Put the ‘manager' in ‘finance manager' by creating sales-to-F&I process

Establish the process you want to see to shepherd deals from the sales department to the finance and insurance office, demonstrate it, and work with your colleagues to ensure it occurs, says Cory Collins, national training director for Automotive Reinsurance Concepts.

"Your role as finance manager means just that — you're a manager," Collins, a former F&I manager, wrote in an email to Automotive News.

"You can't expect other people to read your mind. The ideal situation for a deal and how it flows from sales to desk and back to F&I must be shared and taught," he said.

A finance manager "must lead by example and show how you want things to work, then consistently work with your team to ensure it's happening," Collins said.

Developing a process, he said, "shows how much you care" about the sales department's success and allows a finance manager to track which staffers follow the plan.