Blog
Retention is a Process Problem: Why Accountability is Your Real Advantage
Most dealerships don’t lose customers because of a single bad experience. They lose them because of weak processes and missing accountability. A service visit feels inconsistent, a recommendation gets skipped, or a new tool is rolled out without real follow-through....
How Data, Tech, and Mobile Innovation Are Reshaping Retention
In today’s dealership landscape, service retention isn’t just a department goal — it’s a full-team strategy. And for Tiffani Stefanescu, Director of Performance Management at Cox Automotive, that strategy starts with one key idea: meet customers where they are and...
Retention Starts with the Relationship: Building Trust That Lasts
Most dealerships say customer relationships matter, but few actually treat them like the retention strategy they are. According to Ron Maki, a fixed ops veteran with nearly four decades of experience (including corporate leadership roles at Volkswagen of America), the...
Dealer Plate Guy on Retention, Culture, and the Power of Empowered Teams
What happens when a fixed ops director with six rooftops under his belt also builds a 200K+ following online by sharing the real, unfiltered life of a dealership? You get someone like Austin Conroy — Regional Fixed Operations Director for Rohrman Automotive Group in...
AI That Actually Helps: Smarter Retention Strategies for Dealerships
Artificial intelligence isn’t just hype anymore; it’s showing up in service lanes, call centers, and marketing campaigns across the industry. But while the potential is big, the application often feels… messy. That’s because many tools promise to fix retention, boost...
From Reactive to Predictive: How AI is Transforming Service Retention
Too many dealerships still treat artificial intelligence like a shiny object: interesting, maybe even promising, but not essential. But that mindset is costing them customers. In a recent episode of the Retention Roadmap podcast, we sat down with Dave Foy of Fixed Ops...
Why the Role of Service Advisor Needs a Rethink
Most dealerships know retention matters, but too many start the process after the customer’s already gone. They send a reminder email. Maybe a BDC call. Sometimes an incentive. But by then, it might be too late. That’s why Kieran Stack, founder of Service 101 and a...
From Mobile Service to Customer Loyalty: What Smart Dealerships Are Learning Now
Mobile service isn’t a brand-new idea; Cadillac was offering at-home vehicle service as far back as the 1920s, dispatching Harley-Davidson sidecars to customers’ homes. But what’s new is how dealerships today can operationalize it at scale using modern tools, data,...
From Clipboard to Kiosk: Innovating Dealership Service Experiences
Sometimes, the biggest wake-up call doesn’t come from a competitor, it comes from your neighborhood coffee shop. That’s what happened to Richard Lupo, Fixed Operations Director at Apple Tree Honda and Apple Tree Acura in North Carolina. After moving to the area, he...
The Secret to Service Retention? Start Before They Leave the Dealership
Most dealerships think of service retention as something you deal with after the sale — maybe a few weeks later with a reminder email or a call from the BDC. But here’s the thing: by the time you’re trying to win that customer back, you might already have lost them....
Selling Like You Would to Your Mother: Lessons from Tully Williams
“What if every service advisor treated their customers like they would their own mother?” That’s the radical question posed by Tully Williams, Fixed Ops Director at The Niello Company, and it means a lot more than just being friendly and considerate. Tully brings...
The Fixed Ops Playbook Has Changed: What’s Next in 2025?
The dealership service game has changed—but too many dealerships are still running old plays. Today, your customers demand more convenience, faster communication, and transparent service experiences. If you're still following outdated strategies, you’re leaving...