What if the “fixed costs” you’ve accepted for years… aren’t actually fixed at all?

That’s the question that kicks off this episode, and trust me, once we pulled on that thread, the whole sweater started to unravel.

In this Fixed Ops Roundtable conversation, I’m joined by Steve Thompson of Integrity Cost Consulting, Shon Kingrey from Kayser Automotive Group, along with Sarah Vantine, and we go straight at one of the most dangerous assumptions in dealership operations: that overhead is just the cost of doing business and not worth revisiting.

Spoiler alert: that assumption is costing dealers a lot more than they realize.

👉 Register for the upcoming Fixed Ops Roundtable Event

What we discuss in this episode:

• Why “fixed costs” are often anything but fixed, and how contract drift quietly eats away at profitability
• Real-world stories of uniforms, laundry, telecom, waste, and utilities ballooning without anyone noticing
• Shon’s no-BS take on contracts, guarantees, and why “handshakes” sometimes outperform legal fine print
• How small, unchecked line items turn into six-figure losses across multi-rooftop groups
• The power of benchmarking beyond your own stores, and why most dealers are benchmarking the wrong way
• How Steve’s team finds refunds, negotiates better rates, and monitors vendors so dealers don’t have to
• Why saving money isn’t just about dollars, it’s about what those dollars can fund: people, growth, and peace of mind

There’s a moment in this conversation where it really hits you:

A few percentage points here and there can equal an entire employee, or more, every single year.

If you’re building budgets, planning for 2026, or just trying to protect profitability in a tighter market, this episode will absolutely challenge how you think about expenses you’ve probably ignored for far too long.

Listen to the episode featuring Steve Thompson & Shon Kingrey for even more insights!

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Steve Thompson & Shon Kingrey

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement

What if the last thing your customer experiences, 'the payment' became one of your biggest competitive advantages?

In this episode of the Fixed Ops Roundtable, we sit down with Randy Modos, Co-Founder and President of PayJunction, for a conversation that goes way beyond credit card terminals and transaction fees. This is about friction, freedom of choice, and the future of fixed ops profitability, all without sacrificing CSI.

Joined by Sarah Vantine, Randy and I unpack what a truly frictionless payment experience looks like today, for customers, advisors, controllers, and ownership alike. From text-to-pay and cards on file to no-code integrations and smart surcharging, this conversation hits at the heart of a problem every dealership feels… even if they haven’t fully named it yet.

👉 Register for the upcoming Fixed Ops Roundtable Event

What we discuss in this episode:

• What “frictionless” really means, for customers and employees
• Why re-keying data is silently killing efficiency (and morale)
• How no-code payment integrations are giving dealerships back control and choice
• The truth about smart surcharging, and why it doesn’t hurt CSI when done right
• How customer-facing terminals eliminate confusion, compliance risk, and training fatigue
• Why controllers care so deeply about payments (and why you should too)
• Real numbers: how dealers are saving six figures per rooftop annually

This isn’t theory. It’s practical, real-world insight from someone living at the intersection of technology, fixed ops, and dealership economics.

Listen to the episode featuring Randy Modos for even more insights!

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Randy Modos

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement

What if the fastest way to improve CSI, advisor productivity, and even used car acquisition… wasn’t another process, but a better experience?

In this episode of the Fixed Ops Roundtable, I sit down with Joel Furno, Founder & CEO of Citrin Automotive Hospitality, alongside Ed Roberts of Bozard Ford Lincoln, and we go deep on something the industry talks about a lot, but rarely executes at a world-class level: hospitality on the service drive.

Joel’s story alone is worth hitting play. He started with $200, a valet company, and a hospitality mindset rooted in high-end hotels and restaurants, then accidentally stumbled into automotive and realized something big was missing. What followed was a complete reframe of how dealerships should think about porters, valets, hourly employees, and the service drive experience as a whole.

👉 Register for the upcoming Fixed Ops Roundtable Event

What we discuss in this episode:

• Why hospitality is not a “nice-to-have,” but a performance multiplier
• How most dealerships unintentionally turn service managers into the most expensive porters in the building
• The hidden cost of 300–400% turnover in hourly roles, and how to fix it
• Joel’s 3% hiring philosophy and why standards matter more than speed
• How investing slightly more in hourly employees unlocks massive ROI
• A fascinating new approach to vehicle acquisition through the service drive, without salespeople swarming customers
• Why valets are the true bookends of the dealership experience
• And how taking care of “the little guys” builds your next generation of advisors, managers, and leaders

There are moments in this episode, especially when Joel breaks down hiring, retention, and purpose, that you’ll want to rewind and listen to again. If you care about culture, efficiency, customer experience, and long-term growth, this is one of those conversations that sticks with you.

Listen to the episode featuring Joel Furno & Ed Roberts for even more insights!

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Joel Furno & Ed Roberts

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement