For 1990-2009 cars

# TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER

#### SUBJECT: Saturn Technical Assistance Center ----------------------------------

#### TO: All Saturn Retail Service Team Members

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This bulletin supersedes bulletin 95-I-21, which should be discarded. As a result of Retailer input and in our quest for continuous improvement, we are pleased to announce several enhancements to the Saturn Technical Assistance Center (TAC) telephone system. We will review the hours of operation, TAC's telephone system changes, and how to contact TAC for telephone or operational issues.

#### Hours Of Operation:

TAC will continue to operate with extended hours as follows:

Monday: 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Central Time Tuesday-Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Central Time

#### NOTE: Although TAC is open through normal lunch hours, the center will be short staffed from 11:30 through 1:30, central time, as our Team rotates their lunch period.

#### TAC Telephone System Changes:

The new TAC telephone system is now active. The most significant changes are:

1) To continue a case, the caller can connect directly back to the engineer that assisted on previous calls.

2) The caller must provide their Retailer Code to gain access to the system.

3) If there are four or more callers holding when a caller enters the system, the system will inform the caller how many are ahead of them. This will allow the caller to judge the amount of hold time to expect.

4) The TAC Tips have been modified to provide greater utility to the caller.

All telephone system features that were implemented with previous system enhancements have been retained with this new telephone system. The following flowchart details the system.

#### Contacting TAC on Telephone or Operational Issues:

To review any issues involving the Technical Assistance Center telephone system or operational issues, please contact the Technical Assistance Center Team Leader, Bob Wittmann, at (615) 489-2974, or through the 800 number using the same utility that allows you to reconnect to a specific engineer.

The purpose of the Technical Assistance Center is to join the Retailer technician, in a partnership with, a common goal of vehicle repair. We believe we have an obligation to the Retailer partner, as does the Retailer partner with TAC. In order to assure we can fulfill your expectations, it is necessary to review TAC's Operating Principles, and specific items that are, and are not, within the TAC - Retailer partnership.

#### TAC Operating Principles:

- Utilize published service procedures as the first resource for repair information.

- Thoroughly document all procedures used outside of those that are published.

- Strive to improve the quality of service publications, tools and training.

- Use each contact as a means to increase experience and knowledge.

- Escalate cases we are unable to resolve, in a reasonable number of contacts, within the Service

- Engineering organization, deploying Field Service Engineers or other resources as required.

- Report all trends identified in the course of daily contacts to the appropriate organization.

#### TAC Role In The Partnership:

- Answer incoming calls in a timely and courteous manner.

- Maintain focus on quality of contact with mutual respect between the TAC Engineer and Retailer service personnel.

- Document the subject of the call and provide a case number when appropriate.

- Thoroughly diagnose condition using all available resources.

- Consistently provide the best information available.

- Review and update all currently-open cases at the calling Retailer.

- Seek feedback and closing information on each case.

#### Retailer Role In The Partnership:

- Have detailed description on condition from vehicle customer/user. Answer who, what, when, where and how much.

- Have the vehicle at the Retailer and a CSO open. Attempt to verify the complaint. If possible, compare condition with similar vehicle.

- Review the service manual and bulletins for applicable repair information.

- Thoroughly document all information on TAC Form S030005 (available at no charge from 1- 800-828-2112, Prompt 3). Record Retailer code, TAC case number, suggestions, notes, test requests and results, and the repair information on this worksheet. Attach the worksheet to the CSO (or a copy if closing case via Mail).

- Be prepared to discuss other open cases at your Retailer.

- Close the Loop! Call back if the condition continues. Report your repair, use the TAC Case Closing Utility, mail the completed TAC form or review with a TAC Engineer.

#### Outside of the Retailer - TAC partnership:

TAC will attempt to assist the Retailer to the most cost-effective repair without regard for the form of payment. In this way, repairs covered by warranty or by customer-pay will receive the same treatment by TAC. TAC does not approve expense associated with the repair of a vehicle. Such expense is typically broken down into one of the following categories:

- Customer-Pay: TAC is not aware of all State and local requirements associated with customer- pay type repairs, consult Retailer leadership for guidance on these local requirements.

- Warranty Expense: TAC does not approve, or add credibility to, a warranty claim. All expense must be documented on the CSO to substantiate work perfomed. To obtain a better understanding of the warranty claim process, review the Saturn Service Policies and Procedures Manual and the Customer Service Order Preparation Manual. If any questions remain, contact your Facility Consultant.

- Vehicle Policy Expense: Vehicle Policy expense is for repairs beyond the new vehicle limited warranty period. These expenses are to be approved in advance through the Retailer leadership. In the event the Retailer leadership requires guidance, they should contact your Facility Consultant.

- Goodwill Settlements: Goodwill settlement expense is for services provided to the customer in pursuit of customer enthusiasm. These expenses are to be approved in advance with your Customer Assistance Manager at the Saturn Customer Assistance Center (1-800-828-2112, prompt 6).

General Motors bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, not a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform those technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, do not assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See a General Motors dealer servicing your brand of General Motors vehicle for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.