In August 2025, Kia, Hyundai, Hyundai Canada, Ford and Toyota began meeting through the TAC Xchange Group. They were joined in 2026 by Winnebago and Rotobec, extending the conversation beyond passenger vehicles.
After 3 virtual meetings this year, members will meet at the 6th annual Service & Warranty Lifecycle Summit to examine how technical support can serve dealers more effectively and help manufacturers recognize quality concerns sooner.
For executives responsible for technical assistance, that is a valuable combination:
- Access to peers who understand the demands of dealer support and a continuing forum for comparing how different organizations respond.
- Comparing how other technical assistance teams handle case volumes, specialist support and difficult escalations can help leaders identify what is actually holding performance back.
Does the team need more capacity, a clearer route to engineering, or better access to diagnostic information? That distinction matters before committing to additional headcount or new technology.
The TAC Xchange Group Meets Throughout The Year
The TAC Xchange Group is part of MAPconnected’s MyWarrantyNetwork. Its development shows why the Leadership Xchange Groups meet throughout the year. Members can return to a subject, bring another perspective and continue a discussion rather than wait for the next annual event.
The founding organizations bring substantial automotive experience. Winnebago and Rotobec add different products and service environments to that exchange. For a technical-support leader, comparing approaches across those environments can help expose assumptions about how support should be organized and when an established process needs to change.
The next meeting moves that conversation to Detroit, October 19–21 at The Westin Southfield Detroit. The TAC program connects a leadership panel with discussions on field support and the point at which a technical case deserves wider quality attention.
Getting The Right Support To The Dealer
“Getting the Right Support to the Dealer: The Evolution of Technical Assistance” examines how TAC teams are changing dealer support as vehicles become more complex, technician shortages continue and digital tools and AI develop. The panel covers four areas: the changing TAC model, current operational challenges, AI in technical assistance and the operational improvements shaping what comes next.
The current panel includes:
- Shane Schmitt | Director Technical Hotline | Ford Motor Company.
- David Brisky | Senior Techline Communications Manager | Kia America.
- Russell Suzuki | Manager Field Technical Services | Toyota Motor North America.
- Miles Thompson | Senior Manager Advanced Diagnostics | Hyundai Motor America.
Facilitator: Dan Dobbs | Solutions Architect Vehicle Services Group | Advantage Technical.
How Technical Assistance Informs Warranty Decisions And AI Investment
Empowering Dealers Through Technical Field Support brings the TAC and Field Services Connected Data groups together. For leaders overseeing both remote and field resources, it is an opportunity to compare how support reaches the dealer and where those responsibilities need better coordination.
When Does A TAC Case Become A Quality Issue? examines escalation, duplicate avoidance and ownership across TAC, Quality, Engineering and Field teams. The discussion asks how a concern identified through technical support becomes something the wider organization can act on. The group’s program also includes an end-to-end process walkthrough to identify practical AI opportunities.
These are management questions with consequences for resource allocation and accountability.
Who should take responsibility when a case needs a broader investigation? How does the originating team learn what happened next? Comparing those approaches with peers can help leaders identify what to examine within their own organizations.
New OEMs Are Welcome
The TAC Xchange Group welcomes new OEM participants.
Leaders responsible for technical assistance, field service and dealer support can join the Summit discussions and explore the year-round exchange through MyWarrantyNetwork.
MAPconnected also connects members through 6 other Leadership Xchange Group themes: Warranty Administration; Purchasing & Supplier Cost Sharing; Parts Return & Quality Analysis; Field Services Connected Data; Financial Products & Insurance; and Recall, Customer Campaigns & Legal.
