Shortly before the Dodd-Frank Act was passed in July of 2010, NADA was strongly lobbying in Washington, DC to keep franchise auto dealers out of the purview of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). By the time the bill cleared, committees were ballyhooing that they had succeeded and that franchise dealers (and some select independent dealers) would not fall under their regulations.

Although they may have succeeded in the fact that they are not being directly regulated by the CFPB, the banks and auto finance companies that serve the industries are.

The following is a listing of their Dealer Summit sessions:

Greg Goebel, President & CEO

Keynote Speaker – State of the Special Finance Industry

(The 2016 Dealer Summit opens with the top trainer in the Special Finance industry welcoming the attendees and talking the health of the Special Finance business, which includes the new SF Index and what you should be expecting from the business back at your dealership.)

Greg will also present/moderate the following sessions:

* Finance Companies: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not is DealerStrong’s rundown of the top-performing subprime auto finance companies. The information in this session should be of particular use to dealers who are new to the special finance segment and may not be aware of what the average transaction should look like.

A Special Finance manager may have a close relationship with a finance company field rep or credit analyst who wants the business, but may not have the dealership’s best interest in mind. Goebel will open their eyes as to what they can expect.

* SF 101: The 10 Musts to Be Successful in Special Finance will serve as a 55-minute crash course on the essential elements of a profitable SF department. He decided to resurrect the topic for 2016 after leaving it off his annual curriculum for several years.

So many dealers, finance managers, and sales managers don’t understand the basics of SF. Goebel is going to roll through the 10 critical components, how they relate to each other and what they would look like optimally.

Having served as the industry’s leading special finance expert and trainer since 1989, Goebel has observed countless cycles of prosperity in the segment. He said the aforementioned economic indicators and a surge in interest from dealers of all stripes, including those who represent high-line brands, have convinced him that 2016 will be a make-or-break year for experienced and rookie SF dealers alike.

Shawn Foster, Executive Trainer

* The Key to Approvable Deal Structures in SF will cover customer pre-qualification, the intricacies of automated approval systems — which have become increasingly popular among banks and finance companies serving the subprime segment — and how “dummy” structures can get more deals bought by Honda, Hyundai and Toyota’s captive finance companies, among other topics.

In many cases, dealers are shooting themselves in the foot by not understanding the proper deal structure based on what the lenders need. Contrary to popular belief, lenders want to buy deals. The goal of this session is to help dealers recognize what the programs require and how to present a deal that’s viable in the lender’s eyes.

* The Top 5 Keys to Sourcing the Winning SF Inventory will break down proven strategies for stocking special finance units, including Craigslist and other non-auction sources, employee incentive programs and more.

In many dealerships, the dealer says, ‘We can’t buy cars for the special finance market.’ Yes you can, but you’re looking in the wrong spots. They still want to stand in the ‘A’ lane and wait for the good ones, and they’re trying to outsmart 100 other wholesalers. That doesn’t work anymore. You have to adjust.

Harlene Doane, COO

* Developing Your Talent Pool – Planning for Your Business Future will focus on the growing representation of Millennials in the workforce and equip dealers with tools to develop talent among younger workers.

Ask any dealer what the number one impediment to their business growth is and they will likely respond ‘finding talented people’ or a variation thereof. However, the talent pool isn’t the problem; the problem is not enough elite swimmers in the talent pool. Doane will focus on why the talent pool has dried up and how to refill it.

* 10 HR Policies or Procedures You Need to Review Now will be a countdown of serious personnel issues common to dealerships, including security breaches, workplace safety, and employee legal claims.

The lack of focus on proper HR policies and procedures can be expensive lessons to learn for many business owners; however, it doesn’t take a lot of extra work to safeguard their stores if they shore up their HR policies and procedures.

Wendy Reeves, BDC Trainer

* The Role Call Review Plays in Continued Success for Your Dealership will discuss call-review processes and how the practice complements dealers’ staffing, training, process implementation, and reporting efforts.

* The Keys to Getting Them in the Showroom will be a comprehensive analysis of effective verbiage, “do’s and don’ts” and basic tools that make BDC representatives more effective.

Dealers who have yet to make a wholehearted investment in BDC will be surprised at the level of production they can reach. These two sessions are an excellent start.