OEM Leaders Confront Rising Supplier Cost-Sharing Complexity as Administrative Burden Moves to the Forefront 

Supplier cost sharing is a powerful lever for controlling warranty and quality costs, but expanding programs are creating operational challenges. Administrative burden, duplicated submissions, and fragmented ownership across purchasing, warranty, finance, and supplier quality teams are driving friction for OEMs and suppliers alike.

To address this, MAPconnected has launched the Purchasing & Supplier Cost Sharing Xchange Group, an executive peer benchmarking forum where OEM leaders can compare real-world approaches, pressure-test accountability models, and share practical strategies for improving cost recovery. Participants include senior leaders from Volkswagen, Toyota, General Motors, Bridgestone, Cummins, and Stellantis. Unlike traditional events, sessions are discussion-driven and focused on actionable insights.

First Session: Reducing Supplier Administrative Burden

Hosted by: Jim Holloway, Former General Manager, Purchasing, Toyota North America

Date: March 24, 3:00–4:15 PM ET

The discussion will focus on how OEMs are streamlining supplier interactions while balancing the competing priorities of governance, compliance, and usability.

Participants will benchmark topics including:

  • OEM portal structures and supplier touchpoints
  • Frequency, format, and complexity of supplier submissions
  • Areas of duplication, rework, and manual intervention
  • Supplier feedback mechanisms and visibility into pain points
  • Trade-offs between operational control and supplier usability

Across the industry, suppliers supporting multiple OEMs often face fragmented systems that require repeated data extraction, formatting, and reporting across different portals and

submission formats. Many organizations are now examining how these processes can be simplified without weakening accountability or oversight.

By benchmarking real-world approaches across OEMs, participants gain insight into what is working today, where programs are breaking down, and how peers are adapting governance and workflow models.

Reserve Your Seat: Reducing Supplier Administrative Burden Xchange Group

Peer Benchmarking as a Strategic Tool

MAPconnected’s Xchange Groups create a structured environment where industry leaders can openly compare approaches, validate assumptions, and identify practical ways to address real operational challenges.

MAPconnected has launched several executive-level Xchange Groups focused on:

  • Warranty Administration
  • Purchasing & Supplier Cost Sharing
  • Parts Return & Quality Analysis
  • Field Services & Tech Tools
  • Recall, Legal & Compliance
  • Finance & Insurance Products

Join the Conversation inside MAPconnected’s Xchange Groups

Each group meets four times a year, blending virtual peer round-robins with one in-person executive session at the annual Service & Warranty Lifecycle Summit. Sessions are professionally facilitated to ensure structured, compliant, and outcome-driven benchmarking. Participation in the Xchange Group will require active MAPconnected Annual Members which MAPconnected Annual Members receive access to a broader executive ecosystem, including:

  • Participation in additional role-specific Xchange Groups and the AI-SWLM Think Tank
  • Prepaid tickets to the 2026 Service & Warranty Lifecycle Summit (Oct 19–21, Detroit)
  • 1:1 member messaging, forums, and peer networking via the MyWarrantyNetwork Members Hub & Marketplace
  • Member-only insights, benchmarking surveys, and best-practice resources
  • Full access to Summit recordings and presentation archives
  • Discounted pricing for multiple company participants

About MAPconnected

MAPconnected is a member-driven executive network focused on the Service, Warranty, and Aftercare Lifecycle. Through peer benchmarking and industry collaboration, MAPconnected helps OEM leaders identify risks, share best practices, and accelerate operational improvement.

Contact: Pam Walter, Founder, MAPconnected | Email | LinkedIn