Whether at NADA in March or in the marketing emails we all receive daily, when it comes to digital retail we’re all inundated with buzzwords like “end-to-end” and “integrations.” These strategies are almost all focused on sales managers at the desk. But is a deal really at the “end” when it’s with the desk?
When buying a vehicle recently from a sophisticated group high on the Wards 100 list, I saw the power of — and challenge within — our industry’s current view of end-to-end.
My information made it from the consultant to the desk. I then entered an analog and repetitive F&I process that clearly cost the dealership time. And from the facial expressions and the head-shaking of customers that made it into the box before me, the process also cost the dealership serious money.
The antiquated process costs even more on busy days when F&I should be making dealerships the most money. F&I Managers are forced to present menus distractedly, while manually typing an app (or adding deal structure and collateral to the basic customer info pushed by the DMS), all while looking over their shoulders at even more customers waiting, and at nervous consultants waving deal jackets.
Let’s be real. A deal isn’t done until it’s through F&I and eContracted.
F&I is so important that we included it in the name AutoFi
The AutoFi platform blows past traditional integrations — setting dealers up to have decisioned deals in their finance platform in less than 60 seconds, ready to eContract and get funded lightning fast.
That’s right. If you’re a RouteOne dealer, your approved deals from AutoFi become lender-specific upward-facing green arrows in your RouteOne (green check marks if you’re a Dealertrack dealer). And the upward-facing arrow means that these deals are fully approved by those lenders and ready to eContract (if available).
This frees your F&I Manager up to sell.
No manually typing apps. Selling.
No waiting for an approval. Selling.
Decisioned deals minimize your spot delivery exposure. No chasing CIT, Selling!
Less busywork frees your F&I manager to get scrappy and conduct interviews with approval knowledge, and even present single-pay leases to cash customers to drive incremental F&I sales.
Freeing your F&I Managers to do what they get paid to do: SELL
AutoFi has bi-directional integrations with YOUR lenders (captive & non-captive). When the platform ingests those decisions, they are deposited in your RouteOne/Dealertrack — where your F&I managers live and breathe.
When your online customers go through the digital retail website experience, they are walking in with their approvals not just in AutoFi but also the system that matters to F&I. Your F&I manager can focus on presentations and product, not entering apps and busy work.
What if that same efficiency was available for your in-store customers?
AutoFi’s updated dealer portal is here to provide your desk manager with accurate, payment-centric deal-making capabilities. The tools also set your F&I managers up with the knowledge of decisioned deals before they take a TO — with time freed up to conduct pre-interviews and sell products, even on the busiest of busy days.
Because we all know a customer who has waited is less likely to buy.
Flexible to fit your process
Want to drive more online deals, and streamline the process to minimize cost of sale? Ask your Dealer Success Manager about optimizing AutoFi on your website, and creating deal flow that only requires confirmation before coming in ready to sign.
Have a BDC powerhouse? Ask your Dealer Success Manager about how even the newest BDC rep can elevate phone ups to deals, with your guardrails in place.
Does your desk control everything, and only let your consultants present their offers? Ask your Dealer Success Manager about how the desk can structure a deal and send a shared digital experience, or print a worksheet.
Does your dealership chase CIT and have a perpetually-backed-up F&I desk? Ask your Dealer Success Manager about how AutoFi delivers ink-ready, fundable deals into your DT/RO to enable eContracting and fast funding.
Is your sales process solid, but are you looking for a platform to preview 100% of your products to 100% of your customers, 100% of the time? Ask your Dealer Success Manager about AutoFi’s ability to enable even your greenest pea to preview protection products BEFORE the customer meets F&I.
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Patrick Wyld is Director of Training at AutoFi