8 tips for FSMs navigating non-supportive salespeople

As a financial services manager, your success often depends on the strength of your relationships with the sales team. When salespeople are on-board with the F&I process, it creates a seamless experience for the customer and boosts profitability for the entire dealership.

But what about when you encounter a salesperson who is less than supportive? Maybe they don’t see the value in F&I products. Or they simply aren’t motivated to ensure a strong handover. Whatever the reason, dealing with non-supportive salespeople can be frustrating.

The good news: With a bit of thought and effort, it’s possible to turn a challenging relationship into one of mutual respect and understanding.

1. Understand their perspective

The first step in addressing the issue is to understand why a salesperson might be non-supportive. Are they under pressure to close deals quickly, and therefore see F&I as a roadblock? Do they lack confidence in the products? Or maybe they’ve had negative experiences with F&I in the past. By taking the time to understand their perspective, you can tailor your approach to address their specific concerns.

Helpful tip: Have a one-on-one conversation with the salesperson to get to the root of the issue. You could even position your approach as a general attempt to improve F&I processes. E.g.: “Just getting some feedback from different team members on how they think the F&I process could be better….” And when you receive the feedback, show empathy and listen actively to their concerns.

2. Educate and align

One of the most common reasons for a lack of support is a lack of understanding. Salespeople might not fully grasp the benefits of F&I products or how these products can increase customer satisfaction, protect their investments, and ultimately enhance their enjoyment of their vehicle.

Take the time to educate them on the value of F&I from their perspective. Show them how F&I can help them achieve their targets, whether through higher customer satisfaction scores, better retention, or additional income.

Helpful tip: Offer regular training sessions or informal lunch-and-learns to keep the sales team informed on F&I products — and engaged with you. As part of the ongoing training, complete a full turnover with each salesperson. Emphasize the benefits of the protection products, just as you would for a customer. You could even include some social proof .

3. Make the handoff seamless

Sometimes salespeople resist the F&I process because they see it as a disruption to their workflow. To alleviate this, work on creating a seamless handoff process that’s quick, efficient, and customer-friendly. The easier you make it for the salesperson, the more likely they are to support the transition.

Helpful tip: Create a standardized script or set of guidelines that salespeople can follow to help make the process clearer and more predictable for them. Regularly review and refine it based on feedback.

Regularly check in with the sales team — not just about work, but also about how they’re doing personally. Show them you care about their well-being, you have their backs, and you’re willing to work hard on their behalf.

4. Incentivize collaboration

As humans, we all tend to be motivated by incentives. If a salesperson sees a direct benefit to themselves in supporting the F&I process, they’re more likely to do so. And while the incentive could be monetary, it doesn’t have to be: Public recognition — e.g. Salesperson of the Month — is a highly effective motivator.

Helpful tip: Consider implementing a reward system for salespeople who successfully introduce customers to F&I products or achieve certain targets related to F&I turnovers. Think pizza lunch or a gift card.

5. Lead by example

As an FSM, you play a crucial leadership role within the dealership. By demonstrating overall professionalism and commitment — to the success of the business, and to customer satisfaction — you set the tone for the rest of the team. People notice that kind of attitude and (while they may not readily admit it) they admire it. If you approach every interaction with positivity and a team-first mentality, it’s likely to rub off on those around you.

Helpful tip: Share success stories of instances when effective collaboration between sales and F&I led to positive outcomes, both for the dealership and for customers. Show the sales team proof that the process works — and benefits everyone.

6. Build strong relationships

We all know about the importance of building positive relationships with customers. As an FSM, it’s equally important that you work on the dynamics between you and the sales team. Be approachable. Offer help when needed. Listen as well as communicate. And be consistent in your communication.

Helpful tip: Regularly check in with the sales team — not just about work, but also about how they’re doing personally. Show them you care about their well-being, you have their backs, and you’re willing to work hard on their behalf — e.g.: on their tougher deals. Building their confidence in you will go a long way toward developing mutual respect and support.

7. Address resistance directly

Despite your best efforts, you may still face resistance. When this happens, it’s important to address the issue directly but diplomatically. Avoid confrontation. Instead, focus on finding a solution together. Emphasize that you both are working towards the same goal: providing the best possible service to the customer and driving the dealership’s success.

Helpful tip: Approach the conversation with a problem-solving mindset. Rather than point fingers and ‘corner’ the sales rep, ask questions like, “How can we work together to improve this process?” or “What would it take to make the process work better for everyone?”

8. Celebrate successes

When you achieve a successful collaboration, no matter how small, make it a big deal. Regardless of how much people say they don’t need recognition, the fact is, they greatly appreciate it, and it’s vital to building a positive culture within the dealership.

Helpful tip: Share success stories in team meetings and newsletters. Send the sales rep a simple thank-you note — and again, you might want to consider a more formal recognition program as suggested in point #4. By publicly acknowledging collaboration, you encourage others to follow suit.

Working with non-supportive salespeople can be challenging, but it can also be remedied through some thoughtful communication, education, and relationship-building. Often, taking the time to pause, talk, and truly understand someone’s situation is ‘half the battle’. Just as you are quietly facing day-to-day challenges in your role, so too is a salesperson ‘fighting the good fight’ in their daily work. Talking and listening tend to lead to collaborating, and that’s where you can begin to work together toward achieving success for the dealership — and each other.??

Engage with us!

We all encounter challenging colleagues from time to time — how do you approach this situation? Any experiences or suggestions are welcome, and of course, reach out any time for guidance around F&I sales coaching. We’re here to help.