My wife is famous for her Peanut Butter Pie and everyone that has a slice has the same reaction:
“This is the best pie I have ever tasted.”
However, if you leave out a seemingly insignificant ingredient it can make a big difference. If you rush and forget to add the corn starch to the mixture, the pie will not thicken and you will not get the end result you are looking for. As a matter of fact the pie will end up in the garbage!
We video record thousands of actual F&I transactions every month and I have reviewed hundreds of them. The men and women who excel in their profession consistently include an ingredient that some consider insignificant; yet these professionals would never meet with a customer without including this all important ingredient. They have fun with their customers!
They have fun with their customers!
There are three distinct benefits of having fun in the process with your customers:
- When customers have fun and the process is enjoyable it makes the most uncomfortable part of the car buying process, comfortable. They relax and a productive and real conversation takes place. Tense customers tend to discount what is said. Comfortable customers are more prone to listen and more importantly more inclined to talk which enables us to help them self-discover their need for our products.
- Customers don’t expect to have fun in your office and when they do they recognize you and your process are different. They expect high-pressure and aggressive tactics to move them to buy something they don’t feel they want or need. If they encounter a fun process that is focused on them they know you and the time spent with you will be different than the last time they purchased a vehicle. Sell the difference and have fun!
- Once the customer realizes you have intentionally worked to make the time with you fun, they appreciate you’re not the selling machine they expected to encounter and the level of trust goes up dramatically. When the level of trust goes up the speed of the process increases and so do the profits!
I recently observed an F&I professional tell his customer at the beginning of the process; “There is a three laugh minimum in my office. The door behind you is voice activated and unless it hears at least three genuine and sustained laughs it will not unlock and let you out!” He makes sure the ingredient of fun is added early and often and the results show it! Leave out the fun and your results might end up in the garbage! However, when the sales process includes all the ingredients it’s like sitting down to an awesome piece of peanut butter pie.
I look forward to seeing you on my next post! Take a look at some the services we offer to learn more about how we can help you in your profession. Also feel free to contact me. Exchanging ideas with F&I Professionals is my passion!