THE CLIENT

A leading global automotive manufacturer.

BACKGROUND

Thousands of times a day, dealerships are contacting manufacturers to diagnose and get authorization on performing warranty repairs. The current solution to this is very manual and labor intensive with dealerships initiating calls, providing diagnostic trouble codes, manufacturers reading through Technical Service Bulletins and Service Manuals and using this content and experiential knowledge in order to authorize the work.

This process is not only time and labor intensive, it is fraught with errors due to manual processes and a requirement of individual knowledge for troubleshooting and authorization. 

Our client sought to reduce costs, decrease timing and improving collaboration with dealers throughout a vehicle’s service lifecycle. Partnering with Rulesware and Pega, the client set an initial goal to reduce losses due to improper/excess car repairs, eliminate repairs not covered through current warranties, capture the knowledge of their top associates in the troubleshooting process and provide consistency across this whole process whether a new or veteran associate was conducting the authorization.

The company quickly realized how greatly they lacked both transparency and automation in their processes. They had no way to analyze historical data, nor could they quickly change their existing manual processes to drive better outcomes. They wanted to streamline their service interactions by implementing intelligent and agile automation that could quickly identify eligible claim warranty scenarios and recommend appropriate next actions based on claims history. 

RULESWARE’S APPROACH

Leveraging the Pega Warranty Application, the Rulesware team developed and implemented a solution that evaluates incoming repair orders and provides interactive options for service representatives across multiple departments. 

The system collects repair order information from affiliated automotive dealers in real-time, while the customer is still at the dealership. Prior to the repair being authorized, the diagnostic trouble code(s) is analyzed across all the Technical Service Bulletins and Service Manuals with a decision tree structure that interactively and expertly directs the questions and answer process to the conclusion of the repairs to be authorized and the contractual costs (parts and services) that are covered.

Service personnel are provided guidance in real-time. This results in accurate and timely information for the customer about their repair costs (if any), which generates goodwill, as well as informing the dealership about any expenses which will be accrued as part of the claim. 

Rulesware extended Pega’s rules authoring user interface to further allow business owners to easily develop sub-rules and the hierarchy of the rules that are applied. Think rules development made easy for the business owners who understand the process. 

As an example, this entailed user interfaces that define the business rule, conditions that affect it, exclusions to the rule, outcomes that fulfil this rule and subsequent questions that guide the user to a final outcome.

This process flow and user interface can be used for any case management scenario that: 

• Requires conditions and multiple sub-rules 
• Keeps the definition and development of the process in the business owners hands

THE RESULTS

Regardless of the channel the dealership decides to use (self-service web portal, phone call to the warranty claims department, mobile application), they are receiving the expert direction they need. 

90% of the authorization requests are now being conducted on a first call resolution through these channels! Elimination of unwarranted repairs, increased quality and decreased speed of processing are increasing customer loyalty and ultimately saving the organizations millions of dollars annually. 

All constituents are happy:

• The manufacturer controls costs by authorizing only warrantied repairs
• This process is streamlined for both the manufacturer and dealership
• The customer is receiving the service in the time frame they require

Further benefit is being provided to the manufacturer by digitally transforming this process. The TSB’s are uniformly digitized to automate the engine codes to the appropriate TSB(s) identification, the process is consistent across all warranty claims agents, expert scripted guidance is provided that includes the specific questions to ask at precise points, with an outcome that all are happy with. 

To maintain this solution, tools are configured to allow:

• Adding new vehicle models
• Managing engine codes
• Managing pre-authorized amounts for repair
• Managing agent screen messages based on the interaction with the dealership

Next on the solution agenda are out of warranty services. Creating customer brand loyalty is paramount. Creating allowances for customers that include manufacturer and dealer splits and offers to customer for repair at reasonable prices helps create brand loyalty. Fully automating the Technical Service Bulletins will be a game changer also.

Rulesware Expertise Provided or Rules Authoring inside Pega’s Rules Engine

Rulesware extended Pega’s rules authoring user interface to further allow business owners to easily develop sub-rules and the hierarchy of the rules that are applied. Think rules development made easy for the business owners who understand the process. 

As an example, this entailed user interfaces that define the business rule, conditions that affect it, exclusions to the rule, outcomes that fulfil this rule and subsequent questions that guide the user to a final outcome.

This process flow and user interface can be used for any case management scenario that: 

• Requires conditions and multiple sub-rules 
• Keeps the definition and development of the process in the business owners hands

For more information on how Rulesware and how we can help your company achieve its goals, please email us at sales@rulesware.com.