(Left to right) Jose Blas David – National Business Development Manager; Colin Quirion – Automobile and Durable Goods Business Development Advisor; Michael Manirakiza – Branch Manager, Voyageurs Credit Union, King Street Office; Christiane Richer – Automobile and Durable Goods Business Development Advisor; Tom Reid – Automobile and Durable Goods Business Development Manager; Michael Burgess – Automobile and Durable Goods Business Development Advisor; Joe Carusella – Vice-President, Automobile and Durable Goods Business Development; Hassan Tanvir – Desjardins General Insurance Group Agent; Stéphanie Rémillard – Automobile and Durable Goods Marketing Advisor; Angelo Simone – Automobile and Durable Goods Business Development Advisor
In recognition of its second year in the Ontario market, Desjardins, the largest financial cooperative group in Canada, invited dealer customers (and Canadian auto dealer) to a special gathering during the Honda Indy Toronto weekend on July 18-20.
“We allocated 50 tickets over the course of three days,” says Tom Reid, Manager, Automobile and Durable Goods, Sales and Business Development for Desjardins in Ontario. Desjardins says it has seen considerable success with its Ready-to-drive Loan product that provides consumers with life insurance coverage at no cost to either the dealer or end customer. The result is a product that doesn’t impact a dealer customer’s remaining credit — expediting the closing process and enabling dealers to focus on other F&I products such as extended warranties — all in an effort to boost dealership customer satisfaction, retention and revenue.
“It’s been good,” says Reid. “We’ve certainly passed internal targets we set. We’ve got a dedicated team for Ontario and we’re looking to focus on greater penetration with the dealers we have.”
Joe Carusella, Vice-President, Business Development, Automobile and Durable Goods with Desjardins, notes that currently, there are approximately 870 dealers Desjardins serves in Ontario and the firm’s competitive, yet transparent approach has resonated well, both with dealers and the Used Car Dealers Association of Ontario (UCDA) with whom Desjardins has tailored a Ready-to-Drive Loan program specifically for UCDA members.
“We’re moving forward but carefully,” says Carusella. “To be successful you need to do things one step at a time and we’re happy. We’ve been in the Ontario market for two years and now, here we are enjoying the 2014 Honda Indy Toronto with our dealers. It’s not a bad place to be.”
As for the Toronto Indy itself, this year’s two race program had a few surprises. Inclement weather on Saturday caused the first race to be moved to Sunday morning. Even then it wasn’t without drama, for a big accident on the very first lap halted the proceedings for almost two hours. Ultimately it was Sebastien Bourdais who emerged the winner, scoring his first victory since Mexico in 2007. In the second race on Sunday afternoon, rain showers caused yet more carnage that put the likes of Juan Montoya, Graham Rahal and hometown favourite James Hinchcliffe out of the race. In the end it came down to tire strategy and a late race change from rain tires to slicks worked to Mike Conway’s advantage, enabling him to take the chequered flag.
