Finance and insurance are a necessary part of all car dealerships, but how do you apply them within your own auto business? Do you work hard to make F&I like a separate department, or do you try to assimilate it throughout the company?
If you're thinking of F&I like a financial department hidden within your office, you're not applying the concept correctly. You'll find many auto industry experts noting that F&I needs to work as a mindset throughout a dealership.
Here's how you can make this work for more loyal customers and more successful sales.
Applying F&I to Your Sales Team
Those who sell cars in your dealership should understand the finance and insurance concept since they're responsible for making a final sale. When they apply F&I with the customer in mind, they'll remember that most customers work on a budget.
Having your sales team understand how this works helps bring a different approach to their sales techniques. They'll be able to better explain the details in a vehicle service contract, as well as GAP insurance to amend an existing policy.
All of this can help better inform the buyer on how to stay within their own financial guidelines.
Applying F&I to the Service Department
If you also apply car repair services to your dealership, it's important for them to understand what's available in F&I. When your service employees better understand VSC's, insurance policies, and maintenance agreements, they'll improve their communication with customers.
Doing so is going to help your customer retention since they'll know your team has a wide knowledge base rather than department isolation.
Educating Your Dealership Team on F&I Products
So if you're going to educate your entire team on F&I, what products should they know about? Outside of VSC's, you'll want to show them other potential products like VLAs.
All of these don't have to stay within your F&I office since they all relate to how well you communicate in finding good deals for car buyers.
Contact us at Vanguard Dealer Services to learn more about the F&I services and products we provide for dealerships like yours.