When a customer with a 450 credit score walks into a dealership, most general managers run the other way. But Chase Channell, GM of Victory Honda Jackson grabs a calculator and starts desking the deal himself—like he does the other 80-90% of the time.
His philosophy: "I feel like the car business is a lot like sports. You want the best batter taking the swing. And I feel like I'm the best batter in my dealership," Channell told Daily Dealer Live hosts Sam D'Arc and Uli DeMartino.
Why it matters: When customers have bad credit or little money down, most managers assume the deal won't work and don't even try. But those challenging deals often make the difference between hitting monthly goals or missing them.
"What I've learned in this business is that if a salesman gets somebody in and you don't find a way to make that deal, it really deflates them," Channell explained. "So, if you can step in and help them put their deal together, they'll drag somebody else up there. It builds their confidence."
Case in point: Victory Honda operates in a tough credit market near Memphis, where deals often require creative structuring.
And after years in the finance office, Channell understands that deals other managers might pass on can often work with different structuring or additional documentation. In today's lending environment, his experience matters more than ever.
And he shares that knowledge with his employees. Channell prints actual customer credit reports for team meetings, presenting the profile without revealing the outcome.
"Here's the credit, here's what they want to buy. This is how much they got down. Tell me what you think," he tells his team.
In a recent meeting, Channell presented a customer profile with a 460 credit score and only $600 down. His team was pretty confident that there was no way this buyer would get approved.
But they were proven wrong.
“We were able to get $400 more out of them, got approval, and put the deal together," he said.
It’s a valuable lesson about the pitfalls of assuming what lenders will accept.
As a result: Victory Honda sold 114 cars last month and averages about 110 units monthly, staying market effective with Honda.
"An extra one or two deals a day makes a huge difference in any dealership," he noted. "So, if you're not pushing for those extra incremental deals, you're really missing out.”
"We're not the lenders. Let's let the banks say no," he explained.
Looking ahead: As margins continue to get squeezed, dealerships that master complex deal structuring will have a significant advantage. Channell's hands-on approach creates a training ground where managers learn to see opportunities others miss, building the expertise that becomes crucial when every deal counts.
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