The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) announced it has released an innovative new data visualization tool for equipment finance companies called MySEFA. This interactive tool lets companies that participate in the association’s Survey of Equipment Finance Activity (SEFA) track their own operational and performance statistics and quickly and easily compare them against their peers in the $1 trillion equipment finance industry.

Only companies that participate in the SEFA will receive a customized MySEFA data visualization report that they can use to connect to this critical business intelligence. 

“We are thrilled to offer this new benefit to ELFA members,” said ELFA President and CEO Ralph Petta. “This has been a dream ever since the association first launched the Survey of Equipment Finance Activity in 1975. Over the years, the SEFA has evolved from an 11-page printed pamphlet into a state-of-the-art online platform. Providing each respondent with a personalized and interactive MySEFA report allows members to crunch the numbers in new ways and make better, more data-driven decisions. We hope all eligible members will participate in the 2019 SEFA in order to take advantage of this new benefit.”

The annual SEFA is the largest and most important source of statistical information about the equipment finance industry. Participation in the survey is a benefit of ELFA membership, and member respondents receive a complimentary copy of the more than 300-page survey report. Now, each responding company will also receive a personalized and confidential MySEFA dashboard report via email. Users can view and manipulate their dashboard using Tableau Reader, a free software product available for download. Members can use their MySEFA report to:

• Compare their operations and performance against peer-group companies by type of organization, market segment and size.
• Select categories, add filters and drill down into 99 different metrics and over 2,000 data points, in just a few clicks.
• Glean insights, uncover trends and answer questions, such as: How do I rank against my peers? Where do I need to improve my business processes and performance? How do I stand in terms of financial ratios and profitability?

How to Access MySEFA
All ELFA member companies that participated in the 2018 SEFA recently received their personalized and interactive MySEFA file via email. For more information, please contact Bill Choi, ELFA Vice President of Research and Industry Services, at bchoi@elfaonline.org.

All regular member companies are encouraged to participate in the 2019 SEFA in order to receive their own personalized MySEFA report. An email with the 2019 SEFA questionnaire will be distributed to member companies in January 2019. All participants will receive their MySEFA file in Summer 2019. 

Learn More
ELFA will hold a web seminar about the SEFA and the MySEFA dashboard in early 2019. More information will be available in January. For more information about the SEFA or MySEFA, please contact Bill Choi, ELFA Vice President of Research and Industry Services, at bchoi@elfaonline.org.