Zurich adds service advisor training to its offering for Auto Dealers

Zurich North America has expanded its menu of services for U.S. auto dealers by adding service advisor training resources. One of the largest providers of Finance and Insurance (F&I) products and consultative training for auto dealerships in the United States, Zurich is collaborating with Steve Shaw, a premier service advisor trainer to deliver the training.

“We are very excited to expand into the service advisor training arena,” said Vince Santivasi, head of Direct Markets for Zurich North America. “The service advisor plays a vital role within an auto dealership, and Zurich has recognized a growing demand for consistent service training among our customers. This new collaboration with Steve Shaw offers service advisors a consistent process and the necessary tools to help dealerships maximize their profits in the service lane.” 

Zurich’s Service Advisor Training is designed to help enhance processes, improve repair order performance and motivate service advisors. Training topics to be presented include why customers buy, multipoint inspections selling system, creating presentations, and menu selling among others.

“Working hand-in-hand with Zurich, we are creating more opportunities for dealers to increase the bottom lines of their service centers,” said Shaw. “Dealerships that have fully implemented my training and selling system have seen a typical increase of .2-.5 labor hours per repair order.”

The new collaboration provides dealerships a variety of training options including:

• Full day, Zurich-hosted seminars. More than 40 events are already scheduled for 2018 in cities across the U.S.
• One-on-one sessions available in-store and via Skype
• Access to online training modules

While all franchise auto dealers are able to take advantage of Zurich’s full day seminars and one-on-one sessions, only Zurich F&I customers enrolled in its online training program are able to access the online service advisor modules. 

Zurich F&I customers also enjoy reduced pricing on full day, Zurich-hosted seminars and the one-on-one sessions.

The full day, Zurich-hosted seminars begin with Kansas City on July 9. To learn the locations and dates of the Zurich-hosted seminars near you, contact your Zurich representative or call 888-884-7377.

Zurich is one of the largest insurance providers of franchised auto dealers in the United States and one of the top providers of F&I products and services. Learn more at http://zurichna.com/en/industries/auto/dealerships.

“Zurich’s expansion into service advisor training is just the latest offering in our training curriculum,” Santivasi added. “Our customers have asked for multiple training platforms and we are delivering with in person seminars, on-site in dealership, and online opportunities to add value for our automotive dealer customers.”

In 2014, Zurich first introduced digital F&I consumer education with its illuminate iPad® application, which changed the F&I point of sale customer experience. Zurich has enhanced illuminate in recent years and continues to offer point of sale F&I information with great functionality and smooth navigation, including product videos and additional term and coverage options, as well as the ability to capture customer signatures and save or print transaction records from iPads inside the dealership.

Zurich can trace its roots in the U.S. automotive industry back to 1922 with the founding of Universal Underwriters. Today Zurich provides commercial insurance, F&I products and services, consultative training services, Streamlined Selling System® illuminate, income development technology, compliance resources and reinsurance programs to the automotive retail industry segment including franchised auto dealerships.

Steve Shaw, author of Master of the Waiting Room, is a professional speaker and trainer to the automotive industry having trained thousands of service personnel over the past 23 years. His ultimate service advisor training program is in use by dealerships around the world and has proven to increase service selling power from the entry-level express advisor the veteran consultant.   

About Zurich
Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading multi-line insurer that serves its customers in global and local markets. With about 53,000 employees, it provides a wide range of property and casualty, and life insurance products and services in more than 210 countries and territories. Zurich’s customers include individuals, small businesses, and mid-sized and large companies, as well as multinational corporations. The Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1872. The holding company, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (ZURN), is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and has a level I American Depositary Receipt (ZURVY) program, which is traded over-the-counter on OTCQX. Further information about Zurich is available at www.zurich.com.

In North America, Zurich is a leading provider of insurance products and services, including workers’ compensation, liability, property, specialty and F&I (finance and insurance) for a number of major industries, such as Construction, Auto Dealers, and Technology. It offers life insurance and disability coverage in the United States. Zurich employs approximately 9,000 people in North America. It’s a top-four commercial insurer in the U.S. and has been insuring U.S. businesses for more than 100 years. Further information is available at www.zurichna.com.