The F&I process remains one of the most critical touchpoints in the dealership. On today’s episode of Inside Automotive, CDK’s F&I Product Marketing Manager, Jason Swiech, breaks down the key findings of the 2025 F&I Shopper Study and shares actionable insights for F&I professionals looking to boost performance.
"If you don't build trust, you're not going to upsell products well. It diminishes the consumer's thought of the entire dealership process because you are the last one they work with."
CDK surveyed over 1,200 car buyers to understand their experiences with the finance and insurance process when purchasing a vehicle. The survey uncovers insights on customer satisfaction, trust, product engagement, generational differences and the use of digital retailing tools.
F&I satisfaction has declined by 5% since 2023. While uncontrollable factors such as interest rates and vehicle equity play a role, dealerships can take specific actions to reverse the trend.
Start F&I tasks earlier in the car-buying experience
Processes are the primary driver of customer satisfaction. By starting more F&I tasks earlier in the buying journey, dealerships can reduce wait times, increase transparency and improve the overall customer experience.
Foster trust with a transparent workflow
Trust in F&I managers, especially among younger buyers, has also declined. However, F&I managers remain the strongest point of trust in the front end of a dealership. Swiech advises managers to adopt a transparent workflow and present relevant, personalized products to build credibility and confidence.
Offer interactive customer experiences
Many consumers, particularly younger buyers, still feel overwhelmed during the finance and insurance process. To enhance comfort and engagement, dealerships should provide interactive experiences that involve customers throughout the process, rather than handling everything behind the scenes.
Remain flexible to accommodate customer preferences
While digital tools are increasingly becoming a part of the F&I process, most consumers (79%) prefer a paper copy of their transaction. While it’s advantageous to go paperless, Swiech recommends dealerships maintain flexibility to accommodate consumer preferences.
Adopt a single-point-of-contact approach
Many dealerships are reconsidering the traditional F&I manager role as they weigh the benefits of adopting a single-point-of-contact approach.
While the F&I manager continues to serve a critical role in the dealership setting, Swiech recommends that dealers evaluate all processes to determine if a single point of contact might better serve customers. In this model, the customer works directly with one representative, while a team of specialists provides behind-the-scenes support to guide the transaction.
According to Swiech, the most successful dealerships are already utilizing this structure, delivering a seamless, personalized experience for customers while ensuring the deal is backed by the expertise of an internal team.
