Author: Gabe Sanchez, RVP Dealer Services
Date: 1/15/2026
2026 is set to bring unique challenges and opportunities for automotive dealers. Rising vehicle prices and shifting consumer demands have turned the Finance & Insurance (F&I) office into not just a step in the purchasing process, but a vital part of ensuring dealership profitability. Having the right people, processes, and training in place can be the difference between steady margins and rapid revenue decline.
F&I development is no longer an option; it’s a strategic investment in your dealership’s future, ensuring your team is equipped to adapt, perform, and drive sustainable profitability in an increasingly competitive market.
The F&I department has always held an essential role in dealership operations. In recent years, and especially going into 2026, its importance has continued to grow. Here are the primary components of F&I development in a dealership:
True F&I development starts with partnership. Without dealer ownership and management support, even the best strategies fail to stick. For meaningful improvement to occur, the dealership leadership must actively support and be involved in the plan.
Partnership means alignment between ownership, management, and F&I professionals around shared goals, expectations, and processes. When leadership reinforces training, supports process adherence, and prioritizes development, it creates the cultural foundation needed for lasting change. This collaboration ensures that improvements are not temporary but have lasting impacts on culture and behavior within the dealerships’ F&I departments, ultimately resulting in dealership profitability.
Accountability is the backbone of effective F&I development. Without clear benchmarks and performance tracking, improvement becomes guesswork and anecdotal at best. Accountability helps ensure that progress is visible, gaps are addressed early, and successes are repeatable. Here is what that looks like in an F&I development plan:
When accountability is embedded into the process, dealerships gain clarity, consistency, and control over their F&I performance.
F&I development is not a one-time event; it’s an ongoing commitment. Markets change, consumer expectations evolve, and compliance requirements are always changing. Continuous training and engagement ensure F&I teams stay sharp, confident, adaptable, and profitable.
EFG’s ongoing development model centers on a proven Profit Recipe built around five core elements:
The Right People
Success starts with hiring and developing F&I professionals who have the mindset, communication skills, and integrity needed to perform at a high level.
Motivating Pay Plans
Compensation plans should reward both performance and process, aligning individual goals with dealership profitability and customer satisfaction.
Management Support
Leadership that reinforces training and removes unnecessary obstacles often ensures consistent execution and results across the dealership.
Proper Training
Training must stay current, practical, and ongoing. Training should emphasize product knowledge, presentation skills, compliance, and customer experience.
Process
A repeatable, compliant, and customer-focused process ensures consistency, protects the dealership, and maximizes profitability.
By committing to partnership, accountability, and ongoing training, dealerships can transform F&I development from a reactive function into a strategic driver of consistent profitability, stronger culture, and long-term success in 2026 and beyond.
Successful F&I development doesn’t happen by chance. It starts with a clear strategy and the right partner in place. EFG works alongside dealerships to strengthen F&I performance through proven processes, measurable accountability, and ongoing training that drives real change. We focus on building sustainable profitability rather than short-term gains. As the automotive landscape continues to evolve in 2026, partnering with EFG gives dealerships the structure, support, and expertise needed to develop stronger teams, protect margins, and position the F&I department as a long-term growth engine. Contact our EFG team to get started on F&I development within your dealership.
