Dealers often say they want better results. Most just need to start doing the work.
“The number one mistake dealers make is not doing it,” said Gene Silas, Vice President of Sales at Brightline Dealer Advisors. “Post-COVID, too many people in this business got lazy. They stopped training, stopped holding their teams accountable, and then wondered why profits slipped.”
Silas has spent more than three decades in the retail and F&I trenches. A former Marine turned dealership operator and now consultant, he’s seen both sides of the business. His philosophy is simple: process equals profit.
Training Is a Culture, Not an Event
According to Silas, training is only effective if it becomes part of a store’s weekly rhythm. “If you don’t hold people accountable for what you just trained, it’s wasted money,” he said. “You have to inspect what you expect.”
He adds that many GMs manage by spreadsheet rather than observation. “You can’t know what’s broken from a report. Get on the desk, watch the process, make the calls. That’s how you find the real gaps.”
F&I Starts Before the Close
One of the biggest missed opportunities, Silas says, happens long before the customer walks into the finance office. “F&I starts the minute they walk through the door,” he explained. “If the sales and F&I teams aren’t aligned from the first handshake, you’re losing gross front and back.”
The best-performing stores make the F&I introduction during the deal setup, not after. “If the F&I manager meets the customer early, you eliminate fear and build value,” Silas said. “The most powerful words in sales are ‘you told me.’ Everything starts with listening.”
The Reinsurance Opportunity
Reinsurance remains one of the most misunderstood profit tools for powersports dealers. “A lot of stores think they can’t do it,” Silas said. “They can. Even smaller rooftops can use structures like CFCs or retro programs to build wealth while protecting cash flow.”
He advises dealers to request side-by-side comparisons from their F&I partner. “Ask them to model your last twelve months of loss by make and model. That tells you where the profit really lives.”
Eliminate the Silent Leaks
Silas also warns that operational theft and financial waste are more common than most dealers think. “You’d be shocked what shows up when you review small recurring expenses,” he said. “Look at every bill. If you’re paying $5,000 a month for coffee, it’s time to ask questions.”
He believes technology should be part of the solution. “AI can scan your bank statements or P&L in minutes and flag irregularities faster than a human ever could. We just need to start using it.”
Retain Through Development
Silas emphasizes that retention comes from career pathing, not compensation. “If you want to keep good people, show them where they can go next,” he said. “Tell a new salesperson, ‘Do this for a year and we’ll prep you for finance.’ People stay when they can see their future.”
In his words, it all comes down to consistency, focus, and accountability. “The process is the profit,” Silas said. “If you don’t train it, measure it, and live it every day, you’re leaving money and people behind.”
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