Advertise on podcast: Fixed Ops Focus

Your Dealership's Service Process Might Be the Real Problem! What if better service sales started with a better customer greeting? On this episode of Fixed Ops Focus, Steve Shaw shares what happened during a recent TO (turnover) training session that turned into a bigger conversation about dealership processes, leadership, and coaching. Steve and Dave Rogers discuss when managers should step in to help close a sale, why advisors need better training instead of someone constantly taking over, and how small improvements in the customer experience can make a big difference. Plus, Steve shares a frustrating customer service experience and explains why every dealership should consider mystery shopping its own service department.

We've officially hit 100 episodes of Fixed Ops Focus! To celebrate, Steve Shaw and Dave Rogers look back at some of their favorite moments, conversations, and lessons from the first 100 episodes. From dealership leadership and customer service to technician challenges, training, and the everyday craziness of the car business, we've covered a lot of ground! A huge thank you to our guests, listeners, and everyone who's supported us along the way. Here's to the next 100 episodes of Fixed Ops Focus!

A hotel janitor in Las Vegas delivered better customer service than most car dealerships. Seriously! In this episode of Fixed Ops Focus, Dave Rogers shares an unexpected WOW moment at the Fontainebleau Hotel that raises a big question: Why are dealerships settling for customer service that's just “fine”? Steve Shaw also shares how a local CDJR dealership went above and beyond to resolve problems with his Jeep Wagoneer. Join Steve and Dave as they discuss what the automotive industry can learn from other businesses, why average service isn't good enough, and what it really takes to create an experience customers remember.

What started as a two-hour Uber ride from Dallas to Waco turned into a story Steve Shaw will never forget. Steve shares his driver's incredible journey from Cuba to the United States, including crossing the dangerous Darién Gap, and how that conversation changed his perspective on hard work and opportunity. Dave Rogers and Steve also discuss work ethic, dealership profitability, service pricing, and why sometimes the best lessons come from the most unexpected places. It's a different kind of Fixed Ops Focus episode, but one worth hearing.

Can triage help solve the technician shortage? On this episode of Fixed Ops Focus, Steve Shaw and Dave Rogers tackle one of the hottest topics in automotive service: triage. With skilled technicians harder to find, could a better triage process improve shop efficiency, make better use of experienced technicians, and create new career paths within the service department? Steve and Dave discuss why everyone is talking about triage, what it means for dealerships, and whether it could be part of the solution to one of the industry's biggest challenges. Is your dealership using triage, or are you still doing things the old-fashioned way?

Can one person with the right attitude accomplish anything? On this episode of Fixed Ops Focus, Steve Shaw and Dave Rogers sit down with Ed Roberts, General Manager of Bozard Ford Lincoln in St. Augustine, Florida. Ed shares his incredible journey from humble beginnings to technician and ultimately General Manager, proving what hard work, determination, and the right attitude can accomplish. Plus, Ed takes us inside Bozard Ford's pioneering mobile service operation, one of the largest in the country, and explains how they're continuing to grow and expand. From building a career to building a successful dealership operation, this episode is all about attitude, leadership, and refusing to settle.

In Part 1 of this Fixed Ops Focus conversation, Steve Shaw and Dave Rogers sit down with Stephen Jeffries, Senior Performance Specialist at Xtime by Cox Automotive, to tackle one big question: Should AI or humans be booking your service appointments? Stephen explains how Xtime approaches scheduling, where AI can improve the process, and why the human still needs to stay in control. Plus, what dealers can do to improve performance in the service drive instead of expecting technology to fix a bad process. Coming in Part 2: the multi-point inspection and video MPI.

Sending an email to your team is not training. In this episode of Fixed Ops Focus, Steve Shaw and Dave Rogers call out managers who lead from the inbox and mistake hitting “send” for actually coaching their people. Real leadership happens face-to-face — through training, feedback, accountability, and showing up for your team.

Steve Shaw and Dave Rogers are back from the Automotive AI Summit in Boston with a look at what AI could really mean for dealerships and Fixed Ops. They break down Aaron Strout’s “Human at the Wheel” keynote, separating real opportunity from AI hype and discussing how automation can give employees more time to build stronger customer relationships. Plus, could the future be dealerships building their own AI systems and connecting them directly to the DMS? The technology is changing fast — but the human still needs to be at the wheel.

In this episode of Fixed Ops Focus, Steve Shaw and Dave Rogers sit down with Marcello Gloria, Fixed Operations Manager at Empire Auto Group, to talk about his journey from a CDK call center to leading Fixed Ops. Marcello shares how staying hungry, constantly learning, improving processes, and always doing the right thing for the customer helped shape his career. Never stop learning — no matter how far you climb.

In this episode of Fixed Ops Focus, Steve Shaw and Dave Rogers ask a simple question: Where did the WOW go? Customer service isn’t what it used to be, and dealerships aren’t immune. Steve and Dave dig into why service standards have slipped, how management’s attitude affects the entire team, and why “good enough” has become acceptable. If dealerships want to stand out again, it may be time to stop settling for average and bring the WOW back.

In this episode of Fixed Ops Focus, Steve Shaw and Dave Rogers sit down with Carm Capriotto, host of Remarkable Results Radio, to discuss The Rise of the Specialist and why it’s time to change how the automotive industry talks about technicians. From eliminating phrases like “just a tech” to elevating the skill, professionalism, and value of the people who fix the cars, this is a conversation about respecting the profession and building its future.

Steve Shaw and Dave Rogers tackle one of the biggest missed opportunities in the service drive: scheduled maintenance. Why are services listed right in the owner’s manual going unsold every day? The answer may have less to do with your advisors and more to do with management, expectations, and accountability. If your maintenance numbers are soft, it might be time to stop blaming the drive and start looking at leadership.

It takes a special kind of genius to call a customer at 10:06 PM on a Saturday night. In Episode 88 of Fixed Ops Focus, Steve Shaw and Dave Rogers are back on one of their favorite subjects: customer retention. But first, Steve has a story you really can't make up. Two weeks after buying a vehicle from a CDJR dealership, Steve's phone rings at 10:06 PM on a Saturday. It's the sales manager. Why? To tell Steve what a great job HE did buying the car. Here's to you, sir.

Steve Shaw and Dave Rogers make the case that once-a-year feedback simply doesn’t work anymore. As Steve puts it: “Pat me on the back every day, or I’m going away.” Employees want to know how they’re doing right now — not eleven months from now in an awkward meeting with a manager and a piece of paper. And there’s another problem in our business: we're pretty damn good at telling people when they screw something up. But when they do something right? Sometimes they hear absolutely nothing. Steve and Dave talk about replacing the annual-review mentality with regular, honest conversations — the good AND the bad — so employees always know where they stand.