informativ.

Tougher deals. Smarter technology. Stronger guardrails.

The latest issue of Informativ Insights takes a look at some of the biggest challenges businesses and dealerships are navigating right now - from affordability and negative equity to evolving compliance requirements and AI-powered fraud.

Inside this month’s edition:

🚗 Kent Hensley breaks down how dealers can structure challenging negative-equity deals more intelligently, including one real-world SmartPencil scenario that uncovered $1,900+ in additional profit while lowering the customer’s payment and interest rate.

📋 Darin Larsen explains an often-overlooked compliance requirement: Risk-Based Pricing Notices and Credit Score Disclosure Notices and why automating the process can help make sure critical disclosures don’t get missed.

🤖 We dig into the growing threat of deepfakes and AI-powered identity fraud, and how Biometric Face ID gives businesses another layer of protection when verifying who’s really on the other side of a remote transaction.

From structuring better deals to protecting customers, margins, and compliance, there’s a lot to have on your radar.

👇 Read the latest Informativ Insights at the link in the comments!

A little teamwork goes a long way. 💜

Every month our team supports a non-profit as part of our Informativ Gives Back initiative. In July, we purchased food and supplies for Lovepacs. Our donations filled 20 boxes that were decorated by our team.

The donations represent 20 weeks of food support for children during school holidays and other times when regular meal assistance may not be available.

Today, we delivered the boxes to the Lovepacs distribution center! 📦💪

We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who donated, shared the wish list, helped organize deliveries, and joined us to pack.

And most importantly, we’re proud to support the work Lovepacs does make sure children in our communities have access to the food they need.

This is what Informativ Gives Back is all about: coming together, pitching in, and making a meaningful difference where we live and work. 💜

💜 Summer of Love WINNERS! 💜

We asked our clients to tell us what they love about working at their businesses and what they love about working with Informativ....and you absolutely showed up.

THANK YOU!

Now we’re excited to share our five Summer of Love winners! 🎉

💜 JTs Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Columbia – thanks to Aunisti Green for the nomination
💜 Ed Voyles Acura – shout out to Gary Carter for sharing the love
💜 Balise Nissan of West Springfield – kudos to Madeline Lockwood for entering
💜 Greenway Ford – way to go Fayez El Halabi for your testimonial
💜 Parks Chevrolet – cheers to Makalyn Batten for the kinds words

Each business will receive lunch for their team PLUS a $500 donation to the charity of their choice. ❤

To everyone who participated: THANK YOU. Your stories about your teams, your communities, and your experiences with Informativ mean more to us than we can say.

We may provide the technology, but it’s the people we get to work with every day who make this industry special. We’re incredibly grateful for the trust our clients place in us and proud to be your partner.

Thanks for making this a truly memorable Summer of Love! ☀️💜

The California CARS Act takes effect on October 1. Is your dealership ready for what must change?

Join Denise Branch, Partner at Bass Sox Mercer and former Chief Legal Officer of a 21-store dealer group, and Informativ’s Mark Richardson for a practical breakdown of the new law and its impact on dealership operations.

📅 Wednesday, August 19
⏰ 10:00–10:45 a.m. PT | 12:00–12:45 p.m. CT | 1:00–1:45 p.m. ET

Denise and Mark will cover what California dealers should be reviewing now, including:
• Vehicle pricing and advertising
• Lead responses and customer communications
• Payment and optional-product disclosures
• The three-day cancellation right for qualifying used-vehicle transactions
• Dealership record-retention requirements
• Potential workflow gaps across marketing, BDC, sales, desking and F&I

You’ll also learn which requirements are truly new and which existing compliance responsibilities will receive greater scrutiny once the law takes effect.

October 1 is approaching quickly. Register now and give your team time to prepare at the link in the comments!

This SUMMER OF LOVE, we’re highlighting clients who value speed, accessibility, and service to a growing community. 💜

Thank you to Azhar Haque at Rockwall County Volkswagen for sharing how the dealership takes pride in putting quality vehicles on the road for the growing community in Fate, Texas and looks forward to continuing to serve its customers with excellence.

Great work, Rockwall County Volkswagen! We’re honored to partner with your team.

A great day on the course earlier this week at the 2026 CUDL Washington Golf Tournament! ⛳️

Teresa Bordenet, Carol Sanford, and Lisa Benson had a blast teeing it up with the team from Swickard Automotive Group and connecting with so many other great dealers and industry friends.

Big shoutout to Origence CUDL for putting on another fantastic event! 💪

This SUMMER OF LOVE, we’re celebrating clients who combine an efficient process with meaningful community impact. 💜

Thank you to Tina Mallo at Northwest Hyundai for sharing how Northwest Hyundai selects a different nonprofit organization each month to support the community where its team lives and works.

Great work, Northwest Hyundai! We’re honored to support a team that makes giving back part of its regular rhythm.