Fixed Ops Roundtable

In this episode Sarah Vantine sits down with Luke May, dealer principal of White Family Dealerships (South Dakota & Wyoming), to unpack what it really takes to build a winning fixed operations culture in today's competitive automotive landscape.

Luke brings a rare perspective, he started as a Ford-certified technician, spent 20 years in the field with General Motors, and now oversees five rooftops. And he's using every bit of that experience to do things differently.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The untapped talent pool that could solve your technician shortage 
• How Luke built a fixed ops leadership team where over half the leaders are women
• The surprisingly simple gestures that drive technician retention better than a pay raise
• What dealers absolutely must prioritize heading into 2026 to stay competitive for talent
• Why your technicians need to be on your website, your social media, and in your business cards right now

If you're a dealer, fixed ops director, or service manager serious about retention, recruitment, and building a team that actually wants to stay, this conversation will change how you think about your people.

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Luke May

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement

Your website says 60-minute oil changes. Your Google reviews say two and a half hours. And AI just chose your competitor.

Brian Kramer, one of the most influential voices in automotive retail and VP at Cars Commerce, joins Sarah and Ted for a conversation that every dealer, service director, and fixed ops leader needs to hear RIGHT NOW — because the rules of digital visibility just changed permanently.

👉 Register for the upcoming Fixed Ops Roundtable Event

What we discuss in this episode:

In this episode, Brian unpacks the single biggest shift happening in automotive marketing: the rise of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and why your Google reviews, Yelp page, Reddit presence, and Dealer Rater profile are now make-or-break factors in whether AI search engines even recommend your store.

What you'll learn:

• Why bots and AI agents now conduct MORE searches than humans, and what that means for your website structure
• The EEAT framework (Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trustworthiness) and how to reverse-engineer Google's algorithm to dominate local search
• How mismatched information across your platforms is silently destroying your ranking and how to fix it fast
• Why paid search is losing power (down from 70% to 50% of search share in one year) and what replaces it
• The real reason most dealers never crack 0.5% service drive acquisition, and what the top performers do differently (hint: no amount of automation can replicate it)
• Why Reddit is the #1 untapped platform for recruiting technicians right now

Brian also breaks down why the dealerships hitting 3–5% service drive conversion rates all share one thing in common and it has nothing to do with the technology they're using.

If you think you can buy your way to the top of AI search, Brian has a wake-up call for you. And if you're still relying on the same digital playbook from three years ago, this episode will tell you exactly what to change.

Listen to the episode featuring Brian Kramer for even more insights!

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Brian Kramer

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement

What if the biggest thing holding your wholesale operation back… isn’t sales, but cash flow?

In this episode of the Fixed Ops Roundtable, we get real about one of the most frustrating (and misunderstood) challenges in fixed ops: accounts receivable, slow pay, and the silent cash-flow killers hiding in wholesale parts and B2B service work.

I’m joined by Dave Schell of Interstate Billing Service and Tully Williams from The Niello Company, and what starts as a conversation about AR quickly turns into a masterclass on how dealers can eliminate credit risk, unlock cash faster, and grow wholesale without losing sleep.

This isn’t theory. This is street-level fixed ops talk from people who’ve lived it.

👉 Register for the upcoming Fixed Ops Roundtable Event

What we discuss in this episode:

• Why wholesale parts margins feel razor-thin, and how AR delays quietly erase your profits
• How dealers are floating six figures of cash without even realizing it
• Why “we’ve always done it this way” is costing stores more than they think
• How getting paid tomorrow instead of 60–120 days later changes everything
• The hidden stress wholesale creates for parts managers and business offices
• What happens when you take credit risk completely off the dealer’s plate
• Why cash flow, not gross, is what really keeps the lights on

Tully brings real-world perspective from running fixed ops at a multi-store luxury dealer group, while Dave breaks down how Interstate Billing Service removes the hardest part of wholesale: collecting the money.

Listen to the episode featuring Dave Schell & Tully Williams for even more insights!

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Dave Schell & Tully William

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement

If trust is the real currency of fixed ops… how are you earning it the moment a customer pulls into your drive?

That’s the question that sets the tone for this episode of The Fixed Ops Roundtable, and it’s one of the most honest, practical, and human conversations I’ve had in a long time.

I sat down with Spiro Morogiannis of BG Products, Inc., a true advocate for dealers and fixed ops teams, to unpack something that often gets overlooked in all the talk about technology, tools, and 2026 planning: the fundamentals of people, process, and trust. What unfolds is a real-world, boots-on-the-ground discussion about how small moments in the advisor process either build lifelong loyalty… or quietly push customers out the door.

👉 Register for the upcoming Fixed Ops Roundtable Event

What we discuss in this episode:

• Why the advisor meet-and-greet is the most undervalued moment in fixed ops
• A real (and uncomfortable) service experience that shows how fast trust can be broken
• How consistency beats complexity when it comes to advisor processes
• The difference between “doing an MPI” and earning the right to present it
• Why menus, walkarounds, and expectation-setting calm customers before selling anything
• How technology should support the human conversation, not replace it
• The truth about severe service intervals and why most customers already qualify
• What post-warranty retention really looks like—and why independents win when dealers don’t have a plan
• How BG’s Lifetime Protection Plan becomes a loyalty strategy, not just a product
• Why a “Highline experience” shouldn’t be special… it should be standard

This episode isn’t theory. It’s not hype. It’s a reminder that customers don’t come back because of a system, they come back because of how you made them feel, how clearly you communicated, and whether you proved you were worthy of their trust.

If you’re building your 2026 fixed ops plan, leading advisors, or wondering why retention feels harder than it should… this conversation will hit home.

Listen to the episode featuring Spiro Morogiannis for even more insights!

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Spiro Morogiannis

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement

What if the last interaction your customer has with your dealership is the one that decides whether they ever come back?

In this episode of the Fixed Ops Roundtable, I sit down with Travis Siebert, Senior Vice President of Sales at Dealer Pay, to talk about something that used to be an afterthought in dealerships, and is now one of the most powerful drivers of trust, convenience, and profitability: payments.

What started as a simple conversation about card terminals quickly turns into a deep dive on how modern payment experiences are reshaping fixed ops, tightening compliance, reducing fraud, and improving CSI at the exact moment that matters most, the final touchpoint.

👉 Register for the upcoming Fixed Ops Roundtable Event

What we discuss in this episode:

• Why dealership payments have quietly become a major category, and why dealers can’t afford to ignore it anymore
• The real story behind surcharging, cash discounting, and why so many dealers are confused (and exposed)
• How fraud is evolving, from “friendly fraud” to chargebacks, and what dealers can do right now to protect themselves
• The shift from shared cashier terminals to customer-facing, advisor-level payments
• Why compliance, reporting, and back-office harmony matter just as much as customer convenience
• How text-to-pay, mobile wallets, loyalty programs, and even crypto fit into the modern dealership ecosystem
• What Travis means when he says Dealer Pay isn’t a vendor, it’s a true partner

Along the way, Travis shares real-world examples from dealerships across the country, explains how Dealer Pay stays ahead of changing laws and card brand rules, and offers practical advice for dealers planning for the year ahead.

If you’re thinking about streamlining operations, protecting your dealership, improving the customer experience, and ending every service visit on a high note, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Listen to the episode featuring Travis Siebert for even more insights!

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Travis Siebert

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement

What if the biggest opportunity in Fixed Ops right now isn’t working harder… but removing the friction that’s wearing your people down?

In this episode of the Fixed Ops Roundtable, I sit down with Erik Zuniga of ALLDATA Automotive Intelligence for a real conversation about what’s actually changing inside dealership service departments, and why the dealers who win next will be the ones who obsess over people, process, and data.

This isn’t a surface-level tech talk. It’s a grounded, practical discussion about technicians, workflow, recon, and leadership, straight from the trenches.

👉 Register for the upcoming Fixed Ops Roundtable Event

What we discuss in this episode:

• Why technician retention isn’t just about pay - Erik breaks down how wasted time, missing information, and broken workflows quietly burn techs out, and how giving them the right tools changes everything.
• The hidden cost of “searching for information”- We talk about the reality that techs lose up to 20% of their day hunting for specs, diagrams, and procedures, and what happens when that friction disappears.
• Career paths vs. just jobs - From mentorship to mastery, we explore how technology and training help dealerships create careers that techs want to stay in.
• Recon bottlenecks and the money sitting on the table - Used cars are driving profitability, but only if recon moves fast. Erik shares how shared data and digital workflows eliminate delays between service, parts, and sales.
• Why data is no longer optional leadership tooling - With vehicles aging past 12 years and DMS systems lagging behind, we talk about how smarter data usage leads to better decisions, better customer experiences, and better margins.
• What Fixed Ops leaders should focus on heading into 2026 - People. Process. Technology. Real priorities that will separate proactive leaders from reactive ones.

There’s also a standout moment where Erik shares how ALLDATA supports dealerships with on-demand master technician assistance, a resource more dealers should be leaning on, especially when staffing gets tight.

Listen to the episode featuring Erik Zuniga for even more insights!

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Erik Zuniga

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement

What if the biggest competitive advantage in Fixed Ops isn’t technology… but hospitality?

That’s the question at the heart of this episode of the Fixed Ops Roundtable, and once you hear this conversation, you won’t look at porters, greeters, car wash, or pickup & delivery the same way again.

In this episode, I’m joined by Brandon Hall, Vice President of Alliance Dealer Solutions, alongside my co-host Sarah Vantine, for a wide-ranging, high-energy conversation about why hospitality has become the new currency in today’s dealership experience. Brandon pulls back the curtain on how Alliance partners with dealerships across the country to help them focus on what they do best, selling and fixing cars, while his team elevates everything that surrounds that moment.

👉 Register for the upcoming Fixed Ops Roundtable Event

What we discuss in this episode:

• Why hospitality isn’t just for front-of-house roles, and how it impacts CSI more than most dealers realize
• The real difference between a staffing partner and a temp agency (this one’s big)
• How seamless integration makes Alliance team members feel like dealership employees, not outsiders
• Why greeting, cleanliness, and the handoff experience can make or break a customer relationship
• How pickup & delivery unlocks technician capacity, scheduling flexibility, and customer loyalty
• The behind-the-scenes systems Alliance uses to train, measure, and coach for quality, without a “gotcha” culture
• How dealerships can adapt to seasonal labor challenges without sacrificing consistency

This episode is packed with practical insight, real-world examples, and a refreshing perspective on people, process, and culture. If you’ve ever felt the tension between wanting an elevated guest experience and struggling to staff, train, or manage those roles effectively, this conversation is for you.

Hit play to hear why hospitality is no longer a “nice to have,” how it’s reshaping Fixed Ops, and what forward-thinking dealers are doing right now to stand out.

Listen to the episode featuring Brandon Hall for even more insights!

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Brandon Hall

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement

What if the “fixed costs” you’ve accepted for years… aren’t actually fixed at all?

That’s the question that kicks off this episode, and trust me, once we pulled on that thread, the whole sweater started to unravel.

In this Fixed Ops Roundtable conversation, I’m joined by Steve Thompson of Integrity Cost Consulting, Shon Kingrey from Kayser Automotive Group, along with Sarah Vantine, and we go straight at one of the most dangerous assumptions in dealership operations: that overhead is just the cost of doing business and not worth revisiting.

Spoiler alert: that assumption is costing dealers a lot more than they realize.

👉 Register for the upcoming Fixed Ops Roundtable Event

What we discuss in this episode:

• Why “fixed costs” are often anything but fixed, and how contract drift quietly eats away at profitability
• Real-world stories of uniforms, laundry, telecom, waste, and utilities ballooning without anyone noticing
• Shon’s no-BS take on contracts, guarantees, and why “handshakes” sometimes outperform legal fine print
• How small, unchecked line items turn into six-figure losses across multi-rooftop groups
• The power of benchmarking beyond your own stores, and why most dealers are benchmarking the wrong way
• How Steve’s team finds refunds, negotiates better rates, and monitors vendors so dealers don’t have to
• Why saving money isn’t just about dollars, it’s about what those dollars can fund: people, growth, and peace of mind

There’s a moment in this conversation where it really hits you:

A few percentage points here and there can equal an entire employee, or more, every single year.

If you’re building budgets, planning for 2026, or just trying to protect profitability in a tighter market, this episode will absolutely challenge how you think about expenses you’ve probably ignored for far too long.

Listen to the episode featuring Steve Thompson & Shon Kingrey for even more insights!

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Steve Thompson & Shon Kingrey

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement

What if the last thing your customer experiences, 'the payment' became one of your biggest competitive advantages?

In this episode of the Fixed Ops Roundtable, we sit down with Randy Modos, Co-Founder and President of PayJunction, for a conversation that goes way beyond credit card terminals and transaction fees. This is about friction, freedom of choice, and the future of fixed ops profitability, all without sacrificing CSI.

Joined by Sarah Vantine, Randy and I unpack what a truly frictionless payment experience looks like today, for customers, advisors, controllers, and ownership alike. From text-to-pay and cards on file to no-code integrations and smart surcharging, this conversation hits at the heart of a problem every dealership feels… even if they haven’t fully named it yet.

👉 Register for the upcoming Fixed Ops Roundtable Event

What we discuss in this episode:

• What “frictionless” really means, for customers and employees
• Why re-keying data is silently killing efficiency (and morale)
• How no-code payment integrations are giving dealerships back control and choice
• The truth about smart surcharging, and why it doesn’t hurt CSI when done right
• How customer-facing terminals eliminate confusion, compliance risk, and training fatigue
• Why controllers care so deeply about payments (and why you should too)
• Real numbers: how dealers are saving six figures per rooftop annually

This isn’t theory. It’s practical, real-world insight from someone living at the intersection of technology, fixed ops, and dealership economics.

Listen to the episode featuring Randy Modos for even more insights!

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Randy Modos

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement

What if the fastest way to improve CSI, advisor productivity, and even used car acquisition… wasn’t another process, but a better experience?

In this episode of the Fixed Ops Roundtable, I sit down with Joel Furno, Founder & CEO of Citrin Automotive Hospitality, alongside Ed Roberts of Bozard Ford Lincoln, and we go deep on something the industry talks about a lot, but rarely executes at a world-class level: hospitality on the service drive.

Joel’s story alone is worth hitting play. He started with $200, a valet company, and a hospitality mindset rooted in high-end hotels and restaurants, then accidentally stumbled into automotive and realized something big was missing. What followed was a complete reframe of how dealerships should think about porters, valets, hourly employees, and the service drive experience as a whole.

👉 Register for the upcoming Fixed Ops Roundtable Event

What we discuss in this episode:

• Why hospitality is not a “nice-to-have,” but a performance multiplier
• How most dealerships unintentionally turn service managers into the most expensive porters in the building
• The hidden cost of 300–400% turnover in hourly roles, and how to fix it
• Joel’s 3% hiring philosophy and why standards matter more than speed
• How investing slightly more in hourly employees unlocks massive ROI
• A fascinating new approach to vehicle acquisition through the service drive, without salespeople swarming customers
• Why valets are the true bookends of the dealership experience
• And how taking care of “the little guys” builds your next generation of advisors, managers, and leaders

There are moments in this episode, especially when Joel breaks down hiring, retention, and purpose, that you’ll want to rewind and listen to again. If you care about culture, efficiency, customer experience, and long-term growth, this is one of those conversations that sticks with you.

Listen to the episode featuring Joel Furno & Ed Roberts for even more insights!

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Joel Furno & Ed Roberts

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement