“Moving from your shop running you, to having your team run your shop is achievable through the business development practice of “core process”. The 6 to 8 core processes that constitute 80% of the service experience are the focal point. Those are your core processes—and the name of the game is to get them clarified, understood, and followed by all.” — John Traver
Four Strategies That Magnify Fixed Ops Leadership
1. Create a Core Process Playbook
If there’s one theme to drive home, it’s this: core processes are your competitive edge. These already exist in your dealership, even if you haven’t created “your playbook”. Of the many processes you deploy daily within the service and parts department, these would be the top 6 or 8 that categorically you must do to remain competitive in business. Once you identify them, document the 20 percent of the steps included in each process that take a person about 80 percent of the way there. This means you do not have to document every single step for this exercise. At a high level, it’s the 20 percent of steps that help you cover that ground and get you close to the end goal.
Think of the core process like a football season. The team that blocks, tackles, and protects the ball best is the one that wins championships. In service, that means nailing the repeatable steps: check-in, RO creation, inspections, dispatch, approvals, parts coordination, QC, and pickup.
Next step for Fixed Ops Leaders: Write down your 7–10 core processes in each area (Service, Parts, and BDC) and make them visible, simple, and part of your daily rhythm.
2. Get the Right People in the Right Seats
As Jim Collins wrote in Good to Great, “success comes from having the right people on the bus, in the right seats.” In modern dealerships, roles are constantly evolving. Think of how the Service BDC has become an essential part of shop-loading over these past years.
When people understand their role and how it relates to the larger process, performance becomes more consistent. You’re not just hoping someone “gets it,” you’ve set them up to succeed.
Next step for Fixed Ops & Service BDC Leaders: Review who owns each process and whether they have the authority and training to deliver. Utilize your documented playbook during hiring and onboarding to ensure new hires know exactly how to succeed.
3. Build a Culture of Accountability (and Freedom)
One of the myths we addressed was the belief that ‘process kills creativity’. This is just not true. In reality, a documented process has the opposite effect. Process literally creates freedom. Once the core process and fundamentals are in place, your team can follow the process and augment it with additional ways to improve the experience, rather than constantly reinventing the wheel.
Think of legendary UCLA coach John Wooden would teach his players how to put on their socks properly. It was simple but having feet without blisters freed his athletes to play the game faster. The same principle applies in fixed operations: clarity on core processes creates confidence, consistency, and room for innovation.
Next step for Fixed Ops Leaders: Reinforce processes in weekly huddles, coach to the playbook when there’s a breakdown, and encourage team members to suggest small improvements. Accountability plus ownership builds the culture customers feel.
4. Let Technology Reduce Noise, Not Add to It
In the 1920s, people went to the store to listen to the radio; today, news alerts chase us down 23 different ways in just minutes. We used to go get the news, now the news finds us. The lesson: more information isn’t always better; it’s often just more noise.
Adopt technology that makes life easier for your team and your customers. If a tool adds friction, it’s the wrong one.
Next Steps for Leaders:
- Use automation for reminders, scheduling, and approvals, freeing advisors to focus on people.
- Choose tools that integrate with your DMS and CRM so you’re not juggling systems.
- Audit your stack: if a platform doesn’t directly support a core process, reconsider it.
Why These Four Strategies Matter
Fixed ops success is all about doing the basics brilliantly and consistently.
- Trust is built in everyday interactions. Clear processes make sure that no call or follow-up falls through the cracks.
- Systems create predictability. Scripts help, but systems drive consistency and scalability.
- Proactivity turns service into a partnership. When you anticipate customer needs, you earn loyalty.
- Tech should amplify people. The right tools clear the path for advisors and techs to focus on relationships.
Dealerships that commit to these fundamentals today will be the ones shaping customer expectations tomorrow.
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John Traver is the Founder and CEO of Traver Connect, a leading provider of performance-driven training and development solutions for automotive dealerships. Visit