Detroit — Ally Financial has enhanced services offered to dealers through its Performance Development Center and Relationship Management Center. Dealers will be offered more training and new tools to help drive customers into the showroom.

“We received tremendous response to our training programs last year, with more than 12,000 dealership personnel participating in Ally courses such as leasing and F&I management,” said Tim Russi, president of Auto Finance at Ally. “Training is an extension of our indirect business model, and helps dealers ensure that employees stay up to speed on our products and financing best practices, while honing their overall sales and business skills.”

Ally also announced that it has revamped its lead-generation system to take better advantage of the two million leads it currently provides manufacturers and their dealers each month. Not only do the enhancements provide dealers with direct access to leads, they also provide dealers with a professional marketing fulfillment service.

“This will help Ally increase its financing contract volume, while enabling dealers to better service their valued customers,” Russi said.

Ally’s Performance Development Center is a comprehensive, web-based education and training platform for dealership personnel. Services include:

• Training recommendations tailored to job functions within the dealership

• 24/7 access to virtual on-demand courses and the ability to schedule instructor-led, in-dealership training

• Courses on leasing, legal awareness, F&I management, sales skills, menu selling, retail financing products, and more

• Dealer and staff certification for key curricula, along with portable training history that allows dealers to track employee performance development

Ally’s courses range from online programs to regional and in-dealership, instructor-led sessions. The services are offered to franchise and independent dealers selling new and/or used vehicles.

Ally’s Relationship Management Center provides tailored customer manifests and marketing tools for dealers to reach potential prospects.

“Our Relationship Management Center is a one-stop shop for obtaining leads to better manage customer loyalty and retention,” said Kathy Ruble, director of Alliance Sales, Performance and Development at Ally. “It provides access to materials for professional direct mail and email marketing campaigns with a few clicks of the mouse.”

The national launch of Ally’s enhanced Performance Development Center will begin March 1, and the Relationship Management Center will be available on April 1.

“Reaching out to customers, offering the right financing products for the transaction, and strengthening the strategic management of a dealership’s operations can make a significant difference in both customer satisfaction and the bottom line,” Russi said. “As the dealer’s ally, we understand the auto business and are well positioned to offer performance development and lead management expertise as part of our core auto finance business.”