Most professionals will agree implementing a process and sticking to the process is key to your success in the finance office. Some trainers will argue that their process is better than others and that they have the secret sauce that will increase your PVR or product penetration by a guaranteed number. In reality, it is not quite as simple as saying there is a one size fits all process for all finance managers. I believe there is some room for customization of a process allowing for a finance manager to make their presentation fit their personality and in turn yields much better results. I have been an F&I trainer now for a little over 7 years and I quite enjoy going into a dealership and sitting with finance and business managers. My focus is always broken into two areas. Product knowledge and process.
Product knowledge leads to confidence. If a manager does not know how a product will work or protect a customer they will never be effective at selling it. I have seen a lot of agents go into finance manager training and not put enough emphasis or time into how a product works. It still amazes me that I can walk into a dealership and the finance managers tell me they are self taught about the products they are offering. Day one of every new store I work with starts with product knowledge. This is where we will, "break the car." What I mean by this is I will demonstrate how the product will preform in the event the customer needs the coverage. Further we dive into all the levels of coverage and how every product functions. This is a simplified way to look at this, however I stress that the first part of our training starts with thoroughly understanding all the products offered.
Process training for a seasoned manager or a green (new manager) is always done through role playing. I have them present a menu with their products and make notes on stong points with their current presentation. One thing that is consistent in most dealerships is that most F&I manager's do not enjoy role-playing. At least not at first. However, using role-playing is very effective at strengthening your presentation and is a great tool to assist in learning how to overcome objections. Using role-playing as a method of training will change over time. As I continue to work with finance managers I continue to present different objections that will be presented from a customer. This gives us opportunities to discuss the objection and the best ways to handle it. The more times I do this the more effective they become and the smoother their presentation is. You reach a point with managers where their confidence increases. They transition into effectively and comfortably handling objections. The process becomes really interesting and a ton of fun as I continue to try to catch or stump the manager and they continue to navigate through their presentation.