Automobile Consumer Services’ Tarry Shebesta coined the concept of “credit first versus credit last” years ago. It was meant to illustrate how building marketing and shopping tools using credit early in the process can ensure more accurate monthly payments and realistic vehicle purchase and financing expectations when consumers want to shop based upon a certain monthly payment.

That concept also is the root of ACS’ latest offering — FlexPath DXP — which has proprietary technology fueled by artificial intelligence to use real credit bureau data and hundreds of rates, rules and underwriting guidelines to ensure “credit-perfect” payments.

“This has the potential to be a really big company, bigger than my previous fintech venture for sure,” said Shebesta, who has been building and running technology firms for 35 years.

“Lenders, dealers, OEMs, marketing agencies, vendors, and marketplaces who are racing to incorporate credit-first into their connected retailing solutions will benefit from the FlexPath platform,” he continued in a news release.

FlexPath can enable clients to custom build their own technology using Trillium web APIs. Or clients can plug and play a white-labeled model that’s flexible to fit into any digital marketing campaign or an online and in-store sales process.

FlexPath also can enable fraud prevention technology and “speed to market without spending millions on development costs,” according to Shebesta.

The lead strategic investor in FlexPath is Keith McCluskey, owner of McCluskey Chevrolet in Cincinnati.

“Shop-by-payment technology has consistently been the top conversion tool on our website for years,” McCluskey said in the news release for ACS. “It works as a stand-alone marketing tool and complements digital retailing solutions on our website.”

FlexPath is available within different channels and industries where consumers shop for finance-based collateral such as automotive, powersports, recreational vehicles and marine.

“I made it to the other side of the startup journey. If I can finish what I started with FlexPath, I’ll feel like I made my impact upon and contribution to the industry that I’ve been a part of since 1989,” Shebesta said.

For more details, go to this website.