Mercedes-Benz Retail is the latest dealer group to be recognised by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) as SAF Approved.

Specialist Automotive Finance (SAF) was launched by the FLA to raise standards and improve knowledge in showrooms and increase customer confidence in motor finance.

SAF certification has been available since October 2007 to individual dealership employees and around 7,000 dealer staff have passed the online SAF competence test, provided free-of-charge by the finance industry.

SAF Approved was introduced on August 1 to reward companies who have voluntarily improved their staff’s financial know-how.

Over 200 business managers in Mercedes-Benz franchised outlets have passed the SAF competence test, with a total of 35 dealerships now SAF Approved.