NATDA Magazine Mar/Apr 2016 | Page 38

manufacturer for pre-approval. One important note to make here is to take really good pictures and be thorough in this process. If the manufacturer can’t see the defect clearly, then chances are it may get denied. Claim pre-approval is crucial to getting any claim paid. Would you pay for something sight un-seen and after the fact? Probably not, so make sure to avoid the pushback and get pre-approval for everything. Now that you have communicated with the manufacturer, it is just as important to communicate with your customer. Let them know what is being covered, and what is being denied. Always use your email for authorizations and denials, as this is your written proof. Be upfront and tell the customer exactly why a claim is being denied, and feel free to share this email with everyone, there should be no secrets. The key here is to be proactive, present facts, and be transparent with communication. A thorough PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection) will mitigate a lot of future problems. Let’s face it, there is absolutely nothing worse for the customer than buyer’s remorse. We can identify with this, because more than likely this has happened to us all at some point in time. You know the drill, you buy something n ]