FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Southern Auto Finance Co. (SAFCo) has introduced SpotZone, a Web-based resource that enables dealerships to process special finance transactions with greater confidence and in less time.

SpotZone uses an interface that participating F&I personnel can access from any computer with an Internet connection. The F&I manager enters information into a series of fields, such as the customer’s income, vehicle mileage, make and model to get an immediate indication of whether the transaction fits the SAFCo program.

Traditionally, dealers have had far less certainty when processing special finance transactions. As a result, customers who should have been able to get approved may have been turned down.

"For too long now, a lot of dealerships have been reluctant to process special finance transactions," said George Fussell, president. "It takes so much time and effort to determine whether a customer with poor credit or no credit can get financed — it’s often just not worth it to the dealership."

In addition to enhancing a dealership’s ability to provide subprime financing options, SpotZone is also able to measure a vehicle’s suitability for financing. The can be a resource to dealers when they are buying, wholesaling and managing their used-vehicle inventory.