Meet GM Financial's Erik Snyder

Dealer Relationship Manager

Published March 23, 2012

Dealer Relationship Manager Erik Snyder has experienced the auto industry's highs and lows. A veteran in the business since 1993 and a GM Financial employee since 2006, Erik witnessed the industry soaring in top gear, and he's seen it sputter and almost come to a grinding halt. So when he says he's excited about what's ahead, you'd better believe he knows what he's talking about.

"There are so many things going on right now, it's just incredible," he said.

Indeed, last month GM Financial kicked off a dealer realignment within its Sales & Credit division, focusing on maximizing service for our dealers. Under this realignment, DRMs and other Sales & Credit employees will now exclusively support GM dealers in their areas, and while the move is a positive one, there's been a period of adjustment for everyone involved.

"We're going through personnel changes, like team members switching roles and transferring accounts to each other. Some of our dealers had been working with the same DRM for quite some time, so naturally a move like this created some concerns for them. But after getting reassurance that we're going to be helping them the same way we always have and trying to make things as easy for them as possible, I think they saw that this change would ultimately be beneficial," Erik explained.

Always willing to go the extra mile for dealers is one of the big reasons Erik has seen success in his southern Ohio territory. "We're very GM-driven here," Erik said. "Part of my coverage includes the Youngstown-area near GM's Chevrolet Cruze plant, and leasing is a very big focus in our territory." In fact, Erik was part of the group that piloted GM Financial's lease program in December 2010. "We absolutely killed it," Erik said of the pilot's success. "Now we're pushing lower-tier leasing, and subprime leasing, while also doing well with our subvention programs. Our GM analysts help us stay focused on that, and we do a great job as a team. It's all about helping get the programs out and keeping our dealers educated about what we can do for them."

For his outstanding results, Erik was named to GM Financial's 2011 President's Club, which honored the Dealer Services team's top performers with a paid vacation to Cancun, Mexico, last month. "Cancun was amazing," Erik said. "I took my wife Bonny with me, and one day we had the chance to go swimming with the dolphins, which was really cool. The best part was the ability to just relax. We did not have to attend any meetings, except for one dinner with the entire President's Club. It was a great vacation, and it was a great time to just unwind and let the daily stress melt away!"

But despite his accolades, Erik knows what it took for him to reach his goals: teamwork. "My team and I rely on each other and feel the same way about our business. Communication is a necessity, and you have to trust that everyone will do their job." When Erik hits the field, he always has his PC with him so he can work from the road, and he and other team members like Senior Credit Analyst Jim Talabac are always looking for ways to support their dealers, whether it's afterhours during weekdays, on the weekend or even face-to-face at the dealership. "Having good people that have your back and are willing to jump on those opportunities that come along, it's invaluable. And dealers see that you're there for them and hungry for their business, and it means a lot to them too. Pretty soon they're excited about what you can do for them, and things begin to hit on all cylinders."