Some dogs chase cars, this one helps loan officers sell additional auto-related protection at the time a car loan is being closed.
Intercontinental Warranty Services, Inc. (IWS) added "Warren the Warranty Dog" to its existing sales solution, IWSQUOTE.
IWSQUOTE provides assistance in selling add-on products to an auto loan, such as GAP, Guaranteed Price Refund (GPA), Vehicle Service Agreements (VSA), Mechanical Breakdown Insurance (MBI) and its Maximum Assistance Plan, which offers services such as roadside emergency aid and lockout service.
The company recently added man's best friend to the sales process to bring not just some furry friendliness to the sales process for loan officers, but also to act as a tutor, with pop-up reminders prompting staff with sales tips and to ask required questions about the member and intended vehicle.
Sandra Torres, VP of sales and marketing, said she was leading a technology committee and looking for ways to expand IWSQUOTE's features, when the idea of an animated tutor or a mascot was mentioned.
Torres had a huge, stuffed St. Bernard dog in one corner of her office, and soon a star named Warren was born.
Credit unions using IWSQUOTE can install the application for free. If the process is easier and a bit more friendly, sales staff can focus on doing what's right for the member and also the credit union, Torres said.
"It's extremely user-friendly," she said. "It takes the 'sale' out of the offer. You can actually have a conversation."
For example, if a credit union member drives their car 10,000 miles every year, does a three-year warranty make sense?
Warren has an answer. If a certain make and model of a car has an above-average rate of repairs, Warren the Warranty Dog will even prompt sales staff with that information, she said.
Torres said any credit union is seeking better ways to help its members, Warren the Warranty Dog helps achieve that goal while bringing a little fun to the loan process.
"It brings a little bit of levity to a very structured, spreadsheet-like process," she said.
Should a member opt not to purchase some of the additional products, Warren the Warranty Dog lets out a growl of disappointment.
With the IWSQUOTE solution, any information entered into the application can be preserved and pulled later for member or loan research, or to print out reports for management and board's monthly meeting.
Torres noted the open architecture of the IWSQUOTE means it can support many different vendors' solutions, and it also includes a rate calculator and an e-mail function.
