Before The Costs Escalate
A warranty claim is often treated as the end of a process: a repair completed, a claim submitted, a cost recorded. The organizations gaining the most value from warranty data see something different. They use it as an early warning system, revealing emerging quality concerns, service bottlenecks, customer experience issues, and opportunities to act before problems grow more expensive.
In this week’s CONNECT:
- Marijo Prodanic, Director Warranty Operations & Technical Assistance at Kia America, explores what warranty data reveals beyond claim accuracy
- ServiceNow shares resources on connecting information across the automotive lifecycle in their new 4 e-book series
- Latest updates to the people, sessions, and companies that will make this year’s Summit one of the strongest yet.
"There is no other opportunity all year to connect with this many leaders across OEMs, suppliers, warranty, quality, technical support, and service in one place."
8 More Reasons To Join The Summit
Behind every session is someone tackling the same challenges your team faces. Meet the latest professionals sharing lessons learned from across the service and warranty ecosystem:
Lance LaCoe, President & CEO, CARS Protection Plus
Bruce Williams, Head of Global Process & Methods – Supplier Quality Development, Stellantis
Chelsea Alarie, Global Warranty Project Coordinator, General Motors
Ted Danner, Sr. Dir Warranty & Service Contract AI Solutions, Circuitry AI
David Brisky, Senior Techline Communications Manager, Kia America
Russell Suzuki, Manager Field Technical Services, Toyota Motor North America
Tim Bares, Business Analytics Specialist, Ford Motor Company
Steve Zadoorian, Executive Director, STAR
Who Else Will Be In The Room? 50+ Speakers
One of the greatest values of the Summit isn’t just the presentations. It’s the opportunity to exchange ideas with peers facing similar challenges. Explore the growing roster of speakers, facilitators, and industry leaders shaping this year’s event:
Arnon Shafir, VP Data Intelligence & AI, Upstream
Ben Bergman, Director of Customer Service, Crown Equipment
Bruce Williams, Head of Global Process & Methods – Supplier Quality Development, Stellantis
Bryan Tracy, Warranty Manager, Slate Auto
Chelsea Alarie, Global Warranty Project Coordinator, General Motors
Craig Stack, Co-Founder & President, Truepic
Dan Dobbs, Solutions Architect Vehicle Services Group, Advantage Technical
Daryl Kreskowiak, Director NA Warranty Recovery, Stellantis
David Brisky, Senior Techline Communications Manager, Kia America
Drew Arnum, Editor, Warranty Week
Eric Bloink, Warranty Performance Manager Interior and Exterior, General Motors
Graham Swan, Executive Director Global Warranty, Cummins
James Kiriazes, Director Customer Quality Engineering, Bridgestone
James Nardini, Warranty Operations National Manager, Kia America
Jennifer Jones Wheeler, Former Global Lifetime Warranty Chief, Ford Motor Company
Jim Holloway, Former GM Purchasing, Toyota Motor North America
Jimmy Bynum, CEO, Garde Solutions
Jordan Tauriainen, Senior Director of Global Automotive Go-To-Market, ServiceNow
Jose Clemente, Manager GPSC Warranty Performance, General Motors
Josh Cohen, Global Warranty Strategy Manager, General Motors
Kristin Kolodge, Former VP Research Product Development, JD Power
Lance LaCoe, President & CEO, CARS Protection Plus
Marijo Prodanic Director Warranty Operations & Technical Assistance Kia America
Mark Abbott, Client Executive, Pegasystems
Michael Goebelbecker, Technical Hotline Operations Manager, Ford Motor Company
Mike Roberts, Former Global Warranty Strategy Manager Ford, MR Insights
Miles Thompson, Senior Manager Advanced Diagnostics, Hyundai Motor America
Paul Whitworth, Chief Operating Officer, WarrCloud
Peter Dentler, Warranty Program Manager Lead, Mack Trucks | Volvo Trucks North America
Russell Suzuki, Manager Field Technical Services, Toyota Motor North America
Sean Kane, President & Founder, Safety Research & Strategies
Shane Schmitt, Director Technical Hotline, Ford Motor Company
Stacey Higginbotham, Policy Fellow, Consumer Reports
Steve Olejniczak, Associate Director Warranty, International
Steve Zadoorian, Executive Director, STAR
Ted Danner, Sr. Dir Warranty & Service Contract AI Solutions, Circuitry AI
Tim Bares, Business Analytics Specialist, Ford Motor Company
Tim Kellogg, Service Manager, DeNooyer Chevrolet
Tim Turvey, former Global Vice President Customer Care & Aftersales, General Motors
Tomlin Abraham, Assistant Director Warranty Performance, General Motors
Tyler Betthauser, Founder, The Car Conservatory
Uma Boddapati, Senior Warranty Manager, Sensata
Victor Garcia, Deputy GM Warranty Group America, Nissan North America
Wayne Mitchell, Global Senior Vice President Business Development, Sedgwick
What Warranty Reveals Beyond Claim Accuracy
A claim can satisfy the rules while the wider service operation still needs attention. In his conversation Marijo Prodanic, Director Warranty Operations & Technical Assistance at Kia America, looks beyond claim accuracy to what warranty information reveals about the service drive.
Technician efficiency, the balance between warranty and retail repair orders, and how promptly customers receive attention can help leaders understand how a dealership is operating. Marijo’s point is that the same people and processes serve both warranty and retail customers. The information should inform more than a payment decision.
His perspective extends to the quality of the claim itself. Useful repair data helps an OEM identify what needs to improve in the vehicle. Treating warranty only as a cost to contain risks overlooking that contribution to product quality and the customer relationship.
He also challenges leaders to examine whether sales, marketing, parts, warranty and quality targets support one another. When departments pursue conflicting goals, the customer can feel the result. The question is not simply whether each team meets its target, but whether those targets support the experience the business wants customers to have.
For warranty leaders seeking executive attention, that creates a practical starting point: show what field information reveals, which teams can act on it, and how earlier action could protect customer loyalty. Warranty should earn attention for helping the business learn, not only when costs become a problem.
4 Automotive Workflows Worth Examining Together
ServiceNow, a Platinum Sponsor, has published a resource series for automotive OEM operations teams, pairing video walkthroughs with eBooks on 4 areas:
- Quality management: connecting production, service and warranty information to examine emerging problems.
- Warranty and recall: coordinating eligibility, parts and dealer processes when claims arrive.
- Dealer experience: making it easier to find the information needed to answer a customer.
- Vehicle ordering: keeping configuration, pricing and allocation information connected.
Use the series to examine where your own teams repeat work or lose context between systems.
Who Supports The Vehicle After The Warranty Ends?
A vehicle’s software needs may outlast its original warranty. Justin Brookman, Director Technology Policy at Consumer Reports, asks what ongoing support should look like as vehicles depend on software, security updates and connected services.
These are questions for product planning as well as aftersales: how long will support continue, how will owners understand those commitments, and what happens when support ends?
These are some of the questions that Stacey Higginbotham, Policy Fellow at Consumer Reports will cover in her session on Wed Oct 21.
60+ Diverse Companies. Countless Benchmarking Opportunities
Ford. Crown Equipment. Winnebago. Cummins. Slate Auto. CARS Protection Plus. Ally Financial. PACCAR. Rotobec…..
Representatives from more than 60 organizations have already confirmed their participation. From automotive OEMs and suppliers to equipment manufacturers, technology providers, and warranty specialists, the Summit brings together a uniquely diverse group of leaders focused on improving service, quality, customer support, and warranty outcomes. technologies, services and expertise supporting this work.
Meet The Partners Supporting The Work
One Conversation Could Change Your Next Decision
Whether you’re looking to improve dealer support, reduce warranty costs, strengthen quality feedback loops, or prepare for the impact of AI and connected vehicles, the right conversation can accelerate progress.
Group discounts are available for teams of three or more, making it easier to bring the colleagues who can help turn ideas into action.
Don’t miss this opportunity!
Only once a year do the industry’s leading minds in warranty, quality, technical support, service, and aftersales come together in one place. The conversations, connections, and perspectives shared here are difficult to replicate anywhere else.
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