Solent Motor Group’s business manager, Andy Fenner, is the first dealer employee to gain the Finance & Leasing Association’s specialist automotive finance (SAF) certificate of competence.

Launched earlier this month, the SAF competence test was developed by the FLA in conjunction with dealers to raise standards and improve skills for those involved in the sale of motor finance.

Fenner said: "I’m delighted to be the first person in a dealership to have passed the SAF Competence Test. SAF is good news for my professional development and is good news for my employer, Solent Motor Group, who ultimately benefit from this initiative.

"I hope that all motor dealers can commit to SAF as it will help to address the two biggest issues facing our industry – increasing competition and declining customer loyalty."

Dealers can learn more about SAF, and sign up for the test, at www.SpecialistAutomotiveFinance.org.uk.

To date, 46 motor retailers have registered for SAF and close to 2,000 individual users have signed up.