Kristin Kolodge

Industry’s Blind Spots: What We’re Still Getting Wrong About Quality, Recalls, Warranty and Customer Trust

Every warranty claim, recall, technical assistance case, parts failure and repeat repair is telling us something about the customer experience. Why does the industry still struggle to turn all of that information into action?

The Quality Blind Spot – We know something is failing, but do we know why?
The Warranty Blind Spot – Are we managing claims or learning from them?
The Dealer Blind Spot – Are OEM processes designed around the customer or the organization?
The Trust Blind Spot – When something goes wrong, who owns the customer relationship?

Bio

Kristin Kolodge is an accomplished Automotive Engineering Executive with over 30
years of experience driving global mobility transformation through human-centered
innovation, cross-functional product development, and multimillion-dollar P&L
stewardship. A trusted partner to global OEMs and suppliers, she specializes in
translating complex technical advancements into high-growth commercial portfolios and
industry-defining quality standards.

Most recently as Vice President of Research Product Development at J.D. Power, Ms.
Kolodge architected the strategic turnaround and restructuring of the industry’s most
renowned automotive benchmarking and quality portfolios, including global vehicle
quality research and consumer acceptance studies for Level 4 autonomous vehicles.
Prior to joining J.D. Power in 2014, she spent nearly two decades at Fiat Chrysler,
serving as Senior Manager of HMI (Human Machine Interface) and Ergonomics, where
she pioneered processes integrating cognitive analysis into vehicle design, and as
Senior Manager of Product Investigations and Campaigns, managing critical vehicle
safety and regulatory compliance initiatives.

Ms. Kolodge holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from and a master’s
degree in engineering management from the University of Michigan.