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customer believes that the warranty that
came with their vehicle offers the same
benefits as a VSC.

USING THE TERM
“BUMPER TO BUMPER”
For example, don't sell a customer a five- offering guidance on the right and wrong
When explaining the benefits of a year, 100,000-mile contract when they ways to advertise vehicle and product
limited warranty that comes with a only plan to keep the vehicle for two years. information, especially when payments
vehicle, F&I managers sometimes use the are included in your advertising.
term “bumper to bumper.” This is very If your only goal is to sell products to make
misleading. Not even the manufacturer money, regardless of your customers' When a car shopper arrives at the finance
warranty when a vehicle is brand new needs, at some point, your customer will office, there should be no surprises. If
provides bumper-to-bumper coverage, realize they were taken advantage of. Not you introduce F&I products early in the
so saying that your limited warranty only will they resent you for selling them car-buying process, the consumer will be
provides bumper-to-bumper coverage is something they didn't need, but they will prepared for a higher payment because
just wrong.
also leave you a bad review and tell their you've already explained the value to them.
family and friends to never purchase
To the average consumer, the from you. The good news is that more
term "bumper to bumper” technology is becoming
implies that everything is If you value your dealership's available that allows your
covered. reputation, hold your F&I customers to calculate their
managers accountable for
If you are selling a VSC that does cover conducting a needs analysis own estimated payments
literally everything, maybe the term can right down to the penny,
be used, but personally I recommend not and tailoring presentations factoring in state and local
using this term during an F&I presentation. to individual needs.
taxes and fees.
Instead, I would have F&I managers QUOTING PAYMENTS When quoting payments, the math has to
take the time to clearly explain what work for your customer. When you tell
is covered with a limited warranty and Another common area where dealership them the price of the vehicle, what the
what is not — the same with VSCs. staff makes mistakes is in quoting payment is, what the terms are, and what
Sometimes, I ask dealers when do payments. It's a pretty common practice the interest rate is, your customer should
they make their best decision, when to give some wiggle room in the initial be able to "do the math" to get to the same
they have more information or less quote, so the F&I manager doesn't have payment as you're presenting.
information? Inevitably, the answer is to bump up the estimated payment
“more information.” Your customers are ceiling when they factor in pricing for If you're unsure of how to maintain
the same as you. The more information F&I products. compliance while implementing
you give them, the better decision they transparency in your F&I department,
will make, and the more likely that The best way to ensure ask your F&I partner for guidance and
decision will be to purchase a product training. Your partner should be able to
that gives them a level of coverage they that your staff maintains help train your staff and provide materials
feel comfortable with. compliance is through to help educate your customers. n
proper training.
SELLING PRODUCTS THE Jeremy brings over 20 years of experience
CUSTOMER DOESN’T NEED This practice is not only unethical but in the automotive industry to the EasyCare

also illegal. Yet many dealership staff and GWC University training teams.
Many F&I managers are still have no idea that what they're doing is Before joining APCO, Jeremy spent four
not doing a thorough needs wrong. Let's face it, laws and regulations years as a national training manager,
analysis with every customer. change all the time and vary from state leading internal and external training and
These days it's important to to state, and even on the local level. It's development programs in the F&I space,
difficult to keep up. Ideally, your F&I including developing a highly regarded
tailor F&I presentations to partner is keeping you updated and dealer leadership academy. Before that, he
individual needs. on the straight and narrow with this spent over 14 years in the retail automotive
information. Additionally, they should be franchise space.

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