Kelly’s Korner: Declining CSI Score
Q. My CSI score is declining because the F&I process is taking too much time. What can I do to reverse this trend?
A.It can often take hours to sell a vehicle. If the sales consultant and the customer have been together for a long time, it is unrealistic for anyone to think that the F&I process will take “just a few more minutes”. The root of most declining CSI scores is failure to meet the customer’s expectations. A realistic estimate of the time it will take to complete the sales documentation is just as important as the process used to sell the vehicle itself.
Here is a word track sales personnel can use to help manage the customer’s expectation about completing paperwork: “Our manufacturer has determined that the paperwork and disclosure process takes up to 90 minutes. We at _____________ take great pride in completing the process in less time than that.”
When the sales personnel provide this information, they are helping the customer understand that documenting the transaction is necessary for the buyer as well as the seller. Instead of setting up the F&I department for failure based on the clock, sales personnel set the stage for a winning CSI score. When the F&I manager completes the process in less time than the “norm”, the customer will remember it when answering CSI questions.
Professional F&I personnel know that the prime selling time is the first 20 minutes after the customer enters the F&I office. The F&I manager should meet the customer in the sales work area to review the sales figures, build rapport, and invite the customer into the F&I office. A well-trained F&I manager can complete data entry while interviewing the customer. Twenty minutes can be plenty of selling time if you use it wisely.
Kelly Enterprises recommends that you first review the installment contract or purchase order with the customer. Following this approval, the balance of the paperwork flows very quickly.
RVDA of Canada Member Newsletter, August 2003, p.23