RLB Automotive Consultants
Give Customers a Smarter Way to Pay While Creating More F&I Opportunity
RLB Automotive Consultants works with dealerships to provide flexible
vehicle-payment solutions designed to make payments easier for customers,
accelerate equity building and create additional opportunities inside
the F&I office.
Founded by automotive veterans Rick and Laura Berman, RLB combines its
current Equity4u bi-weekly payment solution with hands-on dealership
training and decades of real-world automotive experience.
Rick & Laura Berman
What Does RLB Automotive Consultants Do?
RLB Automotive Consultants provides automotive dealerships with a
customer-payment strategy built around the Equity4u bi-weekly payment
program.
Instead of changing the customer’s loan or refinancing the vehicle,
the program is designed to align payments more closely with a customer’s
paycheck cycle. Because a bi-weekly schedule produces 26 half-payments
during a year, the structure results in the equivalent of one additional
full monthly payment being applied annually.
RLB also works directly with dealership F&I teams, providing in-person
education and training around how the program works and how it can be
incorporated into the dealership process.
See RLB Automotive Consultants in Action
Learn more about Rick and Laura Berman and the dealership-focused approach
behind RLB Automotive Consultants.
Problems RLB Helps Dealerships Address
Monthly Payment Resistance
Breaking a conventional monthly vehicle payment into smaller bi-weekly
payments can make the payment structure easier for some customers to
manage alongside their paycheck cycle.
Slow Equity Building
A bi-weekly schedule creates 26 half-payments annually, resulting in the
equivalent of an additional full monthly payment being applied toward
the loan each year.
Limited F&I Payment Flexibility
Giving customers another way to structure their vehicle payment can provide
F&I managers with an additional option when discussing the complete
ownership package.
Customer Budget Concerns
Matching vehicle payments more closely to payroll timing can provide a
different budgeting approach for customers who are paid every two weeks.
F&I Product Affordability
When the base vehicle payment is presented in smaller scheduled amounts,
customers may have greater flexibility when considering protection products
appropriate to their needs.
F&I Team Education
Rick and Laura work directly with dealerships to explain the payment
program and train F&I personnel on how it fits into the customer
conversation.
How the Equity4u Bi-Weekly Payment Program Works
RLB currently represents Equity4u, a payment service designed to synchronize
a customer’s vehicle payments with a bi-weekly paycheck cycle.
Split the Monthly Payment
Instead of budgeting for one larger monthly vehicle payment, participating
customers make smaller payments on a bi-weekly schedule.
Match the Paycheck Cycle
For customers paid every two weeks, the schedule can more closely align
vehicle-payment timing with incoming payroll.
26 Half-Payments Per Year
A bi-weekly schedule produces 26 half-payments during the year rather than
the equivalent of only 24 half-payments under a traditional 12-monthly-
payment schedule.
Build Equity Faster
The two additional half-payments equal one additional full monthly payment
each year, which can reduce principal faster depending on the customer’s
loan terms.
Why Dealers May Want to Evaluate the Program
Customer Convenience
Customers who budget around bi-weekly payroll may prefer smaller,
more frequent vehicle payments rather than one larger monthly obligation.
Accelerated Principal Reduction
The additional annual payment can increase the rate at which principal
is reduced, subject to the customer’s specific loan terms.
Earlier Equity Position
Reducing principal more quickly may improve the customer’s equity position
earlier in the ownership cycle.
Additional F&I Conversation
Payment flexibility can give finance managers another tool when discussing
vehicle ownership and available protection products.
Potential Trade-Cycle Benefit
A customer who builds equity faster may be in a stronger position when
the time comes to trade or replace the vehicle.
No Dealer Program Cost
RLB currently markets the Equity4u program to dealerships as having no
up-front program cost to the dealer.
Rick & Laura Berman
RLB Automotive Consultants was founded by Rick and Laura Berman, who bring
decades of combined automotive-industry experience to their dealership
relationships.
Rick’s background includes more than 30 years in the automobile and
motorcycle industries, with dealership experience across multiple roles.
Laura’s current professional profile describes RLB as providing a
boutique-style automotive consulting experience.
Their approach emphasizes direct dealership interaction, practical
education and face-to-face F&I training rather than simply providing
a program and leaving the dealership to implement it alone.
Hands-On F&I Training
RLB’s current approach includes traveling to dealerships and working
directly with F&I personnel so the team understands both the mechanics
of the program and how to communicate it to customers.
Program Education
Finance personnel can learn how the bi-weekly payment structure works
before presenting it to customers.
Customer Presentation
Training can address how to explain the payment structure clearly and
appropriately during the finance process.
Dealership Implementation
Direct interaction with the RLB team gives dealership personnel an
opportunity to ask questions and understand how the program fits their
existing F&I workflow.
RLB Automotive Recruiting & Training
RLB’s DealerVendorMatch profile has also highlighted Rick and Laura’s
experience assisting dealerships with recruiting, hiring and developing
automotive personnel.
Dealerships That May Want to Evaluate RLB Automotive
RLB currently positions its payment solution for multiple automotive
retail models rather than limiting it to traditional franchised dealers.
Frequently Asked Questions About RLB Automotive Consultants
What does RLB Automotive Consultants provide to dealerships?
RLB Automotive Consultants currently represents the Equity4u bi-weekly
vehicle-payment program and works directly with dealerships and F&I
teams on program education and implementation.
What is the Equity4u bi-weekly payment program?
Equity4u is designed to divide a customer’s vehicle payment into smaller
bi-weekly payments. A bi-weekly schedule produces 26 half-payments annually,
which equals 13 full payments rather than 12.
Does Equity4u refinance the customer’s vehicle loan?
RLB currently describes the program as a payment-scheduling service rather
than a vehicle refinance. Dealers and customers should review current
program terms directly with RLB and Equity4u.
How can bi-weekly payments build vehicle equity faster?
Because 26 half-payments equal 13 full monthly payments during a year,
the additional payment can reduce loan principal faster, depending on
the customer’s loan terms and applicable program conditions.
How can the program benefit a dealership’s F&I department?
The program gives F&I personnel another payment option to discuss with
customers and may provide additional flexibility when presenting the
overall vehicle-ownership package and available protection products.
Does RLB provide dealership training?
Yes. RLB currently promotes in-person dealership training around its
payment program and F&I implementation.
What types of dealerships does RLB work with?
RLB currently identifies franchised dealerships, independent dealerships,
Buy Here Pay Here stores and Harley-Davidson dealerships among the retail
operations it can support.
Does the Equity4u program cost the dealership to offer?
RLB currently markets the program as being available to dealerships at
no program cost. Dealers should confirm current terms and requirements
directly with RLB before implementation.
Who should evaluate RLB Automotive inside the dealership?
Dealer principals, general managers, F&I directors and finance managers
are natural participants when evaluating a customer-payment program and
how it fits into the dealership’s finance process.
Connect With RLB Automotive Consultants
Talk directly with Rick or Laura Berman about the Equity4u payment program
and how it may fit your dealership’s F&I process.
RLB Automotive Online
Follow Rick and Laura Berman for information about automotive F&I,
customer payment strategies and dealership performance.
Continue Your F&I Vendor Research
Compare automotive F&I providers and learn what dealers should consider
when evaluating finance, training and dealership vendor relationships.
Researched & reviewed by DealerVendorMatch
Curated by automotive industry veteran
Paul Meijer
using DealerVendorMatch resources and current publicly available
information from RLB Automotive Consultants and its principals.
Vendor information is provided for dealership research purposes and is
based on DealerVendorMatch content and publicly available information.
Payment-program features, fees, eligibility, processing, loan impact and
terms may change and may vary according to the customer’s loan and
circumstances. Dealers and consumers should verify current Equity4u program
terms directly with RLB Automotive Consultants before enrollment or
implementation.
