Menu Presentation

Last month we covered document presentation and menu introduction. This month we’ll pick up where we left off in the last newsletter. Keep in mind, of course, customer needs vary in infinite ways and your presentation should adjust to accommodate those needs where possible. The information gathered in the customer interview process (June’s “Training Tip”) is so critical to this end. Skipping an effective interview will leave you guessing how to meet their needs and could move you quickly past the all-important first overview of the menu right into the “no thanks” zone if you get it wrong.

From the October newsletter….”We’re going to take a look at your options right now. I’m going to make a recommendation, in your case, here in a minute, but I have to make you aware of all of your options. Here we go…it will go pretty quick!”

From here we’ll pick up with (and using information gathered from the interview)…”By choosing the Preferred Option” (check
mark next to the column title), “you will receive 5 years, 75,000 miles of full mechanical coverage” (underlining the term and mileage and hand-writing full mech in the box to lend emphasis). “This is the one everyone refers to as bumper-to-bumper. I’m not allowed to call it that because the bumpers aren’t covered…. but you know what I mean. Almost everything on your new car is covered except for the normal wear and tear and wearable maintenance items….things like your oil changes.”

“Speaking of which, you’ll also receive all of your scheduled maintenance for the next 5 years, 60,000 miles, every 5,000-mile interval” (again, underlining the term and mileage and hand-writing LOF/TR in the box to lend emphasis), “regarding lube, oil, and filters, tire rotations…. parts and labor, it’s all included. It’s sign and drive folks. You come in to get the work done and no money comes out of your pocket. It’s all taken care of already.”

“Next is guaranteed asset protection also known as total loss protection” (handwriting TLP in the box). “Do you know what that is and what it does?”…If the answer is yes, start with “Okay, so you know that…”. If the answer is no, start with “So…” and continue, regardless of the answer, with…”if it comes to pass that your vehicle is totaled in an accident, stolen, for whatever reason considered a total loss, the insurance company only has to and only will pay what they determined to be fair market value. Anything more than that you owe! You have to pay for the negative equity out of pocket or it can go against your credit as a voluntary repo. Now…no one I know wants to pay for something they no longer have. That’s what the GAP is there for. It pays into the difference between what the insurance company is willing to pay and what you owe. They’ll also cover your
deductible up to $1000.”

“Next, you have 5 years, unlimited miles, zero deductible on your tires and wheels” (again, underline the term/mileage and hand-write 0 ded). “You run over something out there in the world and tear up a tire…or a tire and wheel, they need to be replaced, done.” If the vehicle doesn’t have chrome wheels and you’re offering the plus program, continue by stating “In addition to that, if you’re down at the Starbucks or bank drive-thru, or anywhere else where the curbs are tight and you rub your wheel against the curb and damage the alloy, they’ll repair that as well.”

“You’ll also receive Ding Shield Plus. The paint-less dent repair is also for 5 years, unlimited miles, zero deductible” (again, underline the term/mileage and hand-write 0 ded). “Any dings, dents, creases, from shopping carts, kids’ bikes, the fine people that park next to you in the world…all the way up to the size of your driver’s license. That’s a big dent when you think about
it”…”all this sort of thing is taken care of as long as the factory finish remains intact. They’ll even take care of your insurance deductible up to $500 for hail damage and lord knows we get plenty of hail damage around here.”

“Then you have a credit life and disability benefit”, (placing check marks next to each of these two items)…

“Lastly, we have 5 years, unlimited miles, zero deductible theft deterrent” (again, underline the term/mileage and hand-write 0 ded). “Your car is stolen and not recovered within 30 days, you receive a $4000 check in addition to whatever your insurance company pays, whatever your GAP coverage pays.”

“Now, like I said, I’m going to make a recommendation in your case here in a minute but by choosing the preferred option…these are your payment choices”…(placing check marks next to each of these two items).

“Now the value option” (check mark next to the column title), “is the same as the preferred option with two differences. First, we forfeit the credit disability” (hand-write an x with an arrow pointing to the CD). “The second difference is, in it’s place, you will receive the key replacement” (circling the item). “Again, this is 5 years, unlimited miles, zero deductible” (again, underline the term/mileage and hand-write 0 ded). “These keys are becoming ridiculously expensive. If you lose your key, leave it in your pants pocket and it goes through the wash, the kids play GI-Joe with it in the bathtub, drop it on the sidewalk and it quits working…if you need to replace your key, done. One key per year, up to $400/key, for all 5 years. No deductible. By choosing the value option…these are your payment choices” (placing check marks next to each of these two items).

“The basic option” (circling the column title 5 or 6 times), “this is the option I recommend in your case. The basic option is the same as the value option with the one difference…. you forfeit the credit life” (hand-write an x with an arrow pointing to the CL), ….”and these are your payment choices” (placing check marks next to each of these two items.)

“The economy option” (check mark next to the column title), “is the same as the basic option with one difference…you forfeit the GAP” (hand-write an x with an arrow pointing to the GAP), “which I certainly don’t recommend in your case because right out of the gate, we are adding in $3,653.47 worth of negative equity” (bridging the trade value with the payoff and handwriting the amount), “from your trade. However, by choosing the economy option…these are your payment choices”(placing check marks next to each of these two items).

“Which option works best for you and your family?”

Remember the importance of proper cadence and the inflection throughout.

Of course, as is always the case, certain restrictions, limitations, and exclusions apply to all of the above. That’s it. Simple, smooth, and easy.

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.