As tariffs shake the industry, using technology to create personalized financing will be crucial for smaller equipment lenders to compete with the industry’s biggest players.
While it’s unclear how President Donald Trump’s tariffs will affect the equipment finance industry in the long term, large OEM captives and banks may be better positioned to withstand challenges and offer incentives such as 0% financing to help dealers move new equipment.
However, integrating CRM solutions to create personalized financing is one way for smaller lenders to stay competitive in the “age of tariffs,” Rohan Marfatia, chief executive of Newport Beach, Calif.-based DataCRaiM, tells Equipment Finance News on this episode of “The Dig” podcast.
“If you’re a non-bank, or a non-captive or a bank, how do you compete with the OEMs who are offering these kinds of deals when the tariffs increase?” he says. “In that case, you can have personalized finance deals chopped out using the power of your CRM. If you know your end customer well, if you know your end customer better, you can use that for personalized finance.”
Digitalization creates ‘tremendous’ advantage
Regardless of tariff effects, lenders must embrace AI and new technologies as demand for fast and frictionless financing increases, says Marfatia, who is scheduled to join lenders and tech providers for a panel discussion at Equipment Finance Connect 2025 on May 15 in Nashville, Tenn.
“If your competitor is using AI, if your competitor is using tech to the optimal extent, you don’t want to be behind because you will be left out and you will be obsolete in less than two years’ time,” he says. “At the end of the day, when it comes down to customer experience, if you are able to offer the deal and close it in a few seconds versus a few weeks, the digital player is going to have a tremendous advantage.”
Tune in to the newest episode of “The Dig” to hear Marfatia discuss how AI and technology can help lenders navigate tariff uncertainty, meet compliance standards and accelerate the financing process.
The third annual Equipment Finance Connect at the JW Marriott Nashville in Nashville, Tenn., on May 14-15, 2025, is the only event that brings together equipment dealers and lenders to share insights, attend discussions on crucial industry topics and network with peers. Learn more about the event and register here.
