New Podcast by AASA’s Bill Hanvey Highlights Industry Steps To Address Preventable Warranty Returns

Bill Hanvey, senior vice president of the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), will highlight efforts by the AASA Warranty Task Force and the AASA Know Your Parts campaign to address preventable warranty returns in a podcast which airs at 6 p.m. EDT on Thursday, October 8 here.

“This message has an impact on everyone who works in the $300+ billion aftermarket today,” Hanvey said. “The industry has a 3% warranty rate that continues to grow. The reality is that 98% of products returned are truly not defective. The bottom line is we can’t keep doing business the way we’ve always done,” he explained.

In his podcast, produced by Remarkable Returns, Hanvey relates the proactive steps taken in the last nine months to help reduce preventable warranties throughout the aftermarket supply chain. Through a cooperative effort by members of Know Your Parts and the Warranty Task Force, the website  has been launched. It addresses proper diagnosis of starting and charging systems repairs – one of the auto maintenance and repair jobs with the highest rate of preventable warranty returns.

The KYPgenius site features a video and interactive, eLearning tool to guide technicians through the diagnostic and repair steps needed for a successful starting and charging systems repair. It has garnered 100,000 visits this month alone, and site visits and use by service professionals continues to grow.

Hanvey’s podcast gives the back story on how the eLearning tool was created and how it is among the important steps underway now to tackle this industry-wide issue. He relates pertinent information on warranty rates, lost shop profits and how service professionals can use the interactive diagnostic tool to minimize warranties and create happier customers.

The AASA Warranty Task Force is made up of the service professionals, channel partners and full service suppliers, all working together on the issue of preventable warranty returns. The AASA Know Your Parts Starting & Charging campaign includes AASA battery manufacturer members East Penn, Exide and Johnson Controls, and members in the starting and charging category: ACDelco, BBB, Bosch, Continental, Dayco, DENSO, Gates, Litens, MPA, Remy and Schaeffler INA.