Something strange happens to a successful product administrator around a certain size. The dealer relationships are strong. The reputation is good. Agents are bringing opportunities to the door. And yet growth flattens. Revenue plateaus while the workload keeps climbing, and the leadership team starts having the same conversation every quarter about why the next product, the next state, or the next distribution channel keeps getting pushed to next year. If that pattern sounds familiar, it is worth naming clearly: most product administrator scaling problems are not demand problems. They are infrastructure problems. Today, EFG Companies will walk through the growth ceilings administrators actually hit, why they are so easy to misdiagnose, and what the administrators who break through are doing differently. The Growth Ceilings Most Product Administrators Hit Before you can fix a ceiling, you have to be able to […]
Author: Eric Fifield, Chief Revenue OfficerDate: 8/19/2026 Ask ten dealer principals how to increase car sales at a dealership, and you will hear ten versions of the same three answers: spend more on advertising, sharpen the price, stock more inventory. Each one works until the store down the road does exactly the same thing. Then the advantage disappears, and the only thing left to negotiate is gross profit. The dealers pulling ahead right now stopped competing on the variables every competitor can copy and started competing on something a shopper cannot get anywhere else: coverage on the vehicle that lasts as long as they own it, included at no charge. Today, EFG Companies will break down why complimentary lifetime powertrain protection changes the sales conversation, how the program works, and what dealers should expect when they roll it out across […]
Author: Adam OuartDate: 8/12/2026 Powersports dealers have spent the last several years navigating inventory swings, economic uncertainty, changing consumer behavior, and margin compression. While many stores have adapted by focusing on operational efficiency and inventory management, a growing challenge continues to limit profitability: customers are making F&I decisions long before they ever sit down with F&I. This shift is creating one of the biggest obstacles to increasing F&I product penetration in today’s powersports environment. Industry data shows consumers are researching vehicles, financing options, ownership costs, and protection products online before they visit a dealership. At the same time, dealerships remain heavily dependent on F&I income to support overall profitability as front-end margins continue to tighten. External industry benchmarks indicate that powersports dealers are increasingly relying on F&I performance to drive overall revenue growth and profitability. The question is no longer […]
Author: Anthony OlivieriDate: 7/9/2026 The automotive industry has entered a new era—one where compliance is no longer a defensive exercise, but a growth strategy. What was once considered a nuisance or a topic to avoid can be viewed as an opportunity to reinforce a strong culture and differentiate. Dealers who view compliance as an obstacle are likely to struggle internally while putting their dealerships at risk of audits and fines. The ’97 Letters’ Moment: When Compliance Entered the Chat Recent enforcement activity, including the issuance of 97 warning letters across the industry, has fundamentally changed how dealerships must operate. The message is clear: enforcement is active, visible, and expanding. In March 2026, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued warning letters to 97 auto dealership groups nationwide, covering more than 200 individual dealership locations. The letters were part of the FTC’s […]
Author: Jay Gordon, Regional Vice President ServicesDate: 7/1/2026 Product penetration is the number that tells you whether your F&I process is actually working. A high gross number can hide a penetration problem. A high penetration rate is harder to fake. It means your team is presenting the right products to the right customers at the right moment in the deal. Consistently getting there is where most dealerships get stuck. Why Most Dealerships Leave Penetration Gains on the Table Three patterns show up again and again at dealerships with underperforming penetration numbers. Late F&I engagement is the most common. When customers reach the F&I office already mentally checked out from the buying process, the presentation starts at a disadvantage. Products feel like an add-on rather than part of the purchase decision. Inconsistent product presentation is the second. Some F&I managers present […]
Author: Gabe Sanchez, Regional VP, Dealer ServicesDate: 7/1/2026 The product menu sitting on your F&I manager’s desk right now might be the same one you have been using for two or three years. That alone is worth examining. Most dealerships add products when a vendor pitches them and rarely go back to ask which ones are driving penetration, which ones are dragging on reinsurance performance, and which ones belong on every deal. What Separates a High-Performing F&I Product Menu from an Average One A high-performing F&I product menu is not about volume. Dealers who stack 10 or 12 products into their menu often see lower overall penetration because the presentation becomes cluttered and the customer disengages. The best menus are built around three criteria: products that produce the highest acceptance rates for their specific customer mix, products that contribute most […]
Author: Adam Ouart, Sr. Vice PresidentDate: 6/20/2026 In today’s powersports market, every lead represents a potential rider, a revenue opportunity, and a long-term customer relationship. Yet new data suggests many dealerships are consistently failing to capitalize on the opportunities already sitting in their inbox. A recent study by Pied Piper Research highlights a troubling trend: dealership response and follow-up on eLeads remains inconsistent—and in many cases, nonexistent. While each dealership is unique, the overarching question remains – are powersports dealers leaving money on the table by not effectively managing eLeads? The Cost of Inaction Equals Missed Opportunities Consider the findings: For an industry that relies on speed, service, and experience to win customers, these numbers are more than concerning. They represent measurable lost revenue. Breaking Down the Real Impact of Failure to Respond Let’s translate this into dealership economics and […]
Date: 6/17/2026 In Part 1, we explored the regulatory complexity that defines GAP administration. In Part 2, we turn to the financial, operational, and strategic realities that determine whether a GAP program succeeds—or becomes a liability. 5. Refund Complexity: A Growing Compliance Risk One of the most scrutinized areas of GAP administration today is refund compliance. Regulators are increasingly focused on: The challenge:Service contract providers and product administrators must build systems capable of automating state-specific refund logic while maintaining audit-ready documentation. 6. The True Cost of Selling GAP as a TPA, Service Contract Provider, or Product Administrator While GAP can be a strong revenue driver, the cost of entering and sustaining the business is significant and often underestimated. Core Cost Drivers Include: Compliance Infrastructure Internal policy frameworks confirm the need for continuous updates to align with regulatory changes across states Licensing and Filings […]
Date: 6/15/2026 Why GAP Is Far More Than a Simple F&I Product At first glance, GAP may seem like a simple protection product—but as any experienced administrator knows, the reality is far more complex. In Part 1 of this series, we explore the regulatory and operational challenges that make GAP one of the most demanding products to administer in the F&I space. GAP is a simple safeguard for consumers when a financed vehicle is totaled, and the loan balance exceeds the vehicle’s value. But behind that simplicity lies one of the most operationally complex, highly regulated, and cost-intensive products in automotive finance. For third-party administrators (TPAs), service contract providers, and product administrators, successfully offering and managing GAP requires far more than claims processing—it demands multi-state compliance infrastructure, legal oversight, and disciplined operational execution. 1. A Regulatory Patchwork: Insurance vs. Waiver Structures The first—and […]
Author: Eric Fifield, Chief Revenue OfficerDate: 5/20/2026 Dealers across the country are getting news they weren’t expecting: sudden price increases, tighter underwriting, and reinsurance programs that no longer perform the way they used to. For many, it feels like something broke overnight. In most cases, it didn’t break. It was quietly under strain for years, and the bill is just now coming due. The Market Forces That Built Up Over Time Over the last several years, a set of market forces converged in ways that put long-term stress on dealer reinsurance programs. Competitive pricing pressure kept product rates low. Rising vehicle values and higher claims severity increased what programs were paying out. Reserve adjustments that should have been made gradually were instead delayed often because the early signals were easy to miss, or the market didn’t feel urgent. None of […]
Author: Eric Fifield, Chief Revenue OfficerDate: 5/20/2026 For the market context behind these six areas, see our companion piece, “Why Dealers Are Suddenly Feeling Reinsurance Pressure, and What’s Actually Behind It.” Most dealers who are feeling reinsurance pressure right now didn’t do anything obviously wrong. They ran their programs, sold their products, and trusted the numbers they were seeing. What they often didn’t have was a clear, ongoing view of the areas where exposure quietly builds over time. The market shifted underneath programs that were built for different conditions, and the gap between expected and actual performance has been widening for years. What’s done is done, but the exposure that’s still building from here can be identified and addressed. These are the 6 areas worth taking a close look at right now. 1. Product Mix and Volatility Not every product […]
Author: Anthony Olivieri, Director, Training ServicesDate: 4/20/2026 Employee turnover creates one of the most expensive challenges for automotive dealerships today, especially in the Finance and Insurance (F&I) department. When an F&I manager leaves, dealerships lose more than just an employee. They forfeit years of training, revenue consistency, and a key part of the customer experience. The finance office plays a major role in dealership profitability. The F&I manager presents protection products, manages lender relationships, ensures regulatory compliance, and helps finalize the purchase process. Turnover in this key position can negatively affect revenue and customer satisfaction. With the right F&I training programs, dealerships can build confidence in their finance managers, reduce turnover risk, and create long-term stability within the F&I department. The Root Causes of F&I Turnover Before examining the costs of F&I turnover, it’s important to understand the common reasons […]
