SubPrime 125 honoree Auto Credit Express shared a blog post this week with three suggestions for dealerships to help their F&I managers since they fill such a critical role in moving metal.

Billed as a way to keep these managers from feeling like they have a “thankless job,” Auto Credit Express believes these recommendations could aid F&I personnel significantly.

1. Regularly provide resources

While it’s safe to say that your F&I manager is probably on top of what’s new and trending in the world of finance and insurance, be on the lookout for articles and books to share. You may even want to set some time aside to go over a basic training manual with your main F&I person. You will gain a better understanding of what the department does, and the F&I manager will benefit from the refresher course.

2. Emphasize the fact that the F&I manager is part of the team.

The salespeople need to understand how strongly the F&I department influences their profits and F&I people need to know what happens on the floor. So, when you have meetings, include everyone and make it very clear that the sale is far from over when the customer is escorted into the Finance and Insurance office. Selling a car always represents a collaborative effort.

3. Give and ask for regular feedback.

Your awesome F&I manager probably provides you with daily progress reports, and that’s great. Make sure that you’re going over these reports with them, looking for ways to address problem areas and praising success (high five!). And remember that the door swings both ways. Whenever you can, solicit their opinion of what you could do to make their job easier. Any employee will be happier and more efficient if they know their thoughts are valued.

The complete blog post and more advice from Auto Credit Express can be found here.