Volkswagen dealerships have another option when working with their service-drive customers who encounter repair costs higher than they expected and cannot pay with available cash.

As a result, participating stores collectively already are seeing millions in additional service revenue.

On Wednesday, Sunbit, the buy now, pay later (BNPL) technology for everyday needs and services, announced it has been selected by Volkswagen of America as the preferred partner of the OEM’s eConnect Flexible Payment Program.

After evaluating several financing providers throughout last year, the company said Volkswagen endorsed Sunbit as its preferred partner in offering access to flexible payment plans to its service and maintenance customers.

Sunbit said one in four of the 636 Volkswagen dealerships were already using this technology. The company highlighted how much the solution can benefit both dealerships and their customers.

In 2020, 96% of Volkswagen customers who applied for a payment plan through Sunbit were approved, resulting in $3.3 million in revenue for Volkswagen dealerships.

“After testing Sunbit against other financial solutions last year, they were the clear winner,” said Jon Meredith, who is a part of dealer business development at Volkswagen of America. “Not only were dealers tremendously satisfied with their performance, but the approval of 96% of Volkswagen customers ultimately drove higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.

“That’s why we’re working to get Sunbit technology into more dealerships to serve more customers,” Meredith continued in the news release.

As part of this partnership, Volkswagen is offering dealerships using Sunbit’s technology benefits like subsidizing a three-month no-interest program from July until the end of September. This program will enable qualified Volkswagen customers to spread their payments for service or maintenance across three months interest-free, without early pay-off penalties, or added fees.

In collaboration with Sunbit’s field operations team, Volkswagen also will promote training and competitions for its service advisors to offer Sunbit technology to customers who visit their service center.

“We are honored to be chosen as Volkswagen’s preferred partner,” said Chad Beasley, Sunbit’s head of automotive OEM. “We’re proud to count Volkswagen among the OEMs endorsing our services. We are happy to see that our technology solutions helped more drivers stay on the road safely and securely.

“Unexpected expenses like servicing your car can be stressful. Volkswagen’s eConnect program with Sunbit can help alleviate that for nearly everyone who applies, while contributing to the dealership’s bottom-line,” Beasley went on to say.