American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

1
American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials

• Customer Service Training
• for PBD Call Center
• February 1, 2006

2
Who Are We?

• The American Association of State Highway and
  Transportation Officials
• But we go byAASHTO, pronounced like ASH-TOE

3
AASHTO Mission

• The American Association of State Highway and
  Transportation Officials advocates
  transportation-related policies and provides
  technical services to support states in their
  efforts to efficiently and safely move people and
  goods.

4
AASHTO Vision

• The American Association of State Highway and
  Transportation Officials is the voice for
  transportation and catalyst for organizational
  and technical excellence.

5
AASHTO Overview

• AASHTO is a nonprofit association
• Founded in 1914
• Members include
• 50 State Departments of Transportations (DOTs),
  plus DC and Puerto Rico
• 35 Associate members from Federal, state, and
  local agencies, and other countries

6
AASHTO Technical Services

• Setting standards and guidelines
• Developing software (aka AASHTOWare)
• Developing transportation technologies, designs,
  and management tools
• Partnering with other transportation groups and
  associations

7
AASHTO Committees

• AASHTO committees
• Are made up of representatives of its member
  departments
• Develop voluntary technical standards for the
  design, construction, maintenance, and operation
  of transportation facilities, particularly roads
  and bridges
• AASHTO also develops and publishes documents
  addressing important issues in transportation
  policy
• Here are the Standing Committees of AASHTO
• Aviation
• Highways (largest committee)
• Public Transportation
• Railroads
• Water Transportation

8
Standing Committee on Highways (SCOH)

• SCOH members produce majority of content of
  technical documents that we publish, including
• Design
• Bridge
• Maintenance
• Materials
• Construction

9
Other Subcommittees

• These other committees provide content for the
  majority of policy documents that we publish,
  including
• Business and Administration
• Planning
• Environmental
• Rail
• Quality

10
AASHTO Staff

• Two offices HQ, 55 people (DC)
• Five divisions
• Policy
• Business and Finance
• Meetings and Membership
• Technical Services
• Communications and Publications
• Second Office AMRL
• AASHTO Materials Reference Laboratory
  (Gaithersburg, MD)

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Publications Staff

• Sunny Mays Schust, Director of Communication and
  Publications
• Erin Grady, Director of Publications
• Linda Graves, Asst. Director of Publications
• Linda Siadys, Fulfillment Coordinator
• Greg Pearson, Digital Specialist

12
Publications Staff Contd

• Publications Specialists
• Patricia Little
• Deborah Doehr Kim
• Belinda Bates
• Carolyn Toye, Project Coordinator/Special Asst.
• Bob Cullen, Resource Specialist/Librarian

13
TRAC Staff

• Tate Jackson
• National Manager, AASHTO/ TRAC Program
• Sheri Johnson
• Coordinator AASHTO/TRAC Program

14
Accounting Staff

• Roger Roberts Director, Finance and
  Administration
• Jenet Adem Accounting Manager
• Cassaundra Matthews Staff Accountant
• Eileen Stott, Financial Assistant/Accounts
  Receivable

15
Contractors and Vendors

• Mark Betchkal, Yes Marketing, Catalogs and
  Marketing initiatives
• Riaz Ahmad, iEngineering, IT/Server contractor
• Data Warehouse (data storage)
• Bethesda List Center (monthly e-mail blasts and
  list sales)

16
Printers

• Majority of small books, with small print runs
  come from our in-house Support Services Center

• Goodway Graphics
• Victor Graphics
• Todd Allan
• Gray Graphics
• Linemark Printing
• AGS

• Midland
• Metatec (CDs)
• BC Lucas or A to Z Looseleaf (binders)
• Nahan Printing or Press of Ohio (Catalogs)

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Customers

• State DOTs
• Some Federal, state, and local governmental
  agencies
• Students and Educators
• Transportation organizations
• Consultants and contractors
• International Transportation Organizations

18
Resellers

• Information Handling Services (IHS)
• Partnership for over 23 years build compilations
  from electronic files and sell companies with
  multiple users for network usage
• Special agreement for Materials Book with State
  DOTs
• TechStreet
• Offer electronic compilations
• Advanced Technical Publications (ATP)
• Sales focused on international market recently
  acquired by IHS
• University Bookstores 40 discount

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Discounts

• NACE
• Receive member price, must use NACE when
  ordering
• LTAP Local Technology Transfer Centers
• Can receive book for free within first month of
  fulfillment
• NHI
• Training organization 2040 depending on how
  many and price of book these orders are handled
  on a case by case basis
• AMRL
• Is AASHTO, should get books for free

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Publications Process Phase I

• DOCUMENT CREATION
• Committee produces research
• Votes on content
• Once approved, files come to AASHTO for production

21
Publications Process Phase II

• DOCUMENT PRODUCTION
• Publications department receives files
• Edits copy
• Works with committee to answer any technical
  queries
• Lays out text, designs cover
• Adds links and security for CD
• Sends to press and/or replicator

22
Publications Process Phase III

• DOCUMENT POST-PRODUCTION
• Document leaves printer/replicator
• New inventory arrives at PBD
• Fulfillment Coordinator has already set up
  document in your system

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Publications Process Phase III Contd

• DOCUMENT POST-PRODUCTION contd
• Send PO and shipping information provided to
  printer copy to PBD
• Completed Item Maintenance form sent to PBD for
  new or revised items copy to Greg to post new
  item or changes on Bookstore
• Transmittal letters sent to PBD to ship new
  product to members

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Publications Process Phase IV

• MEMBER TRANSMITTALS
• Member mailing (a.k.a. transmittals)
• 10 free print copies or 1 electronic copy to
  every member (aka state DOT)
• 1 free print copy or 1 electronic copy to
  associate members (aka Fed, state, and local
  agencies)
• Once transmittal has been completed, document is
  considered official document

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Publications Process Phase V

• MARKETING
• New document is
• Posted on bookstore for online or downloadable
  sales
• Listed in print and E-catalogs
• Announced on Committee Web pages
• Featured in e-mail blasts, flyers, and press
  releases

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Publications Process Phase VI

• FULFILLMENT
• Order fulfillment begins!
• 60 Web orders
• 30 phone orders
• 10 fax and mail orders
• 93 are domestic orders, remainder are
  international
• Only members are able to make returns within 60
  days

27
Product Overview

• PBD will be responsible for fulfillment of
• AASHTOs documents, CD-ROMs, and potential
  network licenses
• TRAC kit assembly and shipping
• TRAC staff will handle billing
• AASHTOs Software (aka AASHTOWare) will be
  handled by headquarters staff

28
Product Overview

• Majority of technical books sold are guidelines
  and standards including
• Materials Book
• Can be ordered online individually as well
• Design Titles
• Bridge Titles
• Only category that will sell as interims (i.e.,
  yearly supplement texts that have changed pages
  that customers need to insert into previous
  edition)
• Policy Reports
• Leadership, environmental, and business documents
• Oftentimes these reports are offered as first
  copy free

29
Product Overview

• Book coding stems from committee that created it,
  such as
• AE Admin Economics
• BR Bridges Structures
• CS Construction
• DS Design
• JT Joint Task Force
• MA Materials
• MN Maintenance
• PE Planning Environment
• RP Reports
• RR Rail
• ZZ Miscellaneous

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Product Overview

• Document Code Breakdown
• Category-Acronym-Edition-Component
• Example Roadside Design Guide, 3rd Ed
• Code DS-RSDG-3
• You will almost never receive the category code
  from the customer, it is primarily an internal
  code

31
Components

• Product components are displayed at the tail end
  of the publication code
• Ex. DS-RSDG-3-E
• A component can be
• T Text
• E Errata (FYI always free and always on
  bookstore)
• M Kit
• I1, I2, I3, etc. Interim (found only in bridge
  books)
• CD CD-ROM

32
Kits

• Kits
• Begins with a parent document set up to include
  different components or children added to make
  the kit complete
• Ex. DS-RSDG-3-M, which includes
• RSDG-3-T (text)
• RSDG-3-CD (CD-ROM)
• RSDG-3-E3 (Errata)
• RSDGCHP6-T (Chapter 6 Update Text)
• RSDGCHP6-CD (Chapter 6 Update CD)
• RSAP-1-CD (Free supplemental RSAP CD)

33
Interims

• Are only sold as a component of a bridge document
• Interims contain new or revised materials to be
  incorporated into the original edition
• Footers indicate the year of the interim
• For bridge specifications to be current, customer
  must have up-to-date interim

34
Interims Contd

• Interims are successive, they do not supersede,
  but they are rather used in conjunction with the
  previous years interim that has already been
  incorporated into the book
• Neither AASHTO nor PBD will provide assembly
  service it is the customers responsibility to
  collate their changes into their previous
  editions
• When new interim is published, older interims are
  also set up as kits with original edition, or
  sold unto themselves

35
Bestsellers

• Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (aka
  The Green Book)
• New Edition comes out every 46 years
• Considered the bible of highway design
• Has CD-ROM sold as kit or sold separately
• Roadside Design Guide, 3rd Edition
• Now also has Chapter 6 Update sold separately or
  as kit
• Comes with CD-ROM
• New edition due out late next year

36
Bestsellers Contd

• Guide for Design of Pavement Structures and
  Supplement
• New edition has been in the works for about 8
  years
• Now becoming a manual for software application
• Controversial due to infighting between the
  asphalt and concrete industries

37
Bestsellers Contd

• Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 3rd
  Edition
• Aka MUTCD
• Partnered document with AASHTO, ITE, and ATSSA
• CD-ROM sold separately

38
Bestsellers Contd

• Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities,
  3rd Edition
• aka The Bike Guide
• AASHTO Guide for the Planning, Design, and
  Operation of Pedestrian Facilities
• aka The Ped Guide
• A Guide for Achieving Flexibility in Highway
  Design
• aka The Flex Guide (acronym does not match
  because title changed after code was set)

39
Bestsellers Contd

• AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, 4th
  Edition
• LRFD (stands for Load and Resistance Factor
  Design)
• Commonly referred to by customers as simply
  bridge specs
• always ask for title if possible, most titles
  fall within the bridge category
• Comes with CD-ROM
• New interim every year for three years after new
  edition (bridge books are the only ones to have
  these)
• Comes in U.S. and S.I. units, but this is the
  last year, follow-up interims will only be in
  U.S. units

40
Bestsellers Contd

• AASHTO LRFD Construction Specifications, 2nd
  Edition
• 2005 Interim Available
• 2006 Interim Also Available
• Published in dual units

41
Bestsellers Contd

• 26th Edition of the Standard Specifications for
  Transportation Materials and Methods of Sampling
  and Testing
• aka the Materials Book
• Comes as a 5-volume set, including a
  Provisionals document, produced every year
• 3,600 pages 5 months of production time
• Grosses over 1 million in publications revenue
  each year, largest revenue-generating publication
  at AASHTO

42
Materials Book Contd

• Only document that is set up as standing order at
  this time
• Materials testing laboratories are mandated to
  have the most current edition of the Materials
  book on an every other year basis within their
  labs
• Includes over 450 specifications, that are now
  sold individually on our online bookstore
• No individual hard copies are sold

43
Materials Book Contd

• Individual materials specifications have a
  complicated designated numbering system
• Part I (Vol 1A 1B), includes
• M Materials Specifications
• R Recommended Practices
• Part II (Vol 2A 2B), includes
• T Tests
• Provisionals (smallest volume sold as part of
  set or as standalone)
• MP Materials Provisional Specification
• PP Recommended Provisional Practice
• TP Test Provisional
• NOTE Oftentimes customer will only refer to the
  M-142 or PP-108, please refer them to the
  individual specifications online

44
Materials Book Contd

• NOTE Oftentimes customer will only request to
  purchase the M-142 or PP-108, please refer
  them to the individual specifications online or
  if they would like a hard copy, the may buy the
  book or the CD-ROM

45
Pubs as a Revenue Source

• 812 of AASHTOs documents make up 80 of our
  total sales
• Average yearly publications revenue 3.8 million
  to 4.3 million
• Publications is one of two revenue-generating
  departments within AASHTO
• Publications revenue covers overhead, operations,
  and member services of the organization

46
Marketing

• 4 print catalogs a year
• 2-4 E-catalogs a year
• Monthly E-mail blasts
• Press releases sent to trade mags
• Most importantly, selling from online bookstore

47
The e-Affiliate Campaign

• AASHTO e-Affiliates
• Receive discounted prices
• Are eligible for free standard domestic shipping
  and discounted international standard shipping
  (20 of order cost) on all orders placed via the
  AASHTO online bookstore, equal to a 5 discount
  on the total order
• Can track order
• Have immediate access to many electronic
  publications
• Receive automatic communications about interims
  and new releases of the publications you use
• AASHTO Member Departments and Associate Members
  must become an E-Affiliate to receive the member
  price when ordering online
• The department e-mail domain authenticates the
  access to member prices.

48
The Educator Campaign

• An annual marketing campaign for teachers
• Provide one free title per year
• Upon request written on school letterhead
• Letter must share details of potential usage of
  the document (e.g., class name, size, curriculum,
  etc.)
• Getting more strict about how they are using it
  with class, need to promote usage by entire class
• Students and teachers get member price always,
  and a bulk discount if they buy over 50 copies
• In the past we gave five titles, but not very
  successful marketing strategy

49
AASHTO Bookstore

• bookstore.transportation.org (Live demo)

50
Inventory

• Main inventory should be conducted by close of
  fiscal year, which is June 30th
• Oftentimes, this will coincide with the arrival
  of the Materials Book. AASHTO will coordinate
  inventory with print production of document as
  early as possible
• Sometimes these sales must fall with in the
  current FY and must be processed prior to June
  30th

51
Frequent Customer Questions

• General
• Q. Im looking for AASHTO standard (or
  specification )....
• A. All are found in Materials Book (HM-26).
  Provisional Standards (PM, PT, PR) are also found
  in Provisional Standards book (PS-09). Available
  individually only as downloads (Nonmember 120
  each, Member 100 each). See attached list for
  numbering.
• If a Full Standard is not on the list, its been
  discontinued. Refer to AASHTO Archives
  (202-624-8919 bobc_at_aashto.org). If a
  Provisional Standard isnt on the list, it may
  have been discontinued OR it may have been
  converted to a full standard and renumbered
  accordingly
• Standards starting with H are part of the
  Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges
  (HB-17) (and not shown on attached list).

52
Frequent Customer Questions

• General
• Q. When is the new Green Book coming out?
• A. Currently scheduled for release in late 2008
  or early 2009.

53
Frequent Customer Questions

• Web Store
• Q. I signed up for the free downloads on your web
  site but I cant find them.
• A. Register on the web site as an E-Affiliate if
  you havent already. Log in. There is a link
  that says Free Digital Publications near the
  bottom of the page. All free publications can be
  found there.
• Refer to Greg (202-624-3652 gpearson_at_aashto.org)
  for additional questions/problems.

54
Frequent Customer Questions

• Q. I ordered a digital publication but when I try
  to open it, I just get a blank screen.
• A. Did you download the Adobe Acrobat security
  plug-in?
• If no, direct them to the plug-in. There is a
  Get Adobe Security Plug-In link on their My
  Bookstore page immediately above the Paid
  Digital Publications link. They can also use
  this direct web address https//bookstore.transpo
  rtation.org/download_plugin.aspx
• If this doesnt solve their problem, refer to
  Greg (202-624-3652 gpearson_at_aashto.org).

55
Frequent Customer Questions

• Q. Is there a cost to register on the online
  bookstore as an E-Affiliate?
• A. No.

56
Frequent Customer Questions

• Q. I registered on the online bookstore as an
  E-Affiliate, but I still get charged the
  non-member price for my online orders.
• A. Being an E-Affiliate is not the same as
  being an AASHTO Member.
• Anyone can become an E-Affiliate (and get free
  standard (not 2nd day or overnight, domestic
  shipping, or discounted standard, not express,
  international shipping), but only employees of
  AASHTO member departments qualify for the member
  price.

57
Frequent Customer Questions

• Q. I actually am an employee of an AASHTO member
  department, but I still do not get the member
  price for my online orders.
• A. To get the member price online, you must
  register as an E-Affiliate, answer yes to the
  question on the registration form asking if you
  are an employee of an AASHTO member department,
  and select the department from the list provided.
• If they are already registered, they can log in
  to the online bookstore and click the Update
  E-Mail Address link (its at the very top of
  their My Bookstore page). That will take them to
  a form where they can update their
  member/non-member status.
• If they need more help than you can provide,
  refer to Greg (202-624-3652 gpearson_at_aashto.org).
  

58
Frequent Customer Questions

• Contd
• If they are already registered, they can log in
  to the online bookstore and click the Update
  E-Mail Address link (its at the very top of
  their My Bookstore page). That will take them to
  a form where they can update their
  member/non-member status.
• For assistance, refer to Greg (202-624-3652
  gpearson_at_aashto.org)

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Questions?