As a marketing associate here at AAA Western and Central New York (WCNY), I spend a lot of time writing about the many benefits of being a AAA Member.

And if you were wondering, yes, I do use those benefits myself. I’m a big fan of the AAA Tickets platform, which has helped me save hundreds of dollars on tickets to concerts and sports events.

But the cornerstone benefit of AAA Membership is our emergency roadside service (ERS) program, which is available to all AAA Members 24/7/365 anywhere in the US or Canada. It’s a valuable service that’s been trusted by millions for over 120 years.

I’ve turned to AAA for help with disabled vehicles in the past, but I’ve been fortunate to avoid needing a tow truck for several years. That luck changed recently as I pulled my car into the parking lot at AAA WCNY headquarters in Amherst to start my day at work.

While turning right, the car’s power steering suddenly failed. I was able to lurch into a parking spot, but my morning hit a serious snag. There would be no way to drive this car back to my home in Buffalo safely.

Now, I know what you’re probably thinking: “Why don’t you just call AAA? You’re already there!” But no, I did not call AAA. Instead, I used the AAA Mobile app. And to be as objective as I can be, it was a great experience. Let me explain why.

1. Automatic facial recognition sign-in. AAA takes your privacy seriously, which is why the AAA Mobile App now includes facial recognition log-in. No need to enter your membership number or password, simply let your phone’s camera verify your identity, and you’re signed in.
2. No need to wait on the phone. Part of calling AAA for roadside service includes speaking to a AAA Call Center Representative who gathers your information so AAA can dispatch an emergency vehicle to you. Through the AAA Mobile app, your membership and vehicle information is verified with the click of a few buttons, and your incident is placed directly into the queue. So easy.
3.  No need to explain where you are. This might seem silly in my case because my car was literally in the parking lot at AAA. But what if I was driving somewhere unfamiliar? Explaining where you are on a highway can be complicated, especially when you’re frazzled by sudden car failure. The AAA Mobile app takes the guesswork out of pinpointing your location, automatically connecting AAA with your location through GPS.
4. Track your emergency roadside vehicle. The AAA Mobile app includes a great feature that lets you follow the progress of your emergency roadside vehicle on route to your location. Being able to track my tow truck allowed me to finish a few tasks at the office before meeting my ERS technicians in the parking lot.

Shortly after requesting help from AAA, I got a courtesy call from Abdel Abdelfatah, AAA Senior ERS Technician. We briefly discussed my car’s issue and its location in the parking lot. Abdel arrived within about 20 minutes along with fellow Senior ERS Technician Brandon Hadley.

It was hot in the parking lot that morning, but both technicians were friendly and easy to converse with as they worked together to quickly load my car and take it to my garage of choice back in the city.

Brandon was finishing his training with AAA, so he shadowed the tow truck in a light-duty truck. I rode with Brandon on the way to the garage and got to know a little about him along the way.

A former auto mechanic, Brandon had sustained an injury that made working in a garage difficult. AAA has provided a great alternative while still working in his field, he said.  

“With AAA, I can still do what I love and work with cars. And I enjoy helping people, so this is a great fit for me,” Brandon said.

AAA is hiring! Put your career in high gear and join our team.

We arrived at the garage in Buffalo and took a moment for a quick photo. No, I wasn’t looking forward to car trouble that morning, but thanks to the AAA Mobile app and AAA’s knowledgeable, friendly ERS technicians, my day turned around quickly. I was able to finish my workday from home, and I was back in the office the next day. 

And if you were wondering, everything’s fine with the power steering.

Do you have the AAA Mobile app? Access all of your AAA benefits, including roadside assistance, easily from your smartphone. Download now!

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