In the realm of optimizing a financial service manager’s workflow and overseeing a deal from submission to funding, there are two distinct types of finance-and-insurance managers.

There's the transactional F&I manager, who views the process primarily through his or her computer, and the customer-experience F&I manager, who prioritizes the customer’s experience. 

While both complete the task, their approaches are fundamentally different. This distinction is significant enough to impact a dealership’s customer satisfaction index scores, product penetration, profitability and relationships with lenders. 

The transactional F&I manager deals with customers in a very different way than a customer‑experience-focused manager. The approach is fast, mechanical and centered on getting the deal funded rather than creating a relationship. It’s not “wrong.” It’s just a different style, and it shows up clearly in how the manager interacts with people. 

Typically, transactional F&I managers aim to expedite the process and avoid delays by quickly taking a deal without thoroughly reviewing its details. They enter deals into their dealer management system, submit them to several lenders, and then wait for the most favorable callback. It is rare for these managers to conduct a detailed interview with the customer to verify deal information, gather insights about the customer's ownership habits, and facilitate a smoother transition into the F&I process. 

Their confidence in the deal’s success is generally unbiased. However, they do review the deal details, including the credit application, when handling borderline or subprime credit cases. Additionally, selecting a lender based on factors such as the customer's credit profile, loan-to-value ratio, loan term, vehicle age or mileage is uncommon and typically reserved for subprime loans. 

Some of these F&I managers rely exclusively on their captive lenders. Others use a broad “shotgunning” approach, while some target one to three lenders to secure the best callback. 

The customer-experience F&I manager engages with customers in a way that differs from a purely transactional approach. Their focus is on building trust, maintaining transparency, and ensuring customers feel valued rather than pressured into making a purchase. While they, like transactional F&I managers, aim to expedite the process, they do so with greater care and consideration. 

Aware that customers often feel uneasy about the F&I process, these manager take measures to gently guide them through each step. Building rapport and credibility during the F&I interview and throughout the transaction is a priority. They understand the significance of strong relationships and being knowledgeable about each lender’s specific guidelines, requirements and specialties to secure the best possible results from their submissions. They also utilize captive lenders and typically submit deals to one to three lenders but do so thoughtfully rather than “shotgunning” the deal. 

In short, both the transactional and customer-focused F&I managers’ approach work, but a combination of the two is the sweet spot of professionalism. When these two approaches merge, you get an F&I manager who is efficient, trusted, fast, warm, accurate and persuasive. 

The blended F&I manager combines precision and speed, hallmarks of a transactional operator with the relationship-building and communication skills of a customer-focused professional. This combination not only benefits customers but also enhances partnerships with lenders, resulting in interactions that are efficient, respectful and highly productive. 

Here’s a breakdown of how F&I managers can combine transactional and customer‑focused F&I styles into one powerful, balanced approach: 

• Greet customers warmly but keep things moving, creating comfort without wasting time.
• Set clear expectations so customers know the process and feel at ease.
• Ask a few smart discovery questions to understand how the customer will use the vehicle.
• Present products briefly but meaningfully, connecting them to the customer’s real needs.
• Handle objections with empathy and efficiency, exploring concerns without pressure.
• Explain paperwork clearly and accurately, keeping the signing process smooth and compliant.
• Close with professionalism and warmth, leaving the customer confident and satisfied.
• Build strong relationships with lender reps through clear, professional and consistent communication.
• Submit clean, accurate deals that match lender guidelines, reducing the back‑and‑forth and speeding up approvals.
• Communicate proactively, clarifying conditions early and keeping lenders updated so issues never snowball.
• Negotiate intelligently, asking for exceptions when justified while respecting lender boundaries.
• Keep funding smooth by sending complete stips, clean jackets and accurate contracts.
• Treat lenders as long‑term partners, not obstacles, which earns trust, flexibility and faster turnaround times.

A blended F&I style integrates the efficiency and accuracy typically associated with a transactional manager with the warmth, clarity and trust-building abilities of a customer-focused manager. This approach results in an F&I experience that is not only fast and smooth but also genuinely customer-friendly. It ensures that customers feel respected and well-informed throughout the process, while the dealership’s interests are protected, deals are funded quickly, and product penetration is maximized. 

Top-performing F&I managers who utilize this style consistently achieve high CSI, strong per-vehicle retail results, and clean, fundable deals. 

Gerry Gould is founder of Gould & Associates, which provides F&I coaching and training, and training and development director for F&I training firm Product Prep. 

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was authored and edited according to Agent Entrepreneur editorial standards and style. Opinions expressed may not reflect that of the publication.