F&I can play a broader role in dealership performance by coordinating with sales and service throughout the customer journey, according to a session planned for the 2026 RV Dealers Convention/Expo in Las Vegas.
Paul Sheldon, national director of specialty products at Spectrum Dealer Alliance, will lead the session, “F&I is a Team Sport: Let’s Win Better Together,” at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, in the Versailles 1 room.
The session is part of the Business Innovation track.
Sheldon will examine how dealerships can involve F&I earlier in the sales process, help sales teams introduce protection products before customers reach the finance office and work with service departments to reinforce product value after a sale.
The session will focus on identifying points in the customer journey where departmental disconnects may affect product acceptance, customer satisfaction and repeat business.
Sheldon also will outline solutions dealerships can use to address those gaps.
Another focus will be equipping sales personnel with language to introduce F&I protection products naturally and earlier in the customer interaction. The approach is intended to establish awareness of those products before customers reach the finance office.
The session also will address cooperation between F&I and service, including ways to reinforce product value after a sale, identify re-sell opportunities and support customer retention.
Sheldon will encourage F&I professionals to take a broader leadership role within the dealership rather than functioning only at the end of the sales transaction. The session’s learning objectives describe F&I as a “connective hub” linking sales, service and finance.
Attendees also are expected to leave with a dealership-specific action plan outlining concrete steps to implement after returning to their stores.
The 2026 RV Dealers Convention/Expo is scheduled for Nov. 9-13 at Paris Las Vegas. The event is sponsored by RVDA of U.S., RVDA of Canada and the Mike Molino RV Learning Center.
Early-bird registration rates are available through Sept. 3. Updates will be posted on the convention website and social media.
