Industrial Machinery Manufacturer Increased Service Warranty Claims Filing Rate By 44% With GLSS
Minnesota
Manufacturing
Operations
44%
- The problem: The manufacturer was losing thousands of dollars each month in recoverable warranty income. Warranty claims were not being filed consistently or on time, leading to unnecessary rework, lower financial performance, and growing frustration across departments.
- With GLSS, the manufacturer increased its warranty claim filing rate from 43% to 62%—a 44% improvement.
In the industrial machinery and technology industry, every step in the service process matters. For this organization, even small gaps in clarity or communication could lead to major financial losses—especially in warranty claims, where missing information can mean missed revenue. When the company realized that its warranty claim filing rate was far below what it should be, the team stepped forward to lead an improvement effort.
The team chose GLSS’s Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training & Certification because of its simple, practical lessons and proven track record of helping employees solve problems quickly. From the beginning, the project embraced Ethical Efficiency™, ensuring improvements were fair, transparent, and designed to support both people and performance. Instead of pointing fingers, the team focused on creating a system where everyone could succeed.
The manufacturer was losing thousands of dollars each month in recoverable warranty income. Warranty claims were not being filed consistently or on time, leading to unnecessary rework, lower financial performance, and growing frustration across departments.
Technicians wanted to submit accurate claims, but the process wasn’t clear. Supervisors struggled with inconsistent information. Coordinators weren’t always sure how to flag potential warranty cases. This confusion created a domino effect—missed claims, lost revenue, and more time spent chasing information instead of serving customers.
For a manufacturer that depends on strong margins and reliable processes, improving this workflow wasn’t optional—it was essential to protecting profitability, supporting customer trust, and reducing internal friction.
After applying the structured problem-solving methods learned through GLSS Green Belt Training, the team discovered that the issue wasn’t effort—it was communication.
Technicians didn’t fully understand what information was required during write-ups or how their role connected to warranty success. Some IT constraints were unavoidable, but the main obstacles stemmed from unclear expectations, inconsistent messaging between roles, and a workflow that didn’t give employees the guidance they needed to do their best work.
Using GLSS’s tools and templates, the team built a practical, people-focused improvement plan.
They began hosting Warranty Fitness Meetings with service supervisors to align expectations and demonstrate how accurate, timely claims directly influenced financial performance.
Next, they introduced draft submissions for potential warranty cases, ensuring critical details—especially serial numbers—were captured before deadlines were missed. To stay ahead of opportunities, the team also added a weekly review of outstanding claims, making it easier for supervisors to identify and act on open items.
To strengthen consistency, the team met with the warranty leader to gather best practices and escalation paths, then shared those insights across service teams. Coordinators received guidance on how to flag likely warranty situations, and supervisors trained technicians on exactly what needed to be included in every write-up for a smooth, valid submission.
These solutions reflected Ethical Efficiency by prioritizing clarity, fairness, and a supportive workflow that helped every employee succeed.
The improvements were significant. The manufacturer increased its warranty claim filing rate from 43% to 62%—a 44% improvement. This rapid progress strengthened warranty recovery, improved financial performance, and moved the team closer to its goal of adding $250,000 in operating income.
Employees gained confidence, communication improved across departments, and time-consuming rework dropped dramatically. What once felt chaotic became a streamlined, predictable process.
with GLSS
With GLSS Training & Certification and Kure, the organization didn’t just improve a process—they elevated the way their teams work together. The program’s innovative instructional design and clear, approachable content enabled the team to achieve results faster and with greater confidence.
By applying Ethical Efficiency throughout the project, the team ensured that improvements supported transparency, collaboration, and long-term success—not just short-term gains.
Thanks to this successful project, this organization now has a stronger, more reliable warranty process and a team equipped with the skills to continue improving. The organization is better positioned for future challenges, future opportunities, and continued operational excellence.
*We value our clients’ confidentiality. While we’ve changed their names, the results are real.
