The fintech Aufinity Group has presented the analysis of the sales area gathered in its White Paper “Radiography of Financial Digitization in Spanish Automotive 2026”, produced in collaboration with MSI, Market Intelligence Systems.
The report focuses on the sales area as the “moment of truth” within the dealership, since it is the final point where the customer experience culminates and where the profitability of the business is realized both qualitatively and quantitatively. In an increasingly competitive environment, omnichannel strategy gains greater relevance, as the user receives touches from different channels connected to each other, although the experience often ends in person at the dealership itself.
Sales: The Mirage of Instant Gratification
The White Paper reveals that the management of charges and reservations is one of the main tasks faced by sales teams. In this area, 52% of dealerships report having a digital and automated process, while 39% admit that monitoring still requires some manual intervention. Meanwhile, 9% confirm that their processes are entirely manual and decentralized.
These data reflect a common reality across many dealer networks: although digitization has advanced in the visible part of the customer relationship, internal processes still depend on manual checks, interdepartmental communications, and validations not always integrated into a single system. Having real-time payment tracking is exactly what helps close the gap between what the customer perceives and what actually happens inside the company.
Specifically, the report notes that the lack of a centralized system hinders internal visibility and forces teams to rely on manual checks. This situation also affects the verification of the payment status, as 39% of dealerships depend on manual intervention and manual verification to confirm payment status.
Communication, Coordination, and Payment Collection Control
Customer communication remains another critical point in the sales process. According to the study, 33% of dealerships state that all customer charges are manually validated in a computer system. These processes can be supported through different channels of communication, such as email, WhatsApp, phone calls, or SMS, which increases information dispersion and makes operational control more challenging.
Interdepartmental coordination is another challenge highlighted by the White Paper. When sales, administration, and accounting do not work on the same system, delays, internal frictions, and the risk of error increase. This disconnect directly impacts dealership efficiency and the ability to deliver a fast and smooth customer experience.
Furthermore, the report reveals that 91% of dealerships do not operate with a defined and standardized plan for tracking and controlling payments, which increases the risk of defaults or errors. In this context, automated reconciliation emerges as a way to validate payments with greater precision, reduce discrepancies, and protect the business’s financial health.
These figures corroborate a reality we hear in our daily conversations with dealerships: while the customer-facing experience shows notable digital maturity, the back-end operations still rely too heavily on manual processes across sales, administration, and accounting,” says Gazali Rey, Commercial Director of Aufinity Spain. “Our job is to reduce that complexity. By automating reconciliation, payment tracking, and integrated communication within the very DMS, we enable sales teams to focus on what truly adds value: closing deals and building customer loyalty.
“Each dealership that automates its payment management gains more than time: it gains liquidity and operational speed, two things that today make the difference against the competition,
adds Gazali Rey. “That’s why more leading brands in the sector trust Aufinity to digitize this part of the business.”
