Seeing the Car-Buying Process from F&I Customer’s Perspective The idea for the process came in part from her family’s health care experiences. In one case, specialists came to her husband’s room, and another time a scheduler brought a “firm number” on cost, she said, both of which eased a stressful situation. Finally, her “light bulb moment” came during a period of remodeling at Bird Kultgen, when Contreras was working in an office in the back of the dealership. A customer being led to see him asked, “Where are you taking me? Down some long hallway to a dungeon?” Lesikar realized she had never bought a vehicle in the way a typical customer does. “Once I knew the kind of anxiety just the walk to the F&I office creates for a consumer, I had to figure something out,” she said. said. This was barely ahead of the industry benchmark of 4.81, she said. But in the first quarter of 2025, the dealership scored a 4.91, compared with the benchmark of 4.82. Amanda Lesikar, business director at Bird Kultgen Ford in Waco, Texas. (BIRD KULTGEN FORD) Dealership’s Showroom Delivery Process Begins with Congratulations Lesikar said as soon as a customer agrees to a deal, the ownership experience process begins. The finance manager comes out to congratulate them and verify key information on the deal. “The most important thing here is that you’re resetting the clock,” Lesikar said. “Time is everybody’s hot button.” Lesikar said she tells customers she will be arranging “your awesome ownership experience,” which sets the consumer’s expectations in a positive way. She hands the process back to the salesperson, who walks the customer to the service department, where positive sentiment is reinforced and seeds for F&I purchases are planted. In the quick lane, customers schedule the first oil change. Service advisers ask whether the customer has envisioned their first family road trip in the new vehicle. “We’re transferring that mental ownership,” she said. The customer gets a tour of the service department, where they see vehicles undergoing work. “It just creates that awareness” that repairs might be needed, she said. Bird Kultgen staff also mentions their collision center, which “foreshadows the total loss [guaranteed asset] protection we’re going to talk about” in F&I, she said. “The salesperson then brings the customer to the delivery lane with their waiting vehicle and discusses the model’s technology,” Lesikar said. This also plants the seed for the customer to consider protecting the technology with F&I coverage. Lesikar returns to perform a VIN inspection and have the rest of the F&I conversation with the customer. Meeting them next to their vehicle “really lowers the barrier,” she said. She’s “experiencing it with them.” The vehicle’s presence during the F&I presentation aids the finance manager by providing a physical product to help sell intangible F&I coverage, she said. For example, a customer can see the wheel that would be protected by wheel and tire coverage. “That truck is your best-selling tool,” she said. Going out to the customer allows Lesikar to handle a few deals simultaneously, she said. “I can literally bounce between customers,” Lesikar said. “Bird Kultgen’s F&I software is available on iPads, which means these discussions can even be done in the dealership’s parking lot,” Lesikar said. “Sign a customer up inside their $80,000 car,” she said. “It is frigging cool ... They enjoy the heck out of it.” The “celebration lanes” at Bird Kultgen Ford in Waco, Texas. The finance and insurance conversation typically occurs here, next to the vehicle being delivered. (BIRD KULTGEN FORD) 41 DEALERS’ CHOICE
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