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Dealership Technology & Operations
Finance & Insurance Products
High-stakes purchases and complex multi-party buying decisions across consumer and commercial segments.
JM&A Group
IAS
Dealer Financial Services
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Inside this journey
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Pre-Discovery
Align the room on outcomes, decision process, and constraints before deeper discovery.
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Stakeholder Alignment
Confirm decision roles, timeline, pilot criteria, and what ‘good’ looks like for the F&I director, dealer principal, and corporate stakeholders.
Alignment Questions
Start: Tell Us About Your F&I World
- What's your role and how long have you been responsible for F&I at this store?
- How many retail units do you sell on average per month?
- Are you part of a dealer group or corporate organization that influences F&I decisions?
- Who is your current primary F&I product provider and how long have you worked with them?
- What motivated you to agree to an initial discovery conversation today?
If This Kept Happening, How Bad Would It Get?
- When you look at your last 12 months, which recurring F&I problem frustrates you most—and why?
- How often do cancellations or chargebacks materially erode your monthly F&I gross?
- Which cancellation or chargeback driver costs you the most (pick the top two)?
- When cancellations/chargebacks happen, how does it affect team morale, manager turnover, or your willingness to try new products?
- Tell us about a recent month where F&I results surprised you—what happened and what did you learn?
Where the Numbers Tell a Different Story
- Is it possible your current KPIs hide structural problems? If so, which ones catch you off-guard?
- What is your current average PVR (per-vehicle-retail) over the past 6 months?
- Please indicate typical penetration rates by product (select all that apply and add specifics after):
- What is your current monthly cancellation rate (percent of sold contracts canceled within 12 months)?
- How are you currently tracking and reconciling reserves and dealer compensation—does it match posted financials each month?
- What single data point would change your view of whether the current setup is working?
What's Costing You Trust—and How It Feels
- If customers and managers could describe your claims experience in one word, would it be 'fast', 'frustrating', 'opaque', or something else—and why?
- How long does a typical legitimate claims resolution take from claim submission to payment or repair authorization?
- Have you lost repeat buyers or received dealer-group complaints tied directly to claims handling or contract disputes? Tell us a specific example.
- What internal steps do you take when a claim becomes contested—and how often does that process escalate to corporate/legal?
- Which part of the customer’s post-sale journey creates the most complaints (select top two)?
Imagine a 60–90 Day Pilot That Actually Proves It
- If a 60–90 day pilot had to prove value to you, what single outcome would force you to change providers?
- What minimum PVR lift would you accept as a pilot success signal?
- What penetration improvements by product would you want to see (choose up to three priority targets)?
- What cancellation threshold during the pilot would be unacceptable?
- Who in your organization will sign off on pilot acceptance and what documentation do they require to approve a full rollout?
- During the pilot, which weekly metrics would you want delivered to you and in what format?
What Would Selling It Feel Like?
- If your F&I managers were honest, which part of presenting products loses customers most often—price, coverage explanation, timing, or menu UX?
- How do you currently present the product lineup (menu provider, paper, tablet, or verbal) and how consistent is that presentation across managers?
- How often do you run live role-play or grading sessions with F&I managers, and what typically happens after coaching?
- What training cadence and format would actually stick with your team given turnover and schedules?
- What objections from managers should we anticipate when switching menu pricing or coverage tiers, and how have you handled them before?
- Which parts of pricing or reserve transparency would you require before allowing your managers to sell confidently?
Who Needs to Be Won Over—and What Will They Insist On?
- Who are the decision-makers—name titles and their primary concern (e.g., dealer principal: total gross, corporate: compliance)?
- Which stakeholder will be the toughest to convince and what would make them comfortable?
- Does corporate or your 20-group require third-party validation, actuarial review, or references before approving a pilot?
- What timeline and internal milestones must we hit to get final approval (select applicable)?
- If a stakeholder raises compliance concerns, what specific documentation or guardrails would resolve them quickly?
How Ready Is Your Shop for a Smooth Pilot?
- If we tried to start the pilot next week, what single thing would most likely trip us up?
- What systems and access can you provide for a pilot (choose all available):
- Do you currently have a menu provider or tech integration we must support? If yes, name it and describe any known constraints.
- Who will be the internal owner for pilot execution and day-to-day coordination (name/title)?
- What training dates or blackout periods should we avoid during the pilot window?
- Which weekly checkpoints would you prefer during the pilot (select all that apply)?
Next Steps — What Would Make This Easy to Agree On?
- What would make a vendor’s commercial terms impossible to refuse (be specific—pricing, reserve guarantees, or chargeback protections)?
- How flexible can you be on pilot duration and measurement cadence—are you willing to do 60, 75, or 90 days based on data needs?
- What reporting cadence and format will get your corporate or dealer-principal buy-in (choose one)?
- If we committed to a specific cancellation guardrail or liability cap for the pilot, would that remove the biggest barrier to moving forward?
- What is the single most important question you want us to answer before you sign off on a pilot?
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Current F&I Performance Mapping
Document today’s PVR, penetration by product, cancellation drivers, claims experience, and menu workflow constraints.
Current State
Kickoff: Tell Me About Today's Floor
- Walk me through a typical day in your F&I office—how many retail units, how many F&I write-ups, and who’s in the room?
- What is your current average PVR (per-vehicle-retail)? Select the closest range.
- Which products currently show the highest penetration on your deals?
- How do you track daily F&I performance and who reviews it weekly? (tool + role)
- Which menu/presentation method do you primarily use?
- How long has your current product/provider mix been in place?
Are You Settling for Leaky Profit?
- If cancellations and chargebacks disappeared tomorrow, how different would your monthly F&I gross look?
- Which cancellation drivers cost you the most money? (pick all that apply)
- What percent of sold contracts are cancelled or charged back within 90 days? Please provide your best estimate or exact figure.
- When a cancellation happens, how quickly and cleanly is the refund/chargeback processed?
- Tell me about a recent cancellation that surprised you—what happened, and what did you learn?
Where Does the Customer Experience Fall Apart?
- Would you say claims and service experience are a competitive advantage or a recurring headache?
- How long does it typically take from a customer claim submission to final resolution?
- Which claim-related issues generate the most dealer or customer complaints? (select all that apply)
- How often do claim problems show up on your CSI or survey feedback, and can you share an example?
- Who owns claims escalations today (title/role), and how does that handoff feel?
What’s Getting in the Way of Selling More?
- If your menu or workflow were responsible for 50% of missed penetration, would you notice it in the numbers or only in anecdotes?
- Which steps in your F&I workflow create the most friction for managers or customers? (select up to 5)
- Does your menu system integrate with your DMS and credit funding? If not, what breaks?
- How often do F&I managers deviate from scripted presentations and why?
- Describe one recent deal where the menu or process cost you a sale or product rejection—what specifically happened?
If We Could Rebuild a Single Thing, What Would It Be?
- Imagine your ideal F&I outcome in six months—what would the PVR, penetration, and cancellation picture look like?
- What PVR lift would be meaningful enough to change your provider or processes?
- What penetration gains by product would you target during a 60–90 day pilot? (pick all that matter)
- What cancellation rate would you consider an acceptable ceiling for a new program during a pilot?
- Beyond raw numbers, what customer experience outcomes would make you confident (e.g., CSI lift, fewer complaints, faster checkouts)?
What Would Make a 60–90 Day Pilot Unmissable?
- What would cause you to say 'yes' to a short pilot—what three things must be guaranteed?
- Who must sign off on pilot results for the program to be considered successful? (select all relevant roles)
- Do you have the data feeds we typically need (deal-level PVR, product flags, cancellations, claims)?
- How often do you want pilot reporting—daily, weekly, or ad-hoc—and who needs each report?
- What internal concerns or blockers do you anticipate during a pilot (systems, compliance, staffing, timeline)?
Quick Reality Check: What Won’t Change?
- Which regulatory or corporate rules limit changes to pricing, product language, or menu flows at your store?
- Are there rate floors, reserve targets, or funding timing requirements we must honor?
- Who on your team handles compliance attestations and regulatory audits today?
- Have you faced enforcement or fines related to F&I practices in the last 3 years? If so, what was the issue and outcome?
- Are there legacy contracts or vendor commitments that would prevent switching products during the pilot?
Next Steps — Small Bets That Prove the Case
- Which small-scale pilot would you be open to running first? (pick one preferred approach)
- What is your ideal start window for a pilot?
- Who will be the day-to-day pilot owner at the dealership (name & role)?
- What support will make the pilot low-risk for you (training hours, admin support, claims SLA, compliance review)? (select all that apply)
- What would make you stop a pilot early? List the hard stop conditions.
- Any final context, sensitivities, or recent events we should know before designing the baseline and pilot metrics?
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Outcome Discovery
Define target KPIs (PVR lift, penetration, cancellation thresholds, CSI impacts) and the acceptance criteria for a 60–90 day pilot.
Discovery Questions
Why now? A quick opener to get us started
- What prompted you to consider a 60–90 day F&I pilot right now?
- Who will be the primary day-to-day owner of the pilot on your side?
- What is your baseline PVR and current penetration by product? (Please list PVR and % for VSC, GAP, Tire & Wheel, Prepaid Maintenance)
- How do you currently capture cancellations and chargebacks (where do those numbers live today)?
- What would make a short pilot feel like a low-risk experiment to you?
If nothing changes, what will that quietly cost you?
- If your PVR and penetration stayed flat for another 12 months, what revenue or operational consequences do you expect?
- Estimate the monthly dollar impact of your current cancellation and chargeback rate on F&I gross—can you provide a ballpark?
- Which of these would be most damaging if allowed to persist or worsen?
- How long have you been tolerating these trends before actively looking for a new approach?
- How does living with these issues feel day-to-day—urgent, a constant background stress, or manageable for now?
Where the friction actually hides (let’s surface the parts that leak profit)
- Which part of your current end-to-end F&I experience do you suspect is leaking profit or driving cancellations?
- Tell a recent story of a cancelled contract: what triggered the cancellation, who handled it, and what was the timeline to resolution?
- How often do menu or workflow constraints prevent managers from offering the right product or tier at the point of sale?
- Does F&I manager turnover create variability in presentation or pricing? What is your average F&I manager tenure?
- Are there recurring compliance or state-specific issues that cause rewrites, denials, or customer confusion?
If the pilot exceeded expectations—what would you celebrate?
- If we handed you a results banner at day 90, what three KPIs would be on it?
- What minimum PVR lift would make you seriously consider converting to our suite?
- For each core product (VSC, GAP, T&W, PM), what percentage lift would feel like a meaningful success?
- What cancellation rate threshold during the pilot would you consider acceptable to move forward?
- How would you prefer CSI impact to be captured (manufacturer surveys, internal NPS, mystery shopper) and what delta would matter?
- Who must sign the banner for you—whose approval equals a 'yes'?
What would make the pilot feel safe enough to say yes?
- Which specific acceptance criteria would give you the confidence to convert after 60–90 days?
- Is there a minimum sample size (units sold or transactions) you require to feel the results are statistically valid?
- How often should we deliver pilot reporting to you (select your preferred cadence)?
- Which data fields must appear in every pilot report for you to trust the analysis?
- What financial protections or reserve treatments would you require for the pilot (e.g., escrow, caps, guarantees)?
Who really decides—and how do they define 'win'?
- Who are the decision-makers whose views will determine whether this becomes a full rollout?
- What does the dealer principal care about most when signing off—F&I gross, CSI, compliance, or something else?
- If corporate or a twenty-group wants the results, what formats do they prefer for review?
- What is your internal decision timeline after pilot completion (how quickly can you move to contract)?
- Are there procurement, legal, or insurance steps that typically delay contracting even after a successful pilot?
What could derail a good pilot—let’s name the risks and how we mitigate them
- What single issue, if it occurred during the pilot, would cause you to stop the test immediately?
- For the top risks you worry about, what mitigation would make you feel comfortable continuing (rollback plan, immediate remediation, pause-and-fix)?
- How much training refresh or coaching cadence would you require to consider adoption genuine (select your preferred model)?
- Which internal levers can you deploy to protect the pilot (incentives, manager scorecards, quality audits)?
- If the pilot underperforms versus targets, which recovery options would you consider acceptable?
Can we trust the numbers? A data reality check before we start
- Do you have clean, exportable data for sales, product sold, cancellations, chargebacks, and CSI for the pilot period?
- Who on your team will own providing nightly/weekly data feeds and what’s their contact information?
- Which systems will we integrate or pull reporting from (DMS name, menu provider, CRM, etc.)?
- Are there known data gaps (e.g., missing VINs, delayed chargeback posting, manual overrides) we should design around?
- Would you allow anonymized sample records to validate our matching and reporting logic before pilot start?
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Solution Experience
Walk through how the product lineup, menu pricing, training, and claims flow will drive the defined KPI improvements using the dealership’s real metrics and pilot scenarios.
Experience Meetings
- Pre-Experience Data Confirmation
- Consequence & KPI Impact Session
- Solution Experience — Scenario Walkthrough with Dealer Metrics
- Pilot Acceptance & Measurement Plan
- Executive Alignment & Mutual Confirmation
- Mitigate top risks with predefined actions so the pilot has a high probability of yielding valid results.
- Recap One-Sentence Current State
- Surface an agreed financial consequence (monthly/annual $) tied to current F&I performance.
- Agree baseline KPI values (current PVR, penetration by product, cancellation rate, average claims SLA) to be used in pilot measurement.
- Validate modeling assumptions with dealer leadership to ensure credibility.
- Provider to deliver a one-page consequence summary (dollars per month, per vehicle) for executive review.
- Dealer to confirm or correct any data points used in the model (e.g., reserve rates, average vehicle price).
- Update sensitivity scenarios based on dealer feedback and re-circulate within 48 hours.
- One-Sentence Future State & Acceptance Reminder
- Prove the future state quantitatively using the dealer's actual metrics (Diagnosis -> Proof -> Validation).
- Obtain stakeholder validation (F&I manager + dealer principal) that projections and behavior changes are realistic.
- Identify any adjustments required to the solution before pilot scoping (pricing tweaks, coverage tiers, training focus).
- Provider to deliver a scenario deck with transaction-level before/after examples and a consolidated pilot KPI projection.
- Dealer to nominate 1–2 F&I managers for the in-person role-play pilot and confirm their availability.
- Agree on pilot start date window and initial sample size (number of retail vehicles to include in pilot reporting).
- Review Consolidated Projections vs Acceptance Thresholds
- Agree and document objective acceptance criteria and the measurement plan for the 60–90 day pilot.
- Designate owners for data feeds, weekly reporting, cancellation control, and claims SLA monitoring.
- Introductions & Meeting Objective
- Provider to configure and share the pilot KPI dashboard with data source mappings and weekly report schedule.
- Dealer to enable agreed DMS and menu system exports and provide credentials where required.
- Both parties to sign the pilot acceptance checklist outlining metrics, duration, and escalation paths.
- Executive Summary of Current State & Consequence
- Receive executive approval to proceed to pilot based on the validated Solution Experience.
- Confirm mutual responsibilities, any quick commercial items, and the official pilot start date.
- Ensure executives understand the metrics that will determine pilot success and transition decision.
- Execute and circulate the signed pilot agreement or memorandum of understanding.
- Provider to lock training dates and confirm the on-site field team for pilot kickoff.
- Dealer to allocate executive sponsor and assign a pilot operations lead for weekly cadences.
- Produce one clear, agreed one-sentence current state that will drive the Solution Experience.
- Confirm receipt or commitment timeline for all required dealer metrics and artifacts.
- Assign owners for outstanding data and pre-work to prevent delays.
- Dealer to deliver 90-day transaction-level export (PVR, products sold, cancellations with reason codes) by agreed date.
- Provider to prepare baseline KPI dashboard and sample scenario template using submitted data.
- Schedule the Scenario Walkthrough meeting and confirm attendees (F&I director, one F&I manager, dealer principal, provider field lead).
- PVR and Revenue Leakage Modeling
- Define Measurement Methodology & Data Sources
- Projected Pilot Outcomes (headline KPIs)
- Diagnosis: Map Problems to Root Causes
- One-Sentence Current State
- Weekly Reporting & Dashboard Walkthrough
- Cancellation & Chargeback Cost Analysis
- Proof Block A — Product Lineup & Pricing Impact
- Review Data Package (required artifacts)
- Pilot Scope, Duration & Acceptance Criteria
- Claims & CSI Consequence
- Identify Data Gaps & Owners
- Cancellation Controls & Claims SLAs
- Mutual Responsibilities & Commercial Preconditions
- Validation Check A
- Confirm Pre-work Deliverables
- Risk & Mitigation Plan
- Proof Block B — Menu Presentation & Training Effects
- Final Sign-off & Pilot Start Confirmation
- Sensitivity Scenarios
- Validation Check B
- Assumptions Check & Q&A
- Sign-off Checklist & Next Steps
- Next Steps & Scheduling
- Proof Block C — Claims Flow & CSI Impact
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Solution Scope
Define the product mix, coverage tiers, pricing/reserve structure, menu integration, training scope, compliance responsibilities, and pilot deliverables.
Scope Configuration
- Activate 60–90 day pilot product lineup
- Integrate menu presentation with dealer DMS
- Configure pricing tiers and dealer reserve splits
- Upload and publish product contracts and disclosures
- File state-specific service contract registrations
- Activate digital contract delivery to consumers
- Deploy online consumer claims portal
- Administer in-house claims adjudication and processing
- Issue claims payments to repair facilities
- Enable electronic GAP waiver enrollment
- Install tire-and-wheel claims workflow
- Deliver two-day F&I role-play training
Scope Questions
Activate 60–90 day pilot product lineup
- Which products do you want included in the 60–90 day pilot?
- Which dealer locations will participate in the pilot (list store IDs or 'single store')?
- What is your desired pilot start date and target duration (60/90 days)?
- What sample size or vehicle volume do you expect during the pilot (vehicles per month)?
- Are there specific eligibility rules or exclusions you require for pilot products (vehicle age, mileage, aftermarket parts)?
- Which KPIs must be tracked during the pilot to consider it successful?
- Do you require any customized product bundles or packaging for the pilot?
Integrate menu presentation with dealer DMS
- Which DMS does the dealership use?
- Which menu provider (if any) is currently in use?
- What integration method is preferred or available for your DMS/menu (API, SFTP, batch CSV, native connector)?
- Do you require single-sign-on or credential mapping between the menu and the DMS?
- Will the menu present custom pricing tiers, multi-tier coverages, or location-specific prices?
- Who will own integration testing and sign-off at the dealer (title and contact)?
- Are there blackout periods (sales, manufacturer audits) when integration cannot occur?
Configure pricing tiers and dealer reserve splits
- Which pricing structure do you prefer for each product during pilot (flat retail, tiered based on coverage, market-indexed)?
- What dealer reserve split or commission structure do you require (vendor % / dealer %)?
- Do pricing tiers need to vary by vehicle type (new vs used, domestic vs import, EV/hybrid)?
- Are there mandated minimum or maximum retail ceilings we must enforce?
- Will the dealer require the ability to override prices at point of sale and if so, what approval workflow?
- Do you require reporting that reconciles reserves and payouts to the DMS GL codes?
- Please list any current competitor pricing benchmarks or target PVR uplift goals that should inform pricing.
Upload and publish product contracts and disclosures
- Do you have existing contract templates or do you need vendor-provided templates?
- Which languages must contracts and disclosures be available in?
- Are there required disclosure elements or custom verbiage mandated by corporate or OEM standards?
- Do you need version control and approval workflow for contract updates?
- What file formats are required for publishing (PDF, HTML, XML)?
- Who will own the final legal review and sign-off for published contracts?
- Do contracts require embedding into the DMS/menu or will they be hosted externally with links?
File state-specific service contract registrations
- In which U.S. states (or provinces) will you offer covered products for the pilot?
- Do you have existing registered provider IDs or will new filings be required?
- Do any states require proof of financial responsibility (bonding, risk-based collateral) for your offering?
- Who will supply required supporting documents for filings (certificate of authority, sample contracts, rates)?
- What is your desired timeline for completing all necessary state filings before pilot launch?
- Do you require the vendor to manage filings and renewals or will your legal team do so?
- Are there any prior filing rejections or open compliance issues for this dealer/group we should be aware of?
Activate digital contract delivery to consumers
- Which delivery channels should be enabled (email, SMS link, in-app, printed copy)?
- Do you require consumer e-signature capability and which provider do you prefer?
- What retention period and storage location do you require for delivered contracts (DMS, vendor cloud)?
- Is consumer consent for electronic delivery documented already or does the flow need to capture consent?
- Will digital contracts need branding or co-branding with dealer/OEM logos?
- Do you require a printable summary or full contract PDF to be included in the delivery package?
- Any state-specific consumer delivery or disclosure rules we must enforce (e.g., mailed notice requirements)?
Deploy online consumer claims portal
- Which consumer self-service features are required for the portal?
- Do you require consumer authentication (email verification, account creation, tokenized link)?
- Should the portal integrate with the dealer's preferred repair network or allow free choice of repair facility?
- What SLA should the portal commit to for initial claim acknowledgment and updates?
- Do you need multi-language support and accessibility (ADA) features in the portal?
- Do you require repair estimates, appointment booking, or virtual inspection capability in the portal?
- Who will be the primary contact for portal support and what hours should support be available?
Administer in-house claims adjudication and processing
- What target turnaround time do you require for adjudication (first decision and final payment)?
- What claim types will be handled in-house (mechanical, tire, cosmetic, theft, maintenance)?
- What level of documentation and proof is required to adjudicate a claim?
- Do you require escalation rules and approval thresholds for high-value claims?
- Will adjudicators need access to dealer repair orders or tech notes via DMS integration?
- Do you need regular claims performance reporting (weekly KPI dashboard, root cause analysis)?
- Are there internal policies or corporate guidelines adjudicators must follow (e.g., labor hour caps)?
Issue claims payments to repair facilities
- Which payment methods should be enabled to pay repair facilities?
- What is the desired payment timing from claim approval to funds disbursement?
- Do repair facilities require pre-authorization or pre-verified payee setup?
- Will payments need remittance details tied to dealer or repair facility GL codes?
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Mutual Commit
Finalize commercial terms, pilot duration and metrics, contract modules, compliance attestations, and mutual responsibilities for evaluation and transition.
Agreement Modules
- Statement of Work (SOW)
- Pilot Agreement
- Commercial Terms & Pricing
- Master Services Agreement (MSA)
- Product Addendum (Coverage & Pricing)
- Compliance Attestation & Regulatory Responsibilities
- Data Access & Integration Agreement
- Menu Integration & Technical Addendum
- Training & Enablement Schedule
- Claims Service Agreement & SLAs
- Performance Measurement & Acceptance Criteria
- Termination, Transition & Rollback Plan
- Insurance, Indemnity & Liability
- Confidentiality & Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
- Execution & Signature Module
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Deployment
Operationalize rollout with readiness checks, enablement, and outcome validation.
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Pre-Deployment Readiness
Confirm data access, menu integration details, claims portal credentials, training dates, and owners for pilot execution and compliance checks.
Readiness Questions
Let's Start: Who's in the Room?
- Who are the day-to-day and decision-making stakeholders for F&I at your store (name & role)?
- Which of these people will need to sign off on a 60–90 day pilot?
- What is your target timeline for making a change or running a pilot?
- Who is your current F&I product provider (if any) and how long have you worked with them?
- Tell us one quick win and one ongoing frustration you’d like us to know about before we dig in.
Why Keep Doing It This Way?
- What would you lose—financially or operationally—if you changed your product lineup tomorrow?
- Which of these friction points feel most real day-to-day in your finance office?
- How much does staff turnover in F&I affect your ability to keep penetration and PVR consistent?
- When a sale falls apart because of an F&I issue, what usually happens next—and who ends up absorbing the cost or reputational hit?
- Give an example of a recent deal where product, pricing, or claims created buyer friction. What was the cost (time, refunds, CSI impact)?
If Numbers Spoke Honestly, What Would They Say?
- What is your current average PVR (per vehicle retail)?
- Please break down typical product penetration by category (estimate percentages): VSC, GAP, Tire & Wheel, Maintenance, Other.
- What is your monthly or quarterly cancellation (chargeback) rate as a percentage of sold products?
- How long does it typically take for customer claims to be resolved from first notice to payout?
- Do you currently have access to real-time data feeds (DMS, CRM, menu) that we can use for pilot measurement?
- If you had to pick the single metric you’d want to move most in a pilot, which would it be?
Where Compliance and Risk Hide
- When was the last time you had a formal compliance review or state audit of your F&I products, and what came up?
- Which compliance areas cause you the most unease right now?
- Who at the dealership owns compliance oversight and licensing for service contracts and insurance products?
- Have you ever had a compliance-related penalty, customer complaint that escalated, or manufacturer inquiry tied to F&I products? If yes, what happened?
- What documentation or attestations would you need from a provider before approving a pilot (licenses, state filings, training certs)?
Imagine a Pilot That Actually Proves Value
- If a 60–90 day pilot had to prove value beyond a single month blip, what acceptance thresholds would you set?
- What minimum PVR lift or penetration change would make you comfortable moving to full transition?
- Who will be the pilot owner responsible for daily execution and weekly reporting?
- What data cadence and format do you need during the pilot (weekly dashboards, raw DMS extracts, menu analytics)?
- Which pilot constraints would feel like deal-breakers up front (customer-facing contract delivery, menu provider limits, training time, IT integration)?
What Would Success Feel Like (Beyond the Dollars)?
- Beyond PVR and penetration, what three outcomes would make you feel the pilot was a true success?
- How would improvements in claims turnaround or fewer cancellations change your relationship with customers and manufacturer scores (CSI, warranty retention)?
- Would reduced admin work for your F&I staff (less disputes, fewer manual reversals) influence your decision as much as revenue gains?
- If a pilot succeeded, how quickly would you want to scale it to other rooftops in your group?
- Tell us a short story about a past change that scaled well — what made it work and who made it possible?
Commitments, Roadblocks, and Next Steps
- What would be the single biggest internal blocker to running a pilot with a new provider?
- Which systems must the provider integrate with for the pilot to work (select all that apply)?
- Which menu provider or platform are you currently using (or planning to use)?
- What specific credentials and access can you provide for claims portal, test contracts, and data exports during the pilot, and who is the contact?
- What is a realistic go/no-go date for starting a pilot based on your internal approval cycles?
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Deployment Enablement
Schedule and execute menu integration, in-office F&I training, system setup, and the 60–90 day pilot with clear task owners and milestones.
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Validation Checklist
Verify pilot data feeds, weekly KPI tracking, cancellation controls, claims turnaround, and acceptance criteria prior to full transition.
Validation Questions
Quick Context — Where We're Starting
- What's your role and primary responsibility for F&I outcomes today?
- Tell us the type and scale of the store(s) you run (pick best fit).
- In one short sentence, what about your F&I operation matters most to you right now? (e.g., stability, margin, compliance, CSI)
- Who ultimately signs off on switching or piloting a new F&I provider at your dealership?
- Who else typically influences that decision and how do they weigh in?
Are You Settling for the Current Numbers?
- If PVR and penetration stayed flat for 12 months, what would that mean for your bottom line and career momentum?
- What is your current average PVR (per vehicle retail)?
- Which product lines are your top three revenue drivers today? Please rank them in order.
- What is your average monthly cancellation / chargeback rate across products?
- Think of the last time a cancelled contract hit you—what was the typical reason and how did it feel to you as the manager?
Where Revenue Slips Away (and Why You Don't Always See It)
- Which single friction point in your F&I process quietly reduces revenue the most—presentation, pricing, menu integration, training, or claims?
- How often do F&I managers change in a typical 12-month period at your store?
- How would you describe your current menu workflow constraints (system limitations, required approvals, or wording issues)? Give a concrete example.
- What percentage of deals currently use digital contract delivery or consumer-facing contract acceptance?
- When training is rolled out, what typically prevents the change from sticking: attendance, reinforcement, manager follow‑through, or competing priorities?
- Describe a recent sale where product penetration underperformed—what happened during the deal and why do you think it failed?
What Compliance Stressors Keep You Alert at Night?
- When was the last time a compliance issue cost you money or shook your confidence in a provider?
- In which states do you sell products and therefore need state-specific compliance support?
- Which compliance areas are biggest risk points for you: disclosures, advertising, contract language, remittance, or licensing?
- How do you currently handle compliance attestations and audit-ready documentation—dealer-owned, provider-owned, or shared?
- If a provider offered full compliance attestations and audit support, which specific assurances would make you comfortable moving forward?
Imagine the Pilot That Actually Changes Minds
- What single measurable result at the end of a 60–90 day pilot would make you switch providers without hesitation?
- What numeric PVR lift would you consider a successful pilot (enter percent or dollar target)?
- Which products must be included in the pilot to make results meaningful for you?
- What level of impact to CSI would be unacceptable during the pilot (e.g., percentage point drop)?
- Who at your store signs the pilot acceptance and what internal criteria (besides KPI numbers) must be met?
- What pilot length do you prefer for credible results and minimal disruption?
Training & Change — Who Will Carry This Forward?
- If training doesn't change behavior, who on your team will be judged and how quickly will that pressure show?
- What is the average tenure of your active F&I managers?
- Which training format gets the best results here: 1–2 day in-office, remote live workshops, ongoing microlearning, or one-to-one coaching?
- Who needs to attend the initial training to ensure adoption (check all that apply)?
- How do you currently measure training effectiveness (product penetration lift, role-play scores, mystery shops, or other)?
- Give an example of a training moment that actually stuck—what made it work?
Decision & Risk — What's Enough to Say Yes?
- What's the smallest, clearest guarantee or protection that would eliminate your biggest switching fear?
- Which commercial protections would most reduce your risk: pilot fee only, revenue-share guarantee, reserve reimbursement, or cancellation protection?
- What contract term length would you be comfortable committing to if the pilot meets targets?
- What reporting cadence and dashboard access do you require to feel in control during and after the pilot?
- What is an acceptable claims turnaround time from submission to customer resolution in your view?
- What else would you need from a provider—from integration help to compliance attestations—to feel safe saying yes?
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Success
Review pilot outcomes against agreed KPIs, capture learnings, and establish ongoing cadence for performance reviews, compliance updates, and support.
Success Reviews
- Pilot Outcomes Review — KPI Validation & Acceptance
- Root Cause & Cancellation/Claims Deep Dive
- Commercial Reconciliation & Financial Settlement
- Transition Planning & Ongoing Cadence Setup
- Lessons Learned & Continuous Improvement Workshop
Issues & Enhancements
- Create and share the transition project plan (Gantt or checklist) with owners and due dates in the PM tool.
- Agree a prioritized remediation plan tied directly to measurable KPI improvements.
- Assign owners and near-term milestones to reduce chargebacks and improve claims turnaround.
- Implement cancellation guardrails (e.g., documentation checklist, reconciliation cadence) and report weekly on cancellation rates.
- Update claims triage steps and SLA targets; assign claims ops owner to monitor throughput.
- Schedule a 30-day check-in to validate early results from remediation actions.
- Current Financial State Summary (one-sentence)
- Reconcile pilot financial outcomes and make the financial consequence explicit for dealer leadership.
- Agree commercial terms or adjustments required for full rollout and document any settlement amounts.
- Establish timeline and owners for contract execution and financial close-out of the pilot.
- Prepare final financial reconciliation packet with supporting data and distribute to finance teams for sign-off.
- Draft and circulate the commercial amendment/contract modules reflecting agreed terms for legal review.
- Schedule finance sign-off meeting and set target dates for settlement and contract execution.
- Define Future State (one-sentence operational outcome)
- Produce a detailed transition project plan with timelines and named owners for every critical activity.
- Agree on a recurring KPI reporting schedule and the dashboard views required for ongoing oversight.
- Ensure training and compliance refreshes are scheduled and responsibilities are clear.
- Introductions & Meeting Objectives
- Set up recurring meetings (weekly ops, monthly exec) and calendar invites with agendas and expected reports.
- Provision dashboard access and configure KPI reports for dealer and provider stakeholders.
- Framing: One-sentence Summary of Pilot Outcome & Consequence
- Create a prioritized continuous improvement backlog with measurable success criteria for each item.
- Assign owners, timelines, and small experiments to validate improvements within defined windows.
- Ensure learnings are documented and distributed as part of the pilot closure package.
- Publish a lessons-learned report that includes prioritized improvements, owners, and measurement plans.
- Create tickets or entries in the improvement tracker (with owners and due dates) and link KPI dashboards.
- Schedule short experiments/mini-pilots for the top 2 improvements and a 30/60/90 day review to measure impact.
- Confirm whether pilot met the agreed acceptance criteria and secure a formal acceptance decision or documented remediation plan.
- Ensure financial consequence of results is explicit and understood by dealer leadership.
- Agree clear next steps, owners, and timelines for acceptance, remediation, or transition.
- Produce and distribute a final KPI validation report (data exports attached) for signature or acceptance confirmation.
- If accepted, schedule the Transition Kickoff and assign the transition project lead.
- If remediation required, create a remediation plan with owners, milestones, and measurement criteria.
- One-sentence Current State for Cancellations/Claims
- Identify the top actionable drivers of cancellations and claims delays with evidence.
- What Went Well
- Data Walkthrough — Evidence First
- Confirm Current State (one-sentence)
- Transition Scope & Timeline
- Detailed Financial Reconciliation
- Commercial Terms Review
- Customer & Process Examples
- Where We Missed Targets (Evidence-first)
- Recap Agreed KPIs & Acceptance Criteria
- Roles & RACI
- Reporting & Review Cadence
- Pilot Performance vs KPIs (Proof)
- Compliance & Chargeback Exposure
- Root-cause Brainstorm (structured)
- Idea Generation: Fixes & Experiments
- Training & Compliance Refresh Plan
- Prioritize Fixes & Define Metrics
- Mutual Commit & Contract Next Steps
- Consequence Analysis (dollars & risk)
- Prioritization & Success Criteria
- Tie Findings Back to Problems
- Support & Escalation Pathways
- Owners, Timelines & Quick Wins
- Assign Owners & Next Steps
- Validation & Decision