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Jardine awarded top FLA accolade
Jardine Motor Group is celebrating after successfully achieving ‘SAF Approved’ status. ‘SAF Approved’ is fast becoming the professional standard for dealer staff who sell motor finance and Jardine’s customers can be confident that they are getting fair and informed advice on the most suitable finance products for them.
The Finance and Leasing Association (FLA), the representative body of the UK motor finance industry, launched Specialist Automotive Finance (SAF) in 2007 to boost consumer confidence on motor finance. This is achieved through an online competence test which assesses knowledge of the different types of motor finance and the rules and regulations that govern their sale. ‘SAF Approved’, which came about in 2009, recognises that a whole business has the knowledge that will ensure customers are getting good advice on motor finance.
Over 400 showroom staff across 73 Jardine sites (which now incorporates Wayside Group) have successfully completed the SAF online competence test, making them one of the largest groups to have completed the scheme. Jardine’s successful completion of ‘SAF Approved’ means all their showrooms will be listed at the www.FinancingYourCar.org.uk website which has a ‘dealer directory’ to help customers’ find their nearest five approved showrooms. The site has seen a surge in interest from consumers seeking a good deal on motor finance. It had well over one million visitors in the last 12 months alone, many of whom go on to use car finance to buy their vehicle from their local dealer.
Paul Harrison, Head of Motor Finance at the FLA, said:
“It’s no coincidence that 23 out of the top 30 dealer groups in the UK are now SAF Approved. SAF gives car buyers better information on motor finance and helps car dealers like Jardine to provide top-quality advice and to retain their customers.
“Congratulations to Jardine Motor Group on this tremendous achievement”.
Sam Harvey, Group Finance and Insurance Manager for Jardine said:
“We are delighted that all the staff at our sites across the UK will be able to offer our customers and even better car-buying experience now that they’re SAF Approved.
“We know Jardine’s customers expect us to go the extra mile for them and we’re happy to. Completing the SAF Approved scheme means our customers know we’re doing everything we can to make sure they’re getting the best deal we can give them”.
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For further details please contact:
Jonny Holdcroft, Policy and Communications Adviser,
T: 0207 420 9613 E: jonathan.holdcroft@fla.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
Specialist Automotive Finance (SAF) was launched by the Finance & Leasing Association in June 2007 at the Auto Retailing Conference. SAF aims to raise consumer awareness of finance sold in dealerships by raising standards and improving skills amongst dealership staff.
Central to SAF is the FLA’s online competence test, launched to dealers in October 2007. The competence test is a free-of-charge assessment covering the finance products sold in showrooms and the surrounding regulation. The test does not teach staff how to sell finance but aims to improve their overall finance knowledge. To remain SAF-certified, individual staff must renew the test every 12 months.
As part of SAF, the FLA has also developed an impartial consumer guide to motor finance – www.FinancingYourCar.org.uk. The web site helps potential car buyers to review all of the options available in showrooms to help them purchase their next car, all from the comfort of their own home.
www.SpecialistAutomotiveFinance.org.uk is the SAF portal for the industry to help companies learn more about the initiative.
There are currently 23,000 registered for the online SAF competence test. There are currently almost 1,300 SAF Approved dealerships.