The foundation of every strong F&I deal is laid on the showroom floor, not in the office. On today’s episode of F&I Today, Paul Brown, vice president of Ascent Dealer Services, breaks down how a coordinated, all-in team approach sets the stage for a smooth handoff and maximizes the F&I customer experience.
A dealership can’t sustain profitability long-term solely on new- and used-vehicle sales. The driving force behind a store’s financial health lies in the F&I and service departments, which work together to create a recurring cycle of revenue and customer engagement.
Customers who purchase F&I products and subsequently use the dealership’s service department are more likely to return to the dealership for their next vehicle. If those products have served them well, they tend to repurchase them, reinforcing a beneficial cycle for both F&I and service.
So the big question is: when does F&I begin? According to Brown, it starts the moment customers walk through the door. This doesn’t mean the F&I manager must greet every customer, although being visible on the floor is encouraged. Instead, it reflects a dealership-wide philosophy that prepares customers early so they’re ready for the F&I experience.
"If you're an F&I manager and you want to figure out how to make more money, start pouring into your salespeople."
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The key is for salespeople to ask a few F&I-centric questions as they guide the customer through the buying process. Introducing these questions early creates a smoother handoff to F&I once the vehicle is selected and minimizes the discomfort and defensiveness customers often feel when being “interviewed” by the finance manager. When these questions are woven naturally into the sales process, the conversation shifts from an interrogation to a genuine needs analysis.
Humans are creatures of habit and typically repeat decisions that have served them well in the past. Understanding how customers made past vehicle decisions makes it easier to anticipate what they will likely choose now and in the future. Ask about their trade-in, how long they’ve owned it, other vehicles in the household, why they picked them and what they would change if they could.
These questions land better when asked by a salesperson. Customers often become defensive when they know the questions are coming from F&I and assume they’re being set up for a product pitch. Salespeople should take notes so the handoff to F&I is smooth, complete and requires fewer repetitive questions.
It’s also essential for the F&I department to earn salespeople’s buy-in by showing how the information they gather ultimately benefits them. When salespeople see how their notes strengthen the deal structure, improve customer satisfaction, and support long-term retention, they become more invested in the process.
F&I products are more than a profit center; they serve as a vital customer retention tool that keeps buyers engaged with the store, increasing the likelihood they’ll return to purchase their next vehicle.
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