As we enter our new financial year I am reminded of the words of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, who said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.”
I feel that the RMI is that leading voice in the automotive aftermarket and I am encouraged that we are once again entering a new financial year on a strong note. We have an innovative and forward-looking strategy which prioritises our members by helping to generate growth and sustainability while allowing us to give back to members. All activities are focused on delivery excellence and honing the RMI’s core value proposition with a clear single vision that aligns human resources to the core value proposition, placing quality members at the centre of everything we do.
This is a very intentional strategic shift which will assist in repositioning the RMI as a member-value centric organisation built on personal touch, agility, operational excellence and sector leadership.
We are fiercely proud of our RMI brand which is recognised as the leading voice in the automotive aftermarket sector. You, our members, represent that brand which is why our first priority is centred around member satisfaction and retention.
Encapsulated in our five key strategic objectives is the importance of strategic leadership and oversight needed to transform us into an agile value organisation. This will require simplifying our systems to better leverage technology and to remove the administrative burden with systems that codify, measure and improve our working environment. We will also purposefully partner with expert organisations for data and insights to develop the necessary sector leadership.
As part of our strategy to achieve these goals a number of special projects are either in progress or will commence in the coming year. These include increasing our brand visibility to ensure that the RMI becomes a household name and focusing on member education in order to upskill and empower our members. In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, staying abreast of new developments and emerging trends is paramount for professionals across all industries. As technologies advance, market dynamics shift, and best practices evolve continuous learning becomes essential for maintaining relevance and competitiveness. This evolution has never been more relevant for the retail automotive aftermarket sector. This is also an area that our nine newly appointed training advisors will focus heavily on so that the RMI is in a position to design customised skills courses which will enable our members to thrive in dynamic environments. This will not only contribute to their long-term success, but also that of the RMI.
The RMI is transforming. We are delighted to see more young people joining our regional committees as well as the number of programmes aimed at encouraging and attracting young talent into the sector. In celebration of youth month during June, we hosted another highly successful Motor Mech competition in East London. This is the energy and impetus our sector is looking for so congratulations to all involved.
We remain committed to our members and most importantly to our customers whose safety and motoring wellbeing is our key concern.
We trust you will enjoy our latest edition and the dedicated association feature from the VTA which focuses on the importance of motoring safety and the urgent need for periodic testing which we strongly believe can help to significantly reduce our unacceptably high level of motoring accidents and fatalities.
Ipeleng Mabusela, CEO: Strategy and Corporate Support
