F & I

“We’re not fluffy flowers, so don’t treat us that way,” says Alicia Ellis, a dealership F&I manager.

“Hey, I’ve been locked in a cage with someone trying to kill me,” Adam Marburger says, explaining why hard-nose customers didn’t faze him as an F&I manager.

Rick McCormick is a clergyman who also trains dealership finance and insurance managers.

“We were worried about no one showing up,” says conference director Tony Dupaquier.

Douglas Timmerman, president of Ally’s auto finance unit, says, “There are a lot of creative digital ideas, and we spend a lot of time monitoring and participating in them when it makes sense.”

Advocates of salespeople doing double duty say it can cut costs and streamline the buying process. Detractors say it’s harder than it seems.

“Car shoppers who are returning to the market for the first time in a few years could be in for a big shock,” says Edmunds analyst Jessica Caldwell.