Every part of the sales process is critical. You and your team are only as strong as your weakest link. From the outside looking in, it’s easy to spot when a culture is thriving or when it’s falling apart.

Recently, I purchased two vehicles from a dealership where the sales manager is a close friend. He always goes out of his way to make sure things are seamless: vehicle selection, numbers, trade-in process, all lined up before I walk in. The salesperson I worked with was also excellent, friendly, helpful, and responsive. Great attitude and great energy.

But then came the finance office, the area I’m most excited about because it’s my area of expertise. Unfortunately, this is where the experience completely fell apart.

My wife and I waited 20 minutes for the finance manager to show up. When he did, he walked past us and tossed his keys into his desk like he didn’t want to be there. His body language said it all. He was frustrated, disengaged, and checked out.

No introduction. No “Congratulations.” Just, “Sign here, here, and here.” And here’s the kicker, we never discussed any products, yet he asked, “Do you want the GAP and tire and wheel?” as if I’d already committed. No menu presentation. No explanation. Nothing.

This was my daughter’s first vehicle purchase. We added her to the paperwork to start establishing credit. And instead of a memorable, educational first experience, she got a disconnected, joyless transaction.

The finance manager assumed I would buy products and altered the figures in DealerTrack and RouteOne before even discussing anything. I had to pull up my text messages with the deal structure and challenge the changes. At that point, my trust was gone. I found myself policing every piece of paperwork, double-checking every number.

The worst part? He never asked who we were, what brought us in, or if we had any concerns. At the end, when he overheard us talking about our friend the sales manager, he asked, “Oh, do you know him?” I replied, “Yes, we worked together 25 years ago.” Then he asked, “Oh, were you in the car business?”

“I still am,” I said.

The look on his face said it all. He realized too late that he should’ve handled the entire experience differently.

Finance managers have the power to elevate or destroy a deal. One weak link can ruin an otherwise perfect process. And for the average customer, it creates an uncomfortable, confusing, and often costly experience.

This experience reminded me why I do what I do. We don’t just train people to sell products. We train them to create real, authentic, confident experiences. Empathy, engagement, energy. That’s the standard.

To any finance managers reading this: your job matters more than you think. Don’t be the weak link.