Dealership F&I personnel now have more training options from Assurant.
The firm recently expanded its content library by adding 50 new “soft skill” modules to the Assurant Virtual Learning Platform, an on-demand eLearning system.
“During these unprecedented times, we wanted to honor our promise to provide dealers with customizable and innovative solutions that will help them continue to improve their team operations and grow their business,” said Martin Jenns Assurant Global Automotive senior vice president of global transformation.
The Assurant Virtual Learning Platform now provides F&I employees access to not only 39 proprietary F&I training modules, but also licensed content, featuring 50 applicable skill training modules to develop automotive employees including time management, establishing credibility, persuasive communication techniques, conflict management and more.
The firm said these new on-demand modules will further enhance the user skill set and training they receive either through the Assurant Learning Platform or in the classroom at Assurant training locations in Chicago or Houston.
“While so many are navigating through new working environments, we are thrilled to offer a remote training option that is cohesive and comprises multiple on-demand modules for fundamental skill development that mirror our in-person training,” said Dave Worrall, Assurant Global Automotive senior director of global training and development.
“The Assurant Virtual Learning Platform will consistently be updated with fresh content for users to continue skill building,” Worrall went on to say.
To access the training, go to this website.
UPDATE: A recorded version of this webinar is now available.
With dealerships and finance companies facing an array of unknown variables connected with increased risk associated with COVID-19, Ignite Consulting Partners is hosting a free webinar to help managers navigate these challenges.
Ignite shared in a message late on Thursday that, “We’ve had a number of calls today from folks dealing with servicing complications resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak — everything from how to handle deferments due to customer reductions in pay to privacy issues arising from staff working from home to how to handle payment posting and mail issues if an office is shut down.
“In an attempt to talk through some of these issues and harness the power of the keen insights of our clients, please join us for the webinar,” the firm continued.
To watch this webinar, go to this website.
And Ignite Consulting Partners plans to host four more sessions this month to help the industry as circumstances change.
Due to the overwhelming response to our first webinar, we have decided to conduct a few regularly scheduled update webinars over the next two weeks,” the firm said. “These will be updates on the latest news, laws, and regulatory activity that we see.
“In this format, we will allow individuals to ‘raise their hand’ and ask questions or make statements to the group,” Ignite added.
For more details and to register for the future webinars, go to this website.
For the second time leading into this week’s North American Repossessors Summit (NARS), Recovery Industry Services Co. (RISC) is bolstering its offerings.
Through its relationship with Hudson Cook, RISC announced it has completed a significant update to the Certified Asset Recovery Specialist (CARS) National Certification program. Improvements include detailed information about repossession insurance, relevant case studies and updates to the laws that govern the self-help repossession process.
“The updates include a comprehensive review of repossession laws to ensure recovery agents are getting the most relevant and recent compliance education,” said Hudson Cook partner Eric Johnson, who will continue to oversee annual updates to the CARS and CARS Continuing Education courses.
RISC president and chief operating officer Holly Balogh added, “We are excited to continue to foster our relationship with Hudson Cook to provide the most thorough, up-to-date educational material to repossession agents.
RISC chief executive officer Stamatis Ferarolis emphasized the relationship with Hudson Cook, as well.
“Our partnership with Hudson Cook means agents who invest in the CARS program are receiving the most recent and relevant training for collateral recovery,” Ferarolis said. “Anyone who becomes certified on the CARS program can be confident that the material is widely accepted and sought after by creditors in the repossession industry.”
This announcement arrived on the heels of RISC being set to release an updated version of the Skip-Tracing Certification authored by Alex Price, who is the director of risk solutions at Digital Recognition Network (DRN), and also known as “The Skip Guru.”
To sign up for the CARS program or a new CE course, visit www.riscus.com/Education/. RISC offers a subscription monthly payment option for all education purchases.
For questions about RISC and the CARS program, contact Balogh at holly@riscus.com.
College students from across the country are heading to Detroit this Friday through Sunday for a chance to make their entrepreneurial dreams come to life.
Ally Financial has teamed up with fellow Motor City native, entertainer and entrepreneur Sean “Big Sean” Anderson and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) to create Moguls in the Making — a program aimed at preparing students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to become future entrepreneurs and members of the business community.
Out of more than 500 applicants, TMCF selected 50 students from 10 HBCUs to compete in the weekend-long challenge. In addition to hearing from Ally chief executive officer Jeff Brown, the students will participate in mentoring sessions, hear from local business leaders and attend financial education classes.
For the competition, working in teams of five, they will develop business plans that include solutions to economic issues facing various industries in Detroit. The teams will pitch their solutions to a panel of judges, including:
— Anderson, entertainer and founder of The Sean Anderson Foundation
— Andrea Brimmer, Ally chief marketing and public relations officer
— Anand Talwar, deposit and consumer strategy executive
— Tommey Walker, principal of Detroit vs. Everybody
— George Spencer, executive vice president of business development, innovation and entrepreneurship at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund
“By bringing Moguls in the Making to Detroit, Ally Financial is able to showcase our home city of Detroit while investing in the future of aspiring business leaders to help them realize their full potential,” Brimmer said in a news release.
“As a company committed to economic mobility and diversity and inclusion, we’re happy to work with likeminded organizations as well as other notable Detroit natives to bring this initiative to life,” she continued.
Created to give young entrepreneurs a platform and encouragement to develop much-needed business skills, the Moguls in the Making program will include mentoring sessions and fireside chats along with the chance to meet Detroit native Anderson.
“It’s all about inspiring the youth — providing them with opportunities and knowledge to build their futures. I’m excited to see what they come up with,” said Anderson, who has partnered with Ally for the Moguls program.
The 10 schools represented by student teams include:
— Alabama A&M University
— Elizabeth City State University
— Florida A&M University
— Howard University
— Jackson State University
— Morgan State University
— Norfolk State University
— Virginia State University
— Tennessee State University
— North Carolina A&T State University.
In addition to key learnings from the program, the winning group of students will walk away with Ally internships, a $5,000 scholarship for each team member and Macbook Air computers.
“TMCF is excited to team up with Ally and the Sean Anderson Foundation for the Moguls in the Making Competition. Detroit’s rich history of entrepreneurial endeavors makes the Motor City the perfect place to host the event,” Spencer said.
“We are proud this opportunity will benefit both the City of Detroit and 50 of our nation’s brightest students from across 10 publicly-supported HBCUs,” Spencer went on to say.
