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.

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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!

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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:

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• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement