Xtime Launches FlexPay to Offer Improved Service Financing Options to Dealers and Customers

MISSION, Kan., July 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Many service customers struggle to pay for auto repairs out of pocket, making it difficult for dealerships to sell service recommendations in a way that maximizes fixed ops revenue. In fact, 71% of additional service recommendations and 29% of primary service lines go unsold.¹To help increase dealer revenue per repair order and provide customers with more flexible service financing, Xtime is integrating with DigniFi to launch FlexPay, an easy-to-use payment option offered directly through the Xtime platform. With FlexPay, dealers can help boost service department revenue while making comprehensive auto repairs more affordable to customers.

"Our research shows 63% of customers are unable to pay for a $500 auto repair out of pocket, so advisors are having difficulty selling not just additional service recommendations, but also regularly scheduled maintenance," said Tracy Fred, vice president of operations at Xtime.² "These unsold services present a missed opportunity that dealers can reclaim by offering a simplified and streamlined service financing process."

To fill this gap in the market, many forward-thinking dealers have already adopted service financing options to help make vehicle service more accessible to customers and lessen the impact of unexpected repairs on consumers' budgets. However, until FlexPay, service financing solutions required their own separate systems, complicating the sales process for service advisors and depreciating the customer experience. FlexPay offers a more streamlined service financing option from within a dealer's existing appointment scheduling and inspection process. The payment option is presented throughout the system as consumers engage with it.

"Today, making a service experience easy and contactless are the keys to success, so excluding financing solutions as part of the process is no longer optional," said Richard Counihan, CEO at DigniFi. "By integrating with Xtime to create FlexPay, our dealer clients can provide a better customer experience while enjoying easy processing and potentially higher profitability."

Dealers will discover the following competitive advantages by offering Xtime's FlexPay:

• Increased revenue per repair order: Customers are 76% more likely to make purchases if a simple and seamless payment plan is available, making it easier for advisors to sell primary and additional service recommendations.^.3
• Simplified service financing sales process: By integrating seamlessly into dealerships preexisting scheduling and inspection systems, FlexPay provides more efficiency through the sales process and a better customer experience.
• Higher repair order close rates: Xtime's FlexPay has a consistent presentation of offerings across multiple customer touchpoints that drives wider knowledge of the service financing option and in turn, increases business opportunities for the dealer as well as more comprehensive service for the customer.

"The option for flexible service financing through Xtime's FlexPay is a real game changer for a lot of our customers who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford their repair order upfront," said Jay Helbert, Operations Director at Town East Ford. "It's also a big advantage for our service advisors who no longer have to toggle between systems to process financing and technicians can perform the full level of service recommendations that they make for a vehicle, which at the end of the day, means better service and a better experience for the customer too."

Xtime's FlexPay is currently available at no additional cost to all U.S. Xtime dealers with a DigniFi account through Xtime's Schedule, Inspect and Engage products. For more information, visit www.xtime.com/flexpay.

About Xtime
Xtime increases customer retention for automotive dealer service departments by using technology to transform the ownership experience. Improving customer satisfaction and retention drives dealer revenue and profitability. Xtime is committed to delivering the experience consumers demand – an experience which emphasizes value, convenience and trust. In 2019, Xtime booked 55 million service appointments and processed more than 100 million repair orders annually. Forty-four global OEMs have chosen Xtime to drive that same type of success for their businesses, converting more than $23 billion in service revenue last year for more than 7,300 dealerships.

About Cox Automotive

Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using cars easier for everyone. The global company's 34,000-plus team members and family of brands, including Autotrader®, Clutch Technologies, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, VinSolutions®, vAuto® and Xtime®, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with revenues exceeding $20 billion.www.coxautoinc.com

About DigniFi

DigniFi is a platform company that connects consumers with lenders for car repairs, tires, accessories, and other auto-related needs. The automated, contactless process serves up financial products through the point of sale at car dealerships and independent repair shops. DigniFi provides consumers with fixed payment plans from 12 to 36 months. The loans are originated through WebBank, an FDIC-regulated bank. To date, DigniFi has provided access to over $120 million in loans in partnership with more than 5,000 auto service centers. For more information, please visit www.dignifi.com.

¹Cox Automotive, Cox Automotive's 2018 Service Industry Study
²Cox Automotive, Cox Automotive's 2018 Service Industry Study
³Citizens Financial Group Inc., Inaugural Citizens Point of Sale Survey, 2018

SOURCE Xtime