Dave Duncan, President

How do you define a "combo product"?

A combo product takes existing ancillary F&I products and packages the benefits into one product, sold on one form.

What types of products are you including in your combo packages today? Why?

Today, tire and wheel is the lead product for combination products, followed by paintless dent repair, windshield protection, key replacement and appearance protection. The most common combination is tire and wheel, paintless dent repair and windshield protection. Roadside assistance can also be part of a combination product. However, sales of combination products with roadside assistance have declined during the past few years, since many vehicle service contracts include roadside assistance. By being smart about how you combine products, you can really offer tremendous value to the customer.

We offer combination products to package more benefits for our customers while also setting the stage for compliant filings by using tire and wheel as the base product.

What are your top reasons behind offering combo products?

Combination products offer more benefits at a lower cost than purchasing the products separately, creating more value, more bang for the buck, for the customer. They also protect against the most common perils of ownership: flat tires, door dings and windshield chips and cracks. It's easy for consumers to see the value.

What, if any, reasons would you have to not offer them?

Compliance — certain state regulations require that the products be sold separately and not combined. Compliance is at the core of everything we do at Safe-Guard.

Is the sales process for a combo product different than for an individual product? Can you give an example?

The sales process is the same as with any F&I product. First, you create the need. The customer interview will give you a good idea of how the customer thinks and what specific needs you can meet with a combination product. Then, you build value by explaining the benefits. Finally, you ask for the sale. It's pretty straightforward, but probably a little easier since combination products offer so many benefits.

Do you believe the combo product strategy will evolve in the future? What types of product combos do you anticipate in the next 2-5 years?

I see combination products with key protection and appearance protection becoming a lot more common in the marketplace. These products really enhance the core products from the customer's point of view.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Menus currently only include five or six products at the most to accommodate consumers' attention spans. When we can offer one product that has four or five distinct benefits, more products can be presented on the menu, allowing for a more efficient process.