STAR Adds Sixth New Member in 2003: NAT, Inc.

MCLEAN, Va., May 6, 2003 -- NAT, Inc., a leading provider of collaborative extended warranty workflow software solutions for automotive retailers, OEMs and suppliers, has joined STAR, the IT standards body for the North American retail automotive industry, as its newest member. NAT is the sixth organization to have joined STAR this year alone.

NAT workflow software helps both auto retailers and underwriters of extended warranties to operate more efficiently, with increased customer satisfaction, by making the sales process easier and related claims processing faster. For auto manufacturers and their suppliers, NAT workflow software streamlines and automates new-vehicle warranty administration and ensures the integrity of data accuracy, collection, coordination and warehousing throughout the OEM supply chain.

STAR (Standards for Technology in Automotive Retail) is a non-profit, auto industry-wide initiative to create voluntary IT standards for the data elements and transmission format used by manufacturers, dealers, and retail system providers to communicate with each other. STAR's initiatives will result in a more efficient data exchange between dealers and manufacturers, with lower costs, more accurate and timely data, and increased levels of customer satisfaction.

"NAT is a good complement to STAR's initiatives by expanding their application for both automotive retailers and the companies who underwrite these extended service programs, as well as other insurance products for dealers. NAT will also assist in providing manufacturers and their OEM suppliers with the kind of comprehensive warranty data they need to comply with the TREAD Act," said NAT CEO Peter M. Leger, who having been a former president of ADP Dealer Services brings a deep understanding of automotive retailing and related IT issues to NAT's involvement with STAR.

"We're excited that NAT has come on board to STAR. Hopefully, NAT can implement STAR's warranty related standards to make the vehicle sales and warranty claim processes more efficient," says Tom Campisi, STAR communications chair.

  About STAR (www.starstandard.org )

  Source: STAR

The Standards for Technology in Automotive Retail (STAR) organization is the Information Technology (IT) standards organization for the retail automotive industry. The goal of the STAR organization is to use IT standards as a catalyst in fulfilling the business information needs of dealers and manufacturers while reducing the time and effort previously required to support this activity.

Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, STAR is a not-for-profit volunteer organization and its members include Dealers, Manufacturers and Retail System Providers (RSPs). As members, they are interested in developing, promoting, and administering voluntary IT standards in the retail automotive industry and improving the effectiveness, timeliness and competitiveness of the IT solutions needed within the retail automotive industry.

  STAR membership roster:

  Dealer Groups: NADA

Retail System Providers: ADP, AFSA, Arkona, Auto/Mate Inc., DealerTrack, EDS Automotive Retail Group, NAT, Inc., PBS Financial Systems Inc., Procede Software, Reynolds & Reynolds, RouteOne, Sun Microsystems, The Cobalt Group, Tibco, UCS

Manufacturers: American Honda Motor Co., Inc., American Isuzu Motors, Inc., American Suzuki Motor Corp., BMW of North America, Inc., DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corp., Hyundai Motor Company, Jaguar Cars, Kia Motors America, Mazda North American Operations, Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc., Nissan North America, Inc., Porsche Cars North America, Inc., Renault SA, Saab Cars USA, Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Volkswagen of America, Volvo Cars of North America

  About NAT (www.natinc.com )
  Source: NAT

Headquartered in Des Plaines, IL, NAT, Inc. is the collaborative workflow software Partner of Choice for insurance companies, third-party administrators (TPA) and retailers who underwrite, price, administer, manage and sell extended service warranties and for manufacturers and service repair providers who offer new-product and service warranties to build consumers' confidence in their products and services. The company's warranty software solutions -- SCS Automotive Extended Warranty Platform and NAT Manufacturer Warranty Platform -- streamline and automate the traditional fragmented, time-consuming and error-prone manual processes required to administer, insure, price and sell new product warranties and extended service warranties and their related claims processing. NAT clients enjoy reduced costs and increased income.