EPISODE 34
The Fixed Ops Mastermind Guide to Modern Retention
Featuring Guest Kyle Morissette
Episode Description
Complacency is the quiet killer in fixed ops. If you’re waiting to see which “new ideas” actually work before you move, by the time you copy them, the leaders have already moved on. The fix: build a culture that experiments on purpose. Own your data, personalize outreach, and lock in the first (and next) visit with simple, repeatable programs.
In this week’s episode, sponsored by DriveSure, Bill talks with Kyle Morissette, host of the Fixed Ops Mastermind podcast and a longtime service-drive leader who’s bringing operators together to share what actually works. Kyle unpacks why “the way we’ve always done it” is holding stores back, how regional realities shape maintenance strategy, and the practical plays he’s using right now. If you want customers to choose you first for tires, maintenance, and repairs, Kyle’s playbook makes returning feel like the default.
Takeaways from this episode:
- Beating complacency with cadence
- How to make first-visit retention automatic
- The benefits of one-to-one marketing vs one-to-many
- Why tires should be part of every conversation
- The value of sharing knowledge and insights within the industry
BILL SPRINGER
and president of Krex Inc.
Kyle Morissette
Parts & Service Director and Host of Fixed Ops Mastermind
Would you like to Be a guest on our podcast?
The Loyalty Paradox: Why Satisfied Customers Still Leave
A customer can leave your dealership completely satisfied and still never come back. That’s the loyalty paradox, and according to data from DriveSure’s 2026 Dealership Service Retention Report, it’s happening far more often than most service departments realize. The real danger isn’t the angry customer. It’s the quiet one who had a perfectly fine experience and simply had no compelling reason to return.
The Anatomy of Defection: What 1,277 Drivers Say Pushes Them Out the Door
Most dealerships know customers are leaving. The harder question is why. The data has a few answers that might surprise you.
In this episode of Retention Roadmap, Bill Springer dives deep into the 2026 Dealership Service Retention Report to break down the anatomy of defection, using data from 1,277 vehicle owners across the country. The top two defection drivers — a bad dealership experience (cited by 50% of respondents) and lower prices elsewhere (44%) — have held their positions across all three of DriveSure’s studies, going back to 2020. That consistency isn’t a trend. It’s the rule.
The Calendar Problem That’s Costing You 30% More Revenue
What if the biggest problem in your service department isn’t your technicians, but your calendar? Most dealerships think they’re managing capacity when in reality, they’re reacting to chaos they created themselves.