In last week’s episode, I warned that dealer groups proceeding aggressively into Digital Retail may suffer for it. This has gotten some pushback. Regular readers know that I have been a staunch proponent of Online F&I for many years. Indeed, my work at PEN and F&I Express has done much to advance the cause.
I gave this warning in the spirit of full disclosure, and to manage expectations. Now I am in the awkward position of having to press my charge against a technology which I actually support. If that sounds complicated, consider this:
Luddites – Veteran F&I Director Justin Gasman, quoted recently in Wards, says that F&I will never be totally digital. “People who say that are from tech companies,” he quipped. I call this the Luddite position but, in fairness, I am one of the tech guys he’s referring to.
Boosters – Cox Automotive regularly produces surveys with findings like: 63% of customers would be “more likely” to buy F&I products if they could learn about them online. Coming from an opinion poll, this is mere boosterism.
Realists – My position is somewhere between these extremes, hence the warning. I was addressing the Big Six dealer groups, who are regularly ranked on F&I performance. I do not want to be the consultant telling Mike Jackson to go all in, and then have to explain why he has slipped out of first place.
If you go to a dealer and say, “Hey, look, we’ve got this great solution, but the profitability is only half of what you had before,” that’s really going to slow down adoption.
Automotive News interviewed some realists last year, and they all share my cautious optimism. The quote above is from Safe-Guard’s David Pryor. The consensus goes something like this:
- Present F&I products online, early in the process, and include pricing.
- Use an API to select the right coverage, and AI to make recommendations.
- Experiment with (A/B test) various digital media.
- Integrate DR with your instore process, training, and metrics.
Roadster’s COVID-19 Dealer Impact Study found that dealers who already had Digital Retail saw improved gross, while the COVID adopters did not. “Not a magic bullet,” it says, instead emphasizing the improved efficiency. Other realists, as here, had the same experience.
Digital Retail is like any other new process. There is risk, reward, and a learning curve. That’s not too complicated.
Virag Consulting 