Nissan is taking a significant step towards empowering its dealerships and improving customer service by introducing tiered Dealer Claims Authorization Limits (DCAL). This new program grants dealerships greater autonomy in handling warranty repairs based on their demonstrated performance in key areas.
Three Levels of Empowerment:
The DCAL program categorizes dealerships into three tiers: Base, Standard, and Premium. Each tier comes with a pre-determined per-claim authorization limit, allowing dealerships to approve warranty repairs within that amount without seeking prior approval from Nissan.
- Base Level: $2,000 per claim
- Standard Level: $5,000 per claim
- Premium Level: $7,000 per claim
Earning Your Tier:
Initially, all dealerships will be assigned to the Standard Level. However, following the next six-month performance review, each dealership will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Fixed Right First Time Scores (F1): Prioritizing accurate repairs on the first attempt (20% weighting)
- Warranty Claim Performance: Overall efficiency and accuracy of warranty claims (60% weighting)
- Claim Processing: Timeliness in processing claims (10% weighting)
- Claim Submission: Days taken to submit claims after work order completion (10% weighting)
- Claim Suspension: Minimizing instances of claim suspensions (10% weighting)
- Dealership Shop Specialty Certifications: Demonstrating expertise in specific repair areas (20% weighting)
Dealerships exceeding expectations in these areas will be eligible for promotion to the Premium Level, while those falling below may be assigned to the Base Level. This semi-annual review ensures continuous improvement and incentivizes dealerships to prioritize performance and customer satisfaction.
Benefits for Everyone:
The DCAL program offers numerous benefits for Nissan and dealerships:
- Dealerships: Greater autonomy, faster repair approvals, and increased customer satisfaction can improve business performance and customer loyalty.
- Nissan: More efficient claim processing, reduced administrative workload, and enhanced dealership performance strengthen the overall brand reputation.
Reference: WBP/21-020