Finance and Insurance - The Profit Center
I would like to make myself clear on a few items of interest before I get too deep into the sales processes at any dealership, including: automobile, recreational vehicles, boats, motorcycle, and even furniture or other big ticket items. A business has to turn a fair profit in order to stay in business. I believe that they should make this profit and use it to pay better quality employees a premium wage in order to serve you better. The financial strengths or weaknesses of any business can definitely have a dramatic effect on your customer service and satisfaction. I do not, in any shape or form, wish to hurt a dealerships profitability, as it is essential for his survival. I merely want to advise people how to negotiate a little better in order to make the profit center more balanced.
Let's get right down to this! Every dealership has a finance and insurance department. This department is a huge profit center in any dealership. In some cases, it earns more money than the sale of the automobile itself. Profits are made from many things that most buyers do not understand.
You as a consumer should understand the "flow" of the sales process to understand the profit centers that are ahead of you. Most negotiating from the consumer seems to stop after the original price is negotiated and agreed upon. Let's examine just a small portion of what leads up to that point.
The first thing that every consumer should understand is that when you go to a dealership several things come into play. One of the most important things that I could point out to you is that you are dealing with a business that has been trained to get the most amount of money from you as they can. They are trained and they practice these tactics everyday, day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year. Let me point out a couple of important facts that I have said in this paragraph. First, you'll notice that I said a dealership and not a salesman and secondly, I emphasized times of day after day, week after week, etc. etc. This was done to let you know that the salesman is working very closely with the sales managers in order to make as much money as he can. Your interests are really not their objective in most cases.
One tactic that is used heavily in the business is that the salesman says he is new to the business. This may be true or not, however; keep in mind that he does not work alone. He is working with store management, who gives him advice on what to say and when to say it. These guys or gals are very well trained on how to overcome every objection that you may have to buying from them. They have been trained in the psychology of the buyer and how to tell what your "hot buttons" are. They listen to things in your conversation that you may say to one another as well as to the salesman. They are trained to tell their desk managers everything that you say and then the desk manager is trained to tell the salesman exactly what and how to answer you. A seasoned salesman does not need as much advice from his desk and may negotiate a little more with you directly without going back and forth.
The process of negotiation begins the moment that you walk into the front door or step foot out of your car and begin to look at vehicles. Different stores display inventory in different ways. This is done for crowd control or more commonly known as "up control". Control is the first step in negotiating with a customer. Ever who asks the questions controls the situation. Let me give you an example: A salesman walks up to you and says "Welcome to ABC motors, my name is Joe, and what is yours?" The salesman has just asked the first question- you answer "My name is George." He then asks you what you are looking for today, or; the famous "Can I help You?" As you can see, step after step, question after question, he leads you down a path that he is trained to do.
Many times a well trained salesperson will not answer your questions directly. In some cases, they only respond to questions with other questions in order to avert the loss of control. An example of this could be something like you asking the salesman if he has this same car with an automatic rather than a stick shift. Two responses could come back to you. One would be yes or no, the other could very well be something along the lines of: 'don't you know how to drive a stick shift?" In the second response the salesman gained more information from you in order to close you. Closing means to overcome every objection and give your customer no way out other than where do I sign. The art of selling truly is a science of well scripted roll playing and rehearsal.
We have established that the negotiating process begins with a series of questions. These questions serve as two main elements of the sales process. First and foremost is to establish rapport and control. The more information that you are willing to share with you salesman in the first few minutes gives him a greater control of the sales process. He has gathered mental notes on our ability to purchase such as whether you have a trade in or not, if you have a down payment, how much can you afford, are you the only decision maker (is there a spouse?), how is your credit, or do you have a payoff on your trade in? These are one of many pieces of information that they collect immediately. Secondly, this information is used to begin a conversation with store management about who the salesman is with, what are they looking for, and what is their ability to purchase. Generally, a sales manager then directs the sales process from his seat in the "tower". A seat that generally overlooks the sales floor or the sales lot. He is kind of like a conductor of an orchestra, seeing all, and hearing all.
I cannot describe the entire sales process with you as this varies from dealer to dealer, however; the basic principals of the sale do not vary too much. Most dealerships get started after a demo or test drive. Usually a salesman gets a sheet of paper out that is called a four square. The four square is normally used to find the customer's "hot points". The four corners of the sheet have the following items addressed, not necessarily in this order. Number one is sales price, number two is trade value, number three is down payment, and number four is monthly payments. The idea here is to reduce three out of the four items and focus on YOUR hot button. Every person settles in on something different. The idea for the salesman is to get you to focus and commit to one or two of the hot buttons without even addressing the other two or three items. When you do settle in on one of the items on the four square, the process of closing you becomes much easier.
One thing to keep in mind is that all four items are usually negotiable and are usually submitted to you the first time in a manner as to maximize the profit that the dealer earns on the deal. Usually the MSRP is listed unless there is a sales price that is advertised (in may cases the vehicle is advertised, but; you are not aware). The trade value is usually first submitted to you as wholesale value. Most dealers request 25-33% down payment. Most monthly payments are inflated using maximum rate. What this all boils down to is that the price is usually always negotiable, the trade in is definitely negotiable, the down payment may be what you choose, and the monthly payment and interest rates are most certainly negotiable. If you do your homework prior to a dealership visit you can go into the negotiation process better armed. You still need to keep two things in mind through this process. The first item is that you are dealing with a sales TEAM that is usually highly skilled and money motivated. The more you pay the more they earn. The second item to remember is that you may have done your homework and think that you are getting a great deal and the dealer is still making a lot of money. The latter part of this statement goes back to the fact that it is essential for a dealer to make a "fair" profit in order to serve you better.
Once your negotiations are somewhat settled, you are then taken to the business or finance department to finalize your paperwork. Keep in mind that this too is another negotiating process. In fact, the finance manager is usually one of the top trained sales associates that definitely knows all the ins and outs of maximizing the dealerships profit. It is in the finance department that many dealers actually earn more than they earned by selling the car, boat, RV, or other large ticket item to you. We will break these profit centers down for you and enlighten you as to how the process usually works. Remember that finance people are more often than not a superior skilled negotiator that is still representing the dealership. It may seem that he or she has your best interests at heart, but; they are still profit centered.
The real problem with finance departments are that the average consumer has just put his or her guard down. They have just negotiated hard for what is assumed to be a good deal. They have taken this deal at full faced value and assume that all negotiations are done. The average consumer doesn't even have an understanding of finances or how the finance department functions. The average consumer nearly "lays down" for anything that the finance manager says. The interest rate is one of the largest profit centers in the finance department. For example, the dealership buys the interest rate from the bank the same way that he buys the car from the manufacturer. He may only have to pay 6% to the bank for a $25,000 loan. He can then charge you 8% for that same $25,000. The dealer is paid on the difference. If this is a five year loan that amount could very well be $2,000. So the dealer makes an additional $2,000 profit on the sale when the bank funds the loan. This is called a rate spread or "reserves". In mortgages, this is disclosed at time of closing on the HUD-1 statement as Yield Spread Premium. This may also be disclosed on the Good Faith Estimate or GFE. You can see why it becomes important to understand bank rates and financing.
Many finance managers use a menu to sell aftermarket products to you. This process is very similar to the four square process that I discussed in the beginning. There are usually items like gap insurance, extended service contracts, paint and fabric guard, as well as many other after market products available from this dealer. The menu again is usually stacked up to be presented to the consumer in a way that the dealer maximizes his profitability if you take the best plan available. The presentation is usually given in a manner in which the dealer wins no matter what options are chosen. With the additional items being pitched to you at closing, your mind becomes less entrenched on the rates and terms and your focus then turns to the after market products. Each aftermarket item can very well make the dealer up to 300-400% over what he pays for these items. Gap coverage for example may cost the dealer $195.00 and is sold to the consumer for $895.00. The $700.00 is pure profit to the dealer and is very rarely negotiated down during this process. The service contract may only cost a dealer $650.00 and is being sold for $2000.00. The difference in these items are pure profit to the dealer. You see, if you only paid $995.00 for the same contract, the dealer still earns $345.00 profit from you and you still have the same coverage that you would have had if you had paid the $2000.00. The same is true for the gap coverage. You are covered the same if you paid $395.00 or $895.00 if the dealers costs are only $195.00. The only difference is the amount of profit that you paid to the dealer. Another huge profit center is paint and fabric protector. In most cases the costs to apply the product are minimal (around $125.00 on average). In many cases the dealer charges you $1200-$1800 for this paint and fabric guard.
As you can see, these products sold in the finance department are huge profit centers and are negotiable. I also have to recommend the value of most all products sold in a finance department. It is in your best interest to get the best coverage possible at the best price possible. Always remember this: The dealer has to make a fair profit to stay in business. It just doesn't have to be all out of your pocket.
Feature Baru Facebook Boleh Tolong Carikan Jodoh
Financing Alternatives in Today's Capital Market Environment
Raising capital in today's uncertain economic environment requires public companies to look beyond the methods used in the past. Private investment in public equity (PIPE) transactions or fully underwritten offerings can be expensive and time consuming in the best of times.
Because shares placed in a PIPE transaction are not registered, a resale registration statement must be filed with the SEC and declared effective for the shares to be freely tradable in open market transactions. Investors in PIPE transactions typically request a heavy discount to the issuer's current share price and possibly warrant coverage to compensate for the risks related to this illiquidity. Additionally, the terms of the PIPE transaction may include penalties or liquidated damages provisions in the event the issuer fails to obtain an effective registration statement within a prescribed timeframe.
An underwritten or secondary offering of shares can be time consuming and expensive, given the need to file a registration statement and accompanying prospectus with the SEC and the associated legal and underwriting fees. The shares cannot be priced or placed until the SEC declares the registration statement effective which, depending on the SEC review process and any related follow on comments that need to be addressed, can take time, a commodity that many smaller public companies cannot afford.
A registered direct offering provides an alternative to public companies seeking capital and provides a number of benefits to the above alternatives; however, an RDO is not without its downsides.
What is a Registered Direct Offering?
A registered direct offering (RDO) is similar to a PIPE transaction, in that both are marketed and sold to a limited number of accredited and institutional investors; however, unlike a PIPE, shares sold in an RDO are registered and therefore, liquid, and can be sold to anyone. To complete an RDO, an issuer must be eligible to use Form S-3 and should have an effective shelf registration statement on file with the SEC. If an issuer is Form S-3 eligible, but doesn't have an effective shelf registration statement on file, the issuer must file either a single purpose registration statement (i.e. "bullet") covering the shares to be issued in the RDO, or a shelf registration statement.
RDO transactions are governed by a placement agency agreement, rather than an underwriting agreement. With a placement agency agreement, the offering is sold on a 'best efforts' basis, so there is no firm commitment for the placement of a specific number of shares, and the placement agent never takes possession of any securities. The placement agency agreement will typically include issuer representations and warranties concerning itself and its business, certain covenants applicable to the issuer, a promise to indemnify the placement agent for any Securities Act liabilities arising from the transaction, as well as closing conditions, such as legal opinions, comfort letter requirements, delivery of certificates, etc.
To complete the RDO pursuant to an effective registration statement, the issuer will ultimately prepare and file a preliminary or final prospectus supplement that describes the offering, depending upon how the shares are marketed and sold.
What are the advantages of an RDO?
An RDO has multiple advantages over a PIPE or traditional secondary offering.
1. Pricing - The shares sold in an RDO are freely tradable and therefore, there is no liquidity discount that would normally apply in a PIPE transaction. Additionally, the warrant coverage, if any, is typically lower in an RDO than would otherwise be the case in a PIPE.
2. Timeliness - With an effective shelf registration statement on file, an issuer can offer registered shares when market conditions permit, rather than be subject to the regulatory timeline that is typical in secondary offerings and that can cause an issuer to miss a market window. Investors in a PIPE transaction negotiate and execute individual purchase agreements, which can delay the closing of the transaction, whereas investors in an RDO are not required to sign or complete any such documentation.
3. Confidentiality - Because an RDO is marketed similarly to a PIPE, an issuer and the placement agent can market the transaction confidentially, enabling the parties to assess the market for the issuer's securities without creating downward selling pressure on the stock that would typically accompany a public announcement of a proposed share offering. An RDO transaction is typically publicized just prior to or at pricing.
4. Lower legal and administrative expenses - Investors in an RDO are not required to negotiate and sign individual purchase agreements as they would otherwise be required to do in a PIPE transaction. Additionally, the shares in an RDO are typically offered under a shelf registration statement and therefore, are marketed based upon the issuer's existing public disclosures, which eliminates the complexities of crafting a preliminary prospectus supplement as a selling document. RDO transactions also avoid the 'give and take' with the SEC typically associated with registration statements filed in connection with secondary offerings.
5. Exchange Rules - Certain securities exchanges require that any offering of securities that is determined not to be a 'public offering,' such as a PIPE, and which is greater than 20% of an issuer's outstanding capital stock, must be presented to shareholders for approval. The determination of whether an RDO qualifies as a public offering is typically on a case by case basis; however, an RDO can be structured to allow the issuer to sidestep the 20% rule and avoid the need for shareholder approval of the proposed transaction.
What are the disadvantages of an RDO?
RDO's are not a financing cure-all and there are some disadvantages to RDO's over other methods of financing.
1. Distribution - Because an RDO is marketed to a select number of investors, shares are not as widely distributed as would typically be the case in a secondary offering. As a consequence, the issuer's shareholder base is not necessarily broadened as a result of an RDO transaction.
2. Exchange Rules - If an RDO cannot be structured to meet an exchange's definition of a public offering, and the proposed transaction is greater than 20% of the issuer's outstanding capital stock, shareholder approval may be required, which would erode the advantages of timeliness and cost effectiveness of an RDO transaction.
3. Form S-3 - An issuer must be Form S-3 eligible to complete an RDO. While Form S-3 eligibility requirements have been relaxed, not all issuers will qualify.
4. Best efforts basis - A 'best efforts' basis means no firm commitment to the issuer regarding the number of shares to be sold. If the market fails to materialize for the issuer's securities, the placement agent has no obligation to purchase any shares.
How do I start the process?
If an issuer does not already have an effective shelf registration statement on file, the first step in the process is to determine, together with legal counsel, the issuer's Form S-3 eligibility. The next step is to assess any exchange rules that might apply regarding the determination of whether a proposed RDO is a 'public offering.' If the issuer is eligible for an RDO transaction, identification of the appropriate placement agent is the next critical hurdle. For a successful RDO, the placement agent should have longstanding relationships with a number of institutional investors who prefer to invest in the issuer's industry or niche.
The Bottom Line
RDO's are quicker to close than either a PIPE transaction or a secondary offering, which allows the issuer to quickly take advantage of favorable capital market conditions. The securities offered in an RDO are priced similar to a secondary offering, but without the related hurdles, and an RDO transaction can be marketed confidentially, which will reduce selling pressure on the issuer's stock prior to completion of the transaction. Additionally, RDO transactions are typically cheaper to complete, in terms of discount, fees and related warrant coverage.
With the loosening of Form S-3 eligibility requirements in 2008, RDOs are an effective alternative for smaller public companies to raise capital in today's capital market environment.