Welcome to another edition of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast Recap newsletter—the key lessons from top operators, founders, and execs shaping the future of auto retail.
Today's guest is Jason Swiech, Product Marketing Lead at CDK Global.
We explore why dealers need omnichannel F&I strategies, how 30 minutes of waiting kills customer satisfaction, and why successful dealerships focus on streamlined workflows rather than fragmented processes.
F&I remains the bedrock of dealership profitability despite industry changes.
The department continues driving record profits while serving multiple critical functions beyond revenue generation.
"I really try and focus on the entire flow of the front end. That's my focus for all of our dealers."
This foundation supports compliance, lender relationships, and customer financing while generating substantial margins across the entire operation.
Process-focused dealers maintain higher F&I profits long-term.
Dealerships that streamline their entire workflow outperform those treating F&I as an isolated department.
"The biggest thing that I see from a dealership perspective is dealers that focus on process, those are the ones that are going to maintain those profits long-term."
Strategic workflow optimization creates sustainable advantages even as market conditions shift and competition intensifies.
F&I education should begin at the first customer contact.
The most successful dealers introduce financing and protection products immediately rather than waiting until the finance office.
"First interaction. I'm a really big believer in having those products available to consumers to look at online."
Early education reduces time in F&I, eliminates customer surprises, and creates smoother deal progression from initial inquiry through delivery.
Omnichannel F&I delivery beats pure digital or traditional approaches.
Dealers need both online and in-store options to serve diverse customer preferences effectively.
"It's definitely omnichannel. Digital has its place."
Flexibility in delivery methods ensures no customer segment is excluded while maintaining consistent experiences across all channels.
Read CDK Global’s 2025 F&I Shopper Study mentioned in the episode here: cdkglobal.com/insights/new-report-shows-shifts-fi-trust
Presented by:
1. Repair360 - If you’re in the used car business, you know wasted time is wasted money. Check out Repair360—the first and only reconditioning software that connects every function in the dealership to tighten recon and help you sell more cars — No more hounding vendors. Goodbye endless texts and hallway chases. Repair 360 connects all the dots. See where every car is and what its recon is costing minute-to-minute in real time. Go to repair360.com.
2. Cox Automotive - Discover what’s driving improved customer experiences—and dealership results. Download the Drivers of Shopper Satisfaction ebook from Cox Automotive today: carguymedia.com/464vOfw.
3. CDK Global – Managing inventory doesn’t have to be a grind. Backed by over 50 years of CDK know-how and powered by next-gen AI tools, you’ll price with confidence, merchandise like a pro, and move cars off the lot faster — all while boosting your bottom line. Learn more about the CDK Vehicle Inventory Suite: cdkglobal.com/cdk-vehicle-inventory-suite.
Thirty minutes of F&I waiting destroys customer satisfaction.
Wait times beyond this threshold cause a 25% drop in likelihood to recommend the dealership.
"Every minute that we can remove from the F&I process, the better. That's what I'm talking about."
This critical timeframe makes workflow efficiency essential for both customer experience and business reputation.
F&I satisfaction is declining due to economic pressures.
Customer satisfaction dropped from 84% in 2023 to 79% today, primarily driven by affordability challenges.
"I don't necessarily see that there's a big change in processes that F&I has done now versus before that make those experiences worse."
External factors like interest rates and vehicle costs impact customer sentiment regardless of process improvements or service quality.
Multiple F&I systems create fractured customer experiences.
Dealers using seven to eight different front-end solutions struggle with efficiency and customer satisfaction.
"We still see dealers on the front end completely use seven to eight different solutions on the entire front end."
System consolidation reduces complexity, eliminates double entry, and creates smoother workflows for both staff and customers.
Prepaid maintenance creates powerful customer retention beyond immediate sales.
This product keeps customers returning to service departments while providing the budget certainty they increasingly demand.
"It brings the consumers back. But I also think that it helps consumers. I mean, now more than ever, consumers want to have that security blanket of a budget where they can know what their expenses are gonna be."
Dealers not offering prepaid maintenance miss critical opportunities to secure long-term service relationships and predictable revenue streams.
F&I managers are trusted advisors despite negative industry stereotypes.
Customer surveys reveal that F&I managers rank among the most credible sources in the dealership buying process.
"For consumers, one of the things that they told us was that the F&I manager is one of the most trusted sources within the entire process, especially for dealerships who have that traditional process."
This trust directly impacts loyalty, with 88% of customers having positive F&I experiences choosing to return to the same dealership.
Paper documentation still serves important customer preferences.
Despite digital advancement, only one-third of consumers want a completely paperless F&I experience.
"Paper still has its place…only a third of consumers that we surveyed said that they want everything digital."
Successful dealers offer flexibility between digital and physical documentation to accommodate diverse customer comfort levels and preferences.
