How OEMs and Suppliers Are Redefining Quality Through Data, Alignment, and Shared Responsibility
At the 2025 Service & Warranty Lifecycle Summit, one of the most anticipated Deep Dive panel discussions brought together leaders shaping the future of quality management across the automotive ecosystem.
The session — Quality Management & Root Cause Identification — featured:
- David Hallac, Founder & CEO, Viaduct
- Jossey Bertollini, Product Engineering Manager, Magna Seating Systems
- Jose Clemente, Manager, GPSC Warranty Performance, General Motors
- Facilitated by: Jennifer Jones, Global Lifetime Warranty Chief, Ford Motor Company
Together, they unpacked how OEMs and suppliers are moving from reactive firefighting to proactive, data-driven execution that prevents quality issues before they cascade into cost, customer frustration, and warranty exposure.
Why 95% of AI Pilots Fail — And What Defines Success
One of the most talked-about moments came from David Hallac, who shared a blunt but refreshing lens on the industry’s AI adoption challenges.
According to David, most organizations don’t have a technology problem — they have a pilot problem.
He broke it down simply:
“A good pilot is focused, fast, and backed by alignment from the top.
A bad pilot? Multiple initiatives, shifting goals, and no ownership.”
This resonated across the room, especially as OEM and supplier teams rethink how to deploy AI and analytics tools in quality, engineering, and service diagnostics.
The message was clear: you can’t scale what you can’t structure.
Proactive Quality Is Becoming the Standard
Across the discussion, Jossey Bertollini (Magna) and Jose Clemente (GM) highlighted a fundamental shift happening across quality teams:
Proactive beats reactive — every time.
From structured problem-solving to standardized data processes to clearer ownership across engineering and field operations, OEMs and suppliers are accelerating:
- Early issue detection
- Cross-functional visibility
- Shared accountability
- Faster root-cause correction
- Stronger customer outcomes
This harmonized approach is now setting the bar for what modern quality management should look like.
Shared Responsibility: The New Quality Mindset
A recurring theme throughout the panel: quality is not a department — it’s an ecosystem.
Jennifer Jones (Ford) guided the group through how shared responsibility among engineering, quality, suppliers, and service operations is the only sustainable way to reduce defects and improve warranty outcomes.
With tighter feedback loops and better data visibility, teams can finally move from “Who owns this?” to “How do we solve this together?”
Why This Deep Dive Matters
The panel didn’t just outline problems — it demonstrated what successful transformation looks like when organizations commit to:
- Clear alignment
- Focused pilots
- Operational discipline
- Transparent data
- Collaborative execution
For Summit attendees, this session became a roadmap for elevating quality management across the service and warranty lifecycle.
Members Get Full Access to the Recording
MyWarrantyNetwork members can watch the full Deep Dive session — along with every Summit presentation, panel, and workshop — on demand.
If your team is navigating quality challenges, scaling AI initiatives, or building structured warranty processes, this session alone is worth the membership.
🔗 Join MyWarrantyNetwork:
https://www.mapconnected.com/join-mywarrantynetwork/#member-join