If store managers and personnel can find 20 minutes in their schedule, they can take advantage of some of the added new training courses Ally Financial integrated into its Performance Development Center this week.

In hopes of further expanding the scope of their educational offerings for dealers, company officials highlighted that the new courses address important topics such as selling skills, customer loyalty and retention, social media marketing, F&I management and compliance education. Course content leverages nearly 100 years of Ally's auto industry experience, and includes real-world examples and practical techniques that can be applied to daily operations.

By offering one of the most comprehensive dealer training programs in the business, the Performance Development Center is designed to help Ally strengthen relationships with dealers and support them in a changing marketplace.

Ally pointed out that most modules can be completed in 20 minutes since they’re specifically tailored for busy dealership personnel.

Ally's Performance Development Center is an education platform that can provide innovative and easily accessible training sessions for dealership employees at all levels. Since its launch in 2013, more than 10,000 learners have registered for more than 70 different courses. 

The Performance Development Center offers the flexibility to learn online 24-hours a day with on-demand modules, or in a classroom setting with instructor-led training that takes place in-dealership or offsite.

The new courses will be introduced to dealers beginning on Thursday at the National Automobile Dealers Association Convention and Expo. The new offerings include:

— Comprehensive F&I management training that teaches effective customer needs assessment and menu presentation skills

— Vehicle selling skills course designed to help sales consultants develop a consistent and professional approach

— Courses designed to help dealerships learn customer loyalty strategies and social media management.

Ally mentioned the curriculum is infused with practical examples, tips and techniques that the company has assembled through its extensive experience with dealers of all sizes across the country, which dealers can use to build the knowledge base and skill set of employees at all levels.

A new series of compliance-focused courses will also be added to the Performance Development Center later this month that aims to educate dealership employees about current rules and regulations.

The compliance training courses are being provided in connection with the enterprise governance, risk and compliance solutions division of FIS, which specializes in risk management, regulatory training and consulting services for the automotive and financial services industries.

FIS, a provider of banking and payments technology as well as consulting and outsourcing solutions, provides risk management, including compliance training, to more than 5,000 financial services companies across the country as well as all major regulatory agencies. The compliance training courses will cover topics such as Truth in Lending Act, Fair Lending, Regulation M and Federal Advertising Laws, and provide role-specific eLearning training for sales and finance professionals.

“As a leader in the auto industry, Ally believes that the combination of best-in-class products and services paired with a knowledgeable sales force is a winning combination for dealerships," said Jim Whiteford, executive director of performance development at Ally.

“By continuously adding courses to our Performance Development Center, we are creating an important resource for all dealers, offering valuable, real-world knowledge and tools to help them sharpen skills and increase efficiency and effectiveness throughout their organizations,” Whiteford said. “We are proud that our platform has reached 10,000 learners and we will continue to add new courses based on feedback and demand.”

Ally's Performance Development Center was launched in 2013 to provide dealers with convenient access to comprehensive education and training. The platform offers more than 29 on-demand and instructor led training courses with more than 44 on-demand modules covering a wide range of topics.

For more information and a demonstration of the new courses, visit www.allydealertraining.com or booth No. 2401S at the NADA Convention in San Francisco.

Ally Financial Declares Dividends on Preferred Stock

In other company news, Ally declared quarterly dividend payments for certain outstanding preferred stock. Each of these dividends were declared by the board of directors on Tuesday and are payable on Feb. 17.

A quarterly dividend payment was declared on Ally's Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series G, of $45.1 million, or $17.50 per share, and is payable to shareholders of record as of Feb. 1.

Additionally, a dividend payment was declared on Ally's Fixed Rate/Floating Rate Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, of $21.7 million, or $0.53 per share, and is payable to shareholders of record as of Feb. 1.