A little fun trivia Rules: Only Honest Abe’s may participate. No search engines allowed including Google or Bing. You must have knowledge to answer the trivia questions. You may not call anyone for the answers. *What was the former name of George Angus’ Team One Research and Training™? *What year, make, and model of classic car does David Robertson of AFIP own? *Tony Dee has two weekend pastimes. Name either of them. *A well known FIM continues an annual holiday tradition that helps feed people. What’s his name? *A well known dealer group launched a series of funny commercials with an unusual character. What’s his species and name? *Considered the “Father of F&I”-Billionaire Pat Ryan-launched the concept of stand alone F&I offices. What was his staple product? *Who was the founder of AutoNation? *Famed Ford GT40 race car driver-Dan Gurney-was the first to do this after a race. What was it? *What department did Teasha McMillion begin her automotive career? *Why do NASCAR races run on oval tracks go counterclockwise? First person with the correct answers will win a genuine EFI ball cap. Send answers to fordpantera@yahoo.com etc………… Y ou know, there were a lot of things we learned in the F&I training class. Of these, Objection Handling was probably the most important because it reveals why a customer may be having doubts about a product. This Customer-to-F&I Manager interaction also helps properly identify the various customer types i.e. A-B-C-D-F he/she is dealing with so proper methods can be applied. Other things trainers discussed were adherence to the F&I Process, Menu Usage, Time Management, and Compliance. We also learned the basics of what each product covers and how it benefits customers. While these are all great building blocks of a successful career path for the Ethical F&I Practitioner, continuing education and knowledge is left up to us. Yet, the one item which needs focus and usually overlooked in a training class is Attitude Management. Part of the reason it is not being taught is likely time constraints. And we all know a proper Attitude must be managed by the practitioner. But where do we go to learn this self-management? Unfortunately, it’s called ‘OJT’ which means ‘On The Job Training’. And as painful as this sounds, it’s likely the best way. Know this-our attitude can quite literally change the outcome of many things we’ll face today. Recognizing this and then deciding how we’ll conduct ourselves is, up to us. We’ve often heard the expression ‘Attitude is Everything’. And it’s common knowledge that our attitude is usually translated through non-verbal body language. Most experts estimate it at 70-93%. You can rad more about non-verbal communication here. Salespeople and Customers You know, it’s easy to blame others for lost opportunities in F&I and even easier to fly off the handle. And, while you may be right in taking a bite out of their hide, try considering how to turn the misstep of a salesperson into a training opportunity instead of a butt chewing tirade. Yeah, they may get your point but learn nothing if you just vent instead of train. Now, as far as customers are concerned, they only buy cars once or twice a decade. For them, it’s exciting! They’re paying big bucks so why not put on your best face before you go out to meet them? They don’t know-nor care-about your internal struggles so sometimes you gotta-fake-it-‘til-you-make-it even when you just had to clean up a salesperson’s mess or delivered three cash deals in a row without product. Listen, a warm and sincere smile can break down barriers in an instant. We’re all pros so, let’s give them their money’s worth with a great attitude! 12 MM
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