand and improve those benefits where possible.

 

Objective: Expand and improve member benefits

Action:

• Create, or contract to establish, Internet forums that will be free to members.
• Streamline member-only classified ads and link to member-only forums.
• Create or expand a technical reference and tech tip database accessible by members.
• Develop a merchandise discount program based on longevity, involvement, attendance at national and regional events, etc.
• Develop a new member pack that combines a welcome letter, member card, and a premium/reward for joining. Develop a similar reward pack for renewing members to give them instant gratification for joining or renewing.
• Establish a retailer contact function in the National Office to catalog the discounts offered by BMW dealers, independent repair shops, parts suppliers, and other related vendors and publish those discounts online and in print. Educate non-participating retailers and solicit them to offer discounts to members in return for exposure in various media.

 

Objective: Make all members aware of their member benefits.

Actions:

• Compile a complete listing of member benefits.
• Develop the capability, either in-house or by contract, to produce video materials promoting member benefits. Distribute videos by web site, and by DVD to chapters, sponsors, vendors, BMW dealers, independent shop owners.
• Identify potential partners to enter into reciprocal benefit agreements; that is, to trade advertising or mailing lists or other exposure in return for member discounts or premiums.
• Provide read-only access to forums and classifieds to non-members as an incentive to join. After second page, trigger a request to join.

Strategic Direction: Provide the best customer service
Customers of BMW CCA include its members, chapters, programs, sponsors, vendors, and advertisers. Each one must be made to feel important and valued, through outstanding service from the National Office, elected representatives, and contractors. This is key to creating value, improving retention, improving recruiting, creating a healthy work environment for our employees, contractors, and volunteers, and accomplishing our vision of being the best car club in the world. More, better, and more frequent communications is essential to good customer relations and satisfaction. We must make it easy for members and chapters to get information from the web site, the National Office, and their elected representatives. Our policies must be clear and comprehensive, so that members and staff never have to guess at what we can provide to members and how we do so. We must treat our vendors and sponsors as the valued resources and partners that they are.

 

Objective: Improve customer contact communications to provide the most appropriate response in the minimum time.

Actions:

• Improve e-mail response time
• Survey members on the quality and timeliness of customer service from the National Office and from elected representatives.
• Conduct periodic training for customer contact staff; evaluate staff on success of meeting customer needs.

 

Objective: Establish informational releases issued by the National Office as a primary means of making announcements to chapter leaders and other internal and external stakeholders.

Actions:

• Issue an information release within 24 hours whenever positive news is available concerning the club, chapters, significant member accomplishments, initiation of sponsor and vendor agreements, sponsor or vendor milestones with the club, etc.
• Develop a list of individuals, groups, publications, trade journals, newspapers, and other media outlets, including Roundel and chapter newsletters, to which press releases are sent for different category news items.

 

Objective: Establish a proactive, definitive vendor and sponsor relations program.

Actions:

• Establish a process and schedule for communicating with sponsors and vendors to keep them updated on club events, to answer their questions, and to reinforce the benefit to them of being associated with BMW CCA.
• Develop the capability, in-house or by contract, to solicit, negotiate, contract, inform, and support vendors and sponsors, and to establish and operate vendor areas and sponsor presence at BMW CCA events.

 

Objective: Keep chapter leaders and members informed on significant club activities, policies, and news by proactively pushing information to them.

Action:

• Send monthly News From National by e-mail to every chapter officer listed in the database.
• Clarify the use of e-mail addresses by members when they join or renew. List opt out options, privacy policy, and develop incentives to decrease percentage of opt outs.
• Reduce the percentage of bad e-mail addresses by 10 percent per year.
• Coordinate Roundel President's Page, Directions, and other magazine sections to ensure that each issue contains exposition of policy and emphasis on member benefits.
• Send by e-mail the Board meeting minutes within 24 hours after approval to all chapter officers listed on chapter officer questionnaire and all National Service Officers.

 

Objective: Create a functional web site that is easy to navigate; contains the information needed by chapters, members, sponsors, vendors, and advertisers; maximizes interactivity; and supports national and chapter operations.

Action:

• Complete the transition to the new web site.
• Establish a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section of the web site on which to post frequently asked questions and answers from chapters, programs, and members.
• Reduce phone call inquiries to the National Office by 10 percent over two years by investing the web site with enough accessible data that it becomes most members' primary source for getting answers to questions. Create an interactive web section for members and potential members to ask questions and receive answers. Ensure that all inquiries are answered within one business day.
• Create individual web sections on the web site for each board member, the Executive Director, and each National Service Officer as a place to post information pertinent to their position.

 

Objective: Control the release of information regarding incidents so as to protect the legal, financial, and public relations interests of the club, its chapters, and its members and other stakeholders.

Action: Implement the crisis communication plan for rapid response to media, members, and governmental agencies in the event of serious incidents during BMW CCA or chapter events. Test the plan with select chapters before general implementation. Conduct training on the plan at each national conference.

Strategic Direction: Use technology to improve operational effectiveness and efficiency.
Information technology that can help the club accomplish tasks faster, better, cheaper, easier, or more accurately should be used if we can afford it. It can be a member benefit multiplier and facilitator. We will not acquire technology for technology's sake but rather, leverage the use of existing and available technology that works to our advantage.

 

Objective: Make maximum use of proven technology to accomplish the club's mission most efficiently and effectively.

Actions:

• Offer all chapter forms in dual formats: hard copy by regular mail or downloadable as PDF and Word files), and as online submittable electronic forms. At some point in the near future, require all forms to be submitted and updated online.
• Enable password-protected online database access as follows:
  • Member level to check individual data and change address, e-mail, model, and other profile information, with links to online renewal.
  • Chapter level to check membership stratus of chapter members for eligibility purposes, and to generate up-to-date mailing labels. No member data changes allowed. Enable ability to check and update chapter-specific information.
  • Board level to check membership data by national or regional boundaries, as applicable, to research and resolve issues and to develop demographic data. No changes allowed.
  • Program level to check member eligibility and member data pertinent to that program. Only changes allowed are program specific entries (i.e. club racing probation/suspension).
  • National Office level to check all member and status data and make changes as required.
• Establish space on the web site for chapters to post PDF versions of chapter newsletters in lieu of mailing to other chapters and national level staff and directors. Chapters would still be required to mail paper copies to selected individuals, such as the BMW NA addresses.
• All future registration for national conferences will be available online.
• Registration and payment for national events will be available online.
• Registration and payment for nationally sanctioned regional events will be available online.
• Chapter account status will be available online to chapter presidents and treasurers, by password protection.
• As a service to chapters, BMW CCA will offer online registration for chapter driving schools and other fee events, including credit card processing.
• Make space available on the BMW CCA web site for chapters that do not have their own web sites to set up and maintain minimal web sites.

 

Objective: Use proven technology to measure the effectiveness of club operations.

Action:

• Develop a series of ongoing membership and retention surveys that will be interactive online by invitation of representative samples.
• Club and chapter leaders can check the status of conference and national event registration online.
• Work with chapters to develop minimum standards for chapter web sites.
• Develop a process for submitting complaints online.