F&I providers are modernizing their offerings to better meet the needs of dealers and car buyers
The way dealers sell finance and insurance products has been evolving due to a number of factors including government regulations, the growing trend of digital purchasing, and changing consumer expectations.
But F&I companies have helped develop software and tools to help make the process easier and to help boost dealer profitability while meeting customer demand. Canadian auto dealer talked to some of the leading F&I providers to get a sense of how they are changing with the times.
John White, First Canadian Financial Group’s National Director, Business Development, said changes in provincial regulations across the country have affected the way dealerships sell their F&I products.
“Different provinces have introduced different laws that treat F&I products differently from one province to another, specifically products like creditor insurance, gap replacement insurance and products like that,” said White. “We’re using a lot more technology to facilitate the transaction with the consumer, so you’ve got to program everything differently from one province to another.”
White said his company introduced FC Drive a few years ago, which it promotes as the most comprehensive presentation and closing software in the industry.
“Using machine learning and lifestyle questions, it delivers personalized product recommendations,” said LGM Financial’s Scott Rutherford.“This benefits both consumers and dealership staff by educating buyers earlier in the purchase journey, leading to more meaningful and efficient discussions about relevant products”
“It’s a very user-friendly product for whoever is face-to-face with the customer and whether that person is a one-stop shop or an F&I Manager or other because there’s hybrids,” said White. “Some dealers want it all done remotely. FC Drive is really helpful. All of the dealers that use it have been shown to have better transparency, better conformity and better profitability in terms of profit per car.”
Lindsay Duffield, Chief Operating Officer with Sym-Tech Dealer Services said daveplus, which the company introduced in 2024, is an updated version of dave launched in 2014.
The word dave is an acronym for Dealer Automated and Verified E-Solutions, which is a web-based F&I software solution that helps the business office.
Duffield said daveplus is faster than its predecessor with more robust applications, better analytics, enhanced security and features that make an F&I’s Manager’s job easier and provides greater transparency for customers.
“It was designed by F&I experts who have sat in the chair and know the opportunities and challenges of the job,” said Duffield. “As consumer expectations shift toward greater transparency, personalization and digital convenience, the daveplus platform delivers improved menus, speed and flexibility.”
He added new vehicles are more complex, with much more replace versus repair outcomes, and extended protection coverage is more important than ever.
“As a result, customers want more information and transparency, but with less time in the office. F&I Managers want to speed up the process with an efficient way to present 100 per cent of the relevant products 100 per cent of the time to their customers, and daveplus was developed to address these trends,” said Duffield, adding the technology enables a fully disclosed and documented sales process with robust audit trails.
“These features are important with the greater regulatory magnifying glass on the industry,” said Duffield. “The new integrated daveplus online claims portal enables 90 per cent-plus of claims to be submitted online, resulting in faster turnaround on approvals and payments. Service Managers will appreciate getting the vehicle in and out of the service bay faster with happier customers.”
He said as of March 2025, more than 50 dealers have been installed with daveplus and the plan is to have all 1,000 Sym-Tech clients equipped with the technology before the end of the year.
“Future enhancements will include support for advanced digital applications, and the smart use of AI and predictive analytics to tailor personalized recommendations for customers,” said Duffield.
He said Sym-Tech’s Resource Centre is a section of the daveplus platform that provides one centralized place to find training, forms, product and marketing materials.
Scott Rutherford, Executive Vice President of Technology of LGM Financial Services, said his company has taken a “flexible, real-world approach” to modernizing the F&I process.
“Rather than releasing a one-size-fits-all product, we’ve built a customizable platform, LGM HUB, that supports everything from product setup and quoting to digital contracting and claims,” said Rutherford.
“LGM HUB enables dealerships to engage buyers digitally before they ever step into the showroom, allowing them to explore protection products at their own pace. Dealerships using our system can easily present F&I products online through their own branded microsites or website integrations, helping customers explore options before visiting the dealership and as early as when they’re first browsing OEM or dealer websites,” he said.
That shifts that first F&I conversation from the finance office to the very beginning of their car-shopping journey, he said. “With real-time pricing, digital signatures and deep POS integration, the platform streamlines workflows and makes the process faster and more transparent for both dealers and customers.”
He also said LGM’s Recommendation Engine, which it launched in 2021, is a self-service tool that helps consumers learn about F&I products suited to their needs even before visiting a dealership.
“Using machine learning and lifestyle questions, it delivers personalized product recommendations,” said Rutherford. “This benefits both consumers and dealership staff by educating buyers earlier in the purchase journey, leading to more meaningful and efficient discussions about relevant products.”
He said in addition to earlier and more customized F&I presentations, the company’s recently released LGM Consumer Portal empowers customers to control their own data and payment information throughout their ownership experience, which they say can boost loyalty and reduce product cancellations.
He said using a monthly payment program customers can view and manage their own payments. Moreover, he said this approach addresses a primary reason for product cancellation and reduces the number of clawback payments from dealers for cancelled contracts.
“Other providers in the F&I space have released branded platforms that offer similar capabilities such as digital product menus, online education tools and e-contracting, however these solutions often follow a more standardized model, with limited customization and tighter constraints on dealer branding or system integration,” said Rutherford. “In contrast, our platform emphasizes adaptability, is built on modern, scalable architecture and continues to evolve based on direct feedback from 1,800-plus active dealerships using it regularly. “
Scott Tanner, iA Dealer Services’ Senior Director, National Sales Strategy and Market Intelligence, said his company supports its dealer partners and the evolving automotive sector with innovation, specifically investing heavily in technology and infrastructure.
“We’re making sure the right products can be offered to the right customers at the right time in the right purchase journey — whether it be in-store or online through digital retailing collaborations,” said Tanner. “Our focus is on elevating the experience and product adoption for both customers and dealerships. Transparency and accessibility are keys for growth in the marketplace for dealer partners and end-user clients.”
Tanner said because some provinces have made changes in product regulation, iA has been able to adapt and quickly align with those requirements.
“There are some players that are out of the market because they are not the insurer or do not have relationships with one and it’s made a huge difference for us and the industry,” said Tanner.
“At the same time, we are empowering F&Is with personalized training and support, including principles of FTC (Fair Treatment of Customers) and help to set goals with them so that they can still provide the best protection to their clients.”
