Car Dealer Power

Finance Provider of the Year (Sub-Prime) – Car Dealer Power Awards 2020

Time 3:12 pm, September 28, 2020

Doing the deal isn’t just about finding the right car, it’s about making the numbers stack up as well.

A good finance provider can deal with even a complicated customer’s needs – something that’s vital in the sub-prime sector.

First Response Finance has excelled in customer service for years, and the feedback we received from our survey showed that its focus on supporting and engaging with its partners during lockdown had really helped them.


Head of sales Jonathan Such explained what winning the award meant to the company, saying: ‘We’re delighted.

‘It speaks volumes for the amount of work that we’ve been putting in this year, and I think there’s no better feedback really than from the dealers.

‘They’re ultimately the people that are our bread and butter, so I speak for the whole of First Response when I say we’re absolutely delighted to recapture this award, as we haven’t had it for a couple of years.’

One survey respondent said they’d been with First Response Finance for some 10 years and the firm had always given unrivalled service and quality, while another said First Response was ‘beyond excellent’ and had ‘incredibly friendly and helpful’ staff.


How did First Response Finance intend hanging on to its crown in 2021?

‘You’ve got to make sure you don’t stand still. That’s the key, isn’t it? We’ve got to keep sharpening our pencil,’ said Such, adding that it’d ensure it would be standing side by side with dealers.

He said that First Response had noticed a slight shift in the sub-prime market since the pandemic, with people buying to need and buying sensibly as well.

Such added that the market had changed considerably over the years, with fewer people chancing their luck as it were. 

What could dealers looking to work with First Response Finance expect?

‘We try and tailor things to the dealer,’ said Such. 

‘We don’t try and do a one-size-fits-all. It’s very much a personal service. We focus a lot on how we can process business quickly and efficiently.’

He also highlighted First Response’s reputation for having one of the best and quickest pay-outs.

You can find out more – including how there are opportunities for franchised dealers, which historically haven’t been big players in the sub-prime sector – in our special winners video above.


For more Car Dealer Power winners visit the dedicated section here.

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Car Dealer has been covering the motor trade since 2008 as both a print and digital publication. In 2020 the title went fully digital and now provides daily motoring updates on this website for the car industry. A digital magazine is published once a month.



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