EPISODE 23
From Clipboard to Kiosk: A Modern Fixed Ops Makeover
Featuring Guest Richard Lupo
Episode Description
Most customers expect a modern, seamless experience everywhere they go, so why does the dealership service lane still rely on clipboards and key drops? It’s time to ask whether your service experience reflects the kind of innovation and convenience today’s customers take for granted.
In this episode, sponsored by DriveSure, we talk with Richard Lupo, Fixed Operations Director at Apple Tree Honda and Acura, about how he’s transformed his service department with 24/7 kiosks, media-rich inspections, and full tech integration with Reynolds & Reynolds. Richard shares how these changes are driving customer retention, advisor satisfaction, and increased revenue, plus why building trust, empowering employees, and redefining value are just as important as any tool or tech.
Takeaways from this episode:
- How 24/7 kiosks improve customer convenience, upsells, and advisor efficiency
- Why limiting third-party tools and going all-in with one system can boost consistency
- Practical strategies to turn tire sales into a loyalty builder, not a loss leader
- The cultural impact of building trust and transparency with your team
- How a modern customer experience starts with rethinking value
BILL SPRINGER
and president of Krex Inc.
Richard Lupo
Fixed Operations Director
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How Digital Friction Drives Dealership Service Defection
Your dealership may be spending thousands to bring in new customers while quietly losing the ones already in your database. And often, they’re not leaving because of one major failure, but because the experience feels disconnected, inconvenient, or harder than it should be. The solution starts with treating retention as an operating system.
The Convenience Economy: What Customers Actually Value in Service
Convenience isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore, but that doesn’t mean every “convenient” option carries the same weight. Customers are telling dealerships exactly what would make service easier, more valuable, and more worth returning for. The problem is that many of those benefits are either under-promoted, misunderstood, or completely invisible to the people most likely to use them.
The Vanishing Customer: Why Service Customers Leave Without Saying a Word
Customers don’t always leave with a complaint, a bad survey, or a dramatic service lane moment. Sometimes they leave quietly, choosing the path that feels easier the next time they need an oil change, tire replacement, recall repair, or routine maintenance.