• The warranty admin can help by printing off the list of prior approval items every payday and delivering it to all service staff.  

Note that the admin may hold out any claim without prior approval, so you can try to get approval after the fact.  However, it may not get approved; in an audit they would see the approval time line was after the fact.

• The booker can also stop a claim before it is booked in order to obtain prior approval.  Again, this is not the proper process because PRIOR approval is, well……..prior.

• The advisor most surely should look to see if it is on his list of prior approvals, as well as actually reading the VIN inquiry and part verification screen.  This should indicate the need for approval and if the need for pictures is required.

• The technician also has to know the approval guidelines and limits. Remember that the main task of the tech is to fix the vehicle. Monday morning meetings, for even five minutes, can make a difference.  Share current information and past failures in order to keep them on the road to success in claims payments.

• The shop foreman can also help by making sure prior approval processes and requirements are constantly posted and enforced daily.

One idea I found to be working well, was a big easel with huge paper located at the entry to the shop listing all the current or new prior approvals. This was so visible that the techs had to see it constantly.

• Service  managers should review claims regularly to make sure policy and authorization guidelines are consistently being followed. It is the old saying ‘inspect what you expect.’ You are busy and service is crazy, but you have to at least look at paperwork weekly in order to adequately train your department for what is lacking.

One service manager that had an extremely successful department, met daily with his warranty admin and shop foreman in order to review the paperwork from the day prior.

 It literally took 15 minutes to completely see what was being done correctly, and what needed work. Then the admin was then informed what to look for, while the shop foreman went to communicate with the technicians.

• The parts department can also play a big role in reminding the technician that the part may need approval prior to replacing.

One parts dept had a sign that read “Have you gotten your prior approval?” This was posted right on the back counter so the techs had to see it all of the time.

These items can help create a bomb proof policy for making sure your claims go through.