“Do I Have To Buy Any Of This?”

You have just completed your four-column menu presentation complete with robust column structure. Your Guest, Mary, responds by asking, “do I have to pick one of these options?”

It is usually at this point that many Business Managers are inclined to believe that they have overreached. Perhaps they have been too aggressive in asking that Mary consider columns, each of which are very comprehensive. Maybe they should have structured their initial menu with a column offering just the service contract, or just the service contract and GAP.

Avoid these sentiments.

Shallow initial column construction leads to low product per retail counts, at best, and may compromise your credibility. After all, why are you asking (however meekly) that they consider your other ancillary products if you are so willing to toss them aside? Besides, if you take a look at your menu, after you’ve built it with these shallow columns, isn’t the large payment spread making it a forgone conclusion? At this point, it is all but impossible that you’ll educate your Guest convincingly on the merits of taking advantage of these very valuable products.

We all want to provide the best service for our Guests who, as we know, are HAPPIEST when they don’t have to pay for ANY of their covered repairs, for ALL covered PARTS and LABOR, less their deductible!

Keeping our credibility intact, and our PPR count productive are how we do this.

When our Guest Mary asks, “do I have to pick one of these?”, it is at this time (and not prior) that we can easily modify the aggressive structure of our menu and not prior. Here’s how…

“No. You can buy your new car, today, AS-IT-IS. You can forfeit everything we’ve talked about here and give up all the associated benefits.”

Give this statement just a moment (not too long) to sink in and continue with your all-important segue, “is it the way it’s packaged that concerns you?”

Mary is likely to respond, “what do you mean?”

To which you will reply, “Mary…you, like me, I’m sure would agree that this top piece…the full mechanical coverage…the one typically referred to as bumper-to-bumper…this is the most important piece in the whole matrix…”

“Yes”, Mary almost always responds. (If not, find out what is most important to her and make the adjustment.)

You may then either find out what is next most important to Mary, (the GAP because of her negative equity situation, or maybe the tire and wheel because those 20” wheels and tires on her new car are expensive) or move straight on to your new menu. Adjacent to the column that you recommended (at the conclusion of your initial menu presentation) as most applicable to her needs, you’ll create a column containing only those items identified as wanted.

Print your 2nd menu and present it.

“Mary, these are the benefits you want to take advantage of and here are your payment choices. Which term do you prefer?”

Of course, you have offered Mary a two-term menu (with the rates for both terms the same, where possible), haven’t you?

Give it a try.

Good luck and good selling!

Erik Landrum
F&I Performance Coach at Conley Insurance Group

For a printable version click here.