24-7 Members Hub • Leadership Xchange Groups • Service & Warranty Lifecycle
March 4, 2026 Newsletter
Inside MAPconnected: Recall & TAC Insights + Dealer Warranty Study Preview
Catch up on the latest insights from MAPconnected’s recent Xchange Group sessions, including Recall & Customer Campaigns and TAC Leadership Exchange, where senior leaders shared practical approaches to real-world challenges. Plus, get a first look at the 2026 Warranty Study: Warranty Through the Eyes of Your Dealers, providing an objective perspective on how warranty workflows, systems, and support actually perform at the dealership level—helping you validate processes, identify friction points, and benchmark against industry peers. Looking ahead, don’t miss the Spring Club Study in Houston, June 17–18, which combines facilitated peer benchmarking with hands-on learning.
Peer Perspective
Technical Assistance Centers Xchange | February 24
Benchmarking the Future of Technical Support
At a recent MAPconnected TAC Xchange benchmarking roundtable, leaders from Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Gibson, Winnebago and others compared approaches to technical support in an increasingly software-driven service environment. Participants discussed hybrid support models, hotline restructuring, integrated diagnostics, supplier data flows, and the metrics that actually measure success—from response time and case completeness to first-time fix indicators and customer effort scores. The conversation reinforced a key takeaway: technical assistance is no longer just a help desk function—it’s an operational discipline requiring stronger systems, smarter routing, and better data.
🔗 Read the full TAC Xchange blog
Recall, Customer Campaigns & Legal Xchange | February 25
When Does an Over-the-Air Update Become a Safety Defect?
That was the central question in MAPconnected’s first Recall, Customer Campaigns & Legal Xchange Group session, bringing together senior OEM leaders from Honda, Cummins, Ford, Kia, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Winnebago, and others. Facilitated by Varun Jain of K&L Gates—former Deputy General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Transportation and former White House regulatory advisor—the group explored how recall decisions are evolving in a software-defined vehicle environment, where risk moves fast and regulatory lines are increasingly complex. Participants discussed approaches to defect identification, safety assessment, supplier testing, customer communication, and escalation protocols, leaving with practical insights for immediate application.
🔗Read the full Recall Xchange blog
Both sessions illustrate the power of MAPconnected Xchange Groups: structured, peer-led dialogue where senior leaders tackle real-world challenges, compare strategies, and leave with actionable takeaways.
See future Leadership Xchange sessions and reserve your seats.
Next Xchange Group Meetup Highlighted
Recall, Customer Campaigns & Legal Xchange | March 19
Vehicle Buyback Management & Accountability
How many vehicle buybacks were preventable?
Not because of a bad component—
Because of a missed diagnosis.
A poorly documented RO.
The wrong part ordered.
A repeat visit that no one escalated.
Club Study Reminder
Modern Warranty Decision-Making: Manual Foundations to AI Diagnostics
Mitsubishi Logisnext Houston | June 16-18, 2026
MAPconnected’s 4th Annual Club Study combines executive peer benchmarking with hands-on learning in a factory environment at Mitsubishi Logisnext’s new Customer Experience Center in Houston, TX.
Participants get direct exposure to real-world production, service, and warranty operations—going beyond traditional benchmarking formats.
Program Highlights:
- June 17: Themes: Improving consistency and accuracy in manual claim assessment and Supporting accurate diagnosis and repairs upstream. Networking Dinner Sponsored by AI-SWLM Think Tank.
- June 18: Deep-dive the Repair‑to‑Claim Workflow exploring practical, high-impact AI applications.
- Interactive, small-group sessions: Focus on operational challenges, share approaches, and collaborate on solutions with peers across OEMs and suppliers.
- Hands-on learning: Tour assembly and technical operations, analyze warranty failures, and see real-world applications of process improvements and technology enablement.
Coming Soon: 2026 Warranty Study: Through The Eyes Of Your Dealers
Get ready for a clear, inside look at how dealers actually process warranty claims—from required fields and submission timelines to the nuances that shape accuracy and speed. The core of the report features real claim‑entry screens from more than 30 OEMs, giving you a rare, side‑by‑side view of how systems really work. The study breaks down real‑world workflows, system usability, and process effectiveness to help OEMs and service leaders pinpoint friction, validate processes, and benchmark performance with confidence
Key insights will include:
- Dealer Perspective: How do your warranty processes actually perform at the dealership level?
- Key Workflows: Prior approvals, help desk support, DMS integration, and submission time limits.
- Performance Insights: Metrics, system usability, and process effectiveness.
- Cross-Industry Comparison: Automotive, heavy truck, powersports, agriculture, and industrial sectors.
- April Release: Objective, real-world workflows experienced by warranty administrators
Contact us for sponsorship information, interviews and inclusion opportunities.
Current Leadership Xchange Sessions
March 19 | 3-4:15pm ET | Free Event
- Recall, Customer Campaigns & Legal Xchange
Vehicle Buyback Management & Accountability
Benchmark strategies, metrics, and tools used to prevent repeat issues, hold stakeholders accountable without friction, and leverage KPIs and analytics to accelerate resolution, strengthen support, and improve customer satisfaction across OEM, dealer, supplier, and field teams.
March 24 | 3-4:15pm ET
- Purchasing & Supplier Cost Sharing Xchange
Reducing Supplier Administrative Burden
Benchmark how OEMs streamline supplier interactions, reduce duplication and manual work, and balance control, compliance, and usability through optimized portals, submissions, and feedback mechanisms.
April 21 | 3-4:15pm ET | Free Event
- Recall, Customer Campaigns & Legal Xchange
Exploring The Decision To Recall
Join us in a benchmarking session that takes a qualitative and quantitative look at how organizations incorporate regulatory actions, warranty claims, field incidents, customer complaints, technical investigations, and other emerging risks.
STAY TUNED FOR ROUND 2 TOPICS XCHANGE GROUP MEETUPS:
- April 14: Financial Products & Insurance
- April 16: Warranty Administration
- May 14: TAC (Technical Assistance Centers)
- May 19: Parts Return & Quality Analysis
Looking Ahead: Key Events
Upcoming MAPconnected Events
- June 17-18 | Spring Club Study & AI-SWLM Think Tank Meetup | Houston
Modern Warranty Decision-Making: Manual Foundations to AI Diagnostics - Oct 19-21 | Service & Warranty Lifecycle Annual Summit 2026 | Detroit
Analytics, Data, and Service: Fuel For A Customer-First Connected World
Member Experience: Inside the TAC Xchange
“Candid, practical and focused. The most engaged forum for TAC leaders.”
— Jeff Ellis, Senior Group Manager Dealer Tech Support, Hyundai Motor America
“The TAC Strategy & Technology Enablement Xchange Group has been one of the most engaged industry forums I’ve ever participated in. It’s a focused subset within MAPconnected where leaders responsible for Technical Assistance Center operations come together to benchmark performance, share best practices, and openly discuss the real challenges we face every day.
The conversations are candid and incredibly valuable. Whether in person in Detroit at the Service & Warranty Lifecycle Summit or during our virtual sessions, the collaboration is strong and the insights are practical. We’re discussing metrics, operational hurdles, technology enablement, and the unique solutions each of us is implementing—while realizing many of the challenges are shared across OEMs and even across industries.
MAPconnected does a tremendous job facilitating—keeping us in the guardrails while encouraging meaningful dialogue. If you’re leading a Technical Assistance Center, this group is absolutely worth being part of.”
Why Leaders Participate in MyWarrantyNetwork Events & Engagement Tools
- Role-specific peer benchmarking across the service & warranty lifecycle
- Facilitated, executive-level discussions with direct peers
- Ongoing collaboration through the MyWarrantyNetwork Members Hub
- Access to session insights, recordings, and Think Tank initiatives
| I’m happy to answer any questions as you consider which membership is the best fit for your organization. Email me at info@mapconnected.com or fill out an online form. |
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