Celebrating NAAA Week: AFC’s Keys to a Prosperous Partnership

A great deal of AFC’s success is due to our outstanding auction partners who not only accept AFC as a financing source for dealers but truly embrace our services and the value they bring to our joint dealer customers.

AFC is an accepted form of payment at more than 1,100 inventory sources – including more than 500 independent auctions. Whether a small family-owned business with local roots or a larger auction with multiple locations, we appreciate our partnerships and are committed to a shared vision of success.

National Auto Auction Week is the perfect time for AFC to say thank you to the many auction partners that provide dealers the opportunity to utilize an AFC floorplan line with associated conveniences when sourcing needed inventory.  It’s also a great point for reflection on three key attributes underlying a prosperous partnership – effective communication, common purpose, and shared vision.

Communication is the lynchpin of any great partnership.  Too often communication is reactive – for instance, in response to unforeseen problems.  While required in these situations, it’s forced and often in a high-stress situation – so if it’s the only occurrence of dialogue, the partnership will soon deteriorate as communication becomes synonymous with problems.  On the other hand, communication becomes most effective when it’s proactive, open, authentic, and honest.  Communication in this manner creates a trusted exchange whereby the partnership can move the focus beyond problem management to growth ideation.

Building upon effective communication is the mutual connection toward a common purpose.  For AFC and its trusted auction partners, the common purpose is servicing the dealer.  Specifically, taking delight in dealer prosperity by providing an efficient outlet and needed liquidity to source the right inventory when the opportunities arise.  The common bond created when the dealer is centric to both partners promotes swift consensus during decision making.

Finally, aligning effective communication and common purpose aligned through a shared vision provides the foundation for an unwavering partnership.  Shared vision is a result of defining partnership success, which can seem rather easy with a common purpose.  While the exercise of defining success shouldn’t be understated, the follow-through is most important and difficult.  Each partner must take ownership for its part in achieving the shared vision and be accountable for such.  When each partner understands the vision and is vested in the outcome, the partnership begins to flourish. 

At AFC, we continually strive to be a great partner to the auctions where our dealers choose to source inventory.  We know a partnership rooted in effective communication, centered around a common purpose, and aligned through a shared vision will benefit all parties, the most important being the dealer.

So, thank you to our auction partners – our partners in purpose, vision, and success!