Service Drive Revolution with Chris Collins

Business Outlaws Network
  • 4.6 (85)
  • CAREERS
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Got a question for the show? Call us at 1-833-3-ASK-SDR! Chris Collins, the leading Automotive Service Manager Coach and Service Advisor Trainer in the world, discusses little known service drive secret weapons to help pull your service department ahead of the pack. Everything from hiring technicians, increasing dealership CSI, building relationships for long term customer retention, to increasing customer pay sales and more, is all discussed here on Service Drive Revolution. All from the automotive industries #1 go-to guy for Fixed Operations; Chris Collins. Listen, and enjoy!

  1. 5D AGO

    SDR #352: The AI Revolution in Fixed Ops: Unfair Advantage or Impending Doom?

    Service Managers, Fixed Ops Directors, and Dealership Owners — the gap between the leaders and the laggards in our industry is about to become an abyss. Most dealerships are looking at AI as a "maybe later" project, but the early adopters are already creating an unfair advantage that saves thousands in marketing and streamlines production. In this episode of SDR #352, we break down: ✅ The "Virtual Assistant" Fail: Why bad AI implementation is driving your customers away ✅ Critical takeaways from the TMC Conference: What the future of trucking and service looks like ✅ The "Igloo Cooler" Psychology: Why humanizing your tech matters more than you think ✅ Optimization of things that shouldn't exist: Are you perfecting a broken process?  ✅ How AI is moving from "Chatbot" to "Predictive Maintenance" in the shop ✅ The Unfair Advantage: Why being early to AI will slash your marketing costs ✅ Preview: A sneak peek into non-traditional ways to motivate your technicians If your service department struggles with: - Inconsistent customer communication - Bloated marketing budgets with diminishing returns - Resistance to new technology from your team - Or simply feeling overwhelmed by the "AI hype" This episode will cut through the noise and show you exactly where the industry is heading and how to stay ahead of the curve. The strength of your future production depends on the technology you embrace today. #FixedOps #ServiceManager #AIinAutomotive #ChrisBulldogCollins #TMC2026 #DealershipTechnology #ServiceDriveRevolution #futureofwork 🛑 On-Demand Training For Huge Results: https://shorturl.at/j7J8u 🛑 Book a free 30-min discovery call for coaching that grows your profits: https://chriscollinsinc.com/chris-collins-method/ 🛑 Best Selling books on making Fixed Ops a money printer: https://chriscollinsinc.com/shop/ 🛑 Got a question? Call us at 1-833-3-ASK-SDR 🛑 Want to work with the best? https://chriscollinsinc.com/careers/ 🛑 Grab Chris' New Leadership Book I AM LEADER: https://iamleader.com

    51 min

  2. MAR 23

    SDR #351: The $50,000 Menu - Tips To Explode Your Service Drive Profits

    Service Managers, Fixed Ops Directors, and dealership leaders — your service menu is either a silent profit killer or your biggest untapped gold mine. Most dealerships treat their maintenance menu as an afterthought or a "loss leader" because they're afraid of being shopped. The truth? A properly structured menu can add $50,000 or more in monthly gross profit. In this episode of SDR #351, we break down: ✅ The 6 essential tips for building a high-profit service menu ✅ Why "Loss Leaders" belong in your advertising, not on your maintenance menu ✅ How to work from "Cost Up" to protect your effective labor rate (ELR) ✅ Why most dealerships are wildly overpaying (or underpaying) for labor times ✅ The "Nails on the Freeway" analogy for understanding supply and demand ✅ How to stop treating symptoms and start fixing the "cause" in your shop If your service department struggles with: - Low hours per repair order (HPRO) - Inconsistent maintenance sales - Technicians are complaining about menu pricing - Managers who don't know the true cost of parts and labor - Or a menu that hasn't been updated in years This episode will provide you with the exact "recipe" to turn your menu into a high-performance profit center. The strength of your menu determines the consistency of your Fixed Ops growth. #FixedOps #ServiceManager #AutomotiveLeadership #ChrisBulldogCollins #ServiceMenu #DealershipProfit #ServiceDriveRevolution  🛑 On-Demand Training For Huge Results: https://shorturl.at/j7J8u 🛑 Book a free 30-min discovery call for coaching that grows your profits: https://chriscollinsinc.com/chris-collins-method/ 🛑 Best-selling books on making Fixed Ops a money printer: https://chriscollinsinc.com/shop/ 🛑 Got a question? Call us at 1-833-3-ASK-SDR 🛑 Want to work with the best? https://chriscollinsinc.com/careers/ 🛑 Grab Chris' New Leadership Book I AM LEADER: https://iamleader.com

    44 min

  3. MAR 2

    SDR #348: What I Look For When Hiring A Service Performance Coach

    Dealership Owners, General Managers, and Service Leaders — your ability to fix a department is only as strong as the system you build. Most leaders misunderstand the hierarchy of a turnaround. They believe "people" are the primary ingredient for success, but the truth is that a great system can survive mediocre people, while a bad system will run out of your best employees every time. In this episode of Service Drive Revolution (#348), we break down: ✅ Why "People" is actually the wrong answer when asked how to fix a department ✅ The "Fixer" Mentality: Telltale signs of a true production leader ✅ How to identify if your manager is a "ghost" or an intentional leader ✅ Lessons from the 2003 BMW technical nightmare and the value of a process-driven approach ✅ Why most leadership training is actually just "bad management" training ✅ The "Cleveland Browns" analogy: Why the situation (system) dictates the performance ✅ How to manage the "rate of change" within your team If your service department struggles with: - Stagnant or declining gross profit - Advisors who are washing cars instead of selling - Low average hours per repair order - Managers who react to problems rather than prevent them - A culture where everyone "loves" the manager, but the shop is losing money This episode will challenge everything you've been told about "people-first" leadership and give you the recipe for a true departmental turnaround. The strength of your system determines the ceiling of your Fixed Ops production. #FixedOps #ServiceManager #AutomotiveLeadership #ChrisBulldogCollins #SystemsVsPeople #DealershipLife #ServiceDriveRevolution 🛑 OnDemand Training For Huge Results: https://shorturl.at/j7J8u 🛑 Book a free 30-min. discovery call for coaching that grows your profits: https://calendly.com/cci-schedule/30-minute-discovery-call-with-chris-collins-inc?utm=SDRPod&month=2025-12 🛑 Best Selling books on making your Fixed Ops a money printer: https://chriscollinsinc.com/shop/ 🛑 Got a question? Call us at 1-833-3-ASK-SDR 🛑 Grab Chris' New Leadership Book I AM LEADER: https://iamleader.com

    42 min

  4. FEB 23

    SDR #347: Top 9 Reasons Service Managers Fail (And How to Avoid Them)

    Service Managers, Fixed Ops Directors, and dealership leaders — your leadership style is either building a powerhouse or quietly sinking your department. Most Service Managers struggle because they never truly leave the "technician" mindset behind. They manage by emotion instead of numbers, and they prioritize being liked over being a leader. In this episode of Service Drive Evolution #347, Chris Collins, Hogi, and Adam break down the 9 critical reasons why Service Managers fail and how to pivot toward a mission-driven leadership style. We also dive into the future of the industry, discussing our recent experiences with Waymo and Tesla's "Mad Max" self-driving tech—and what it means for the future of the service drive. In this episode, we break down: ✅ Why "The Technician Mindset" is the #1 killer of management success ✅ How to manage by facts and figures, not by feelings ✅ The "Recipe for Success": Why process must always beat people ✅ How to set clear expectations that your team can actually follow ✅ Why playing it safe is the riskiest move a manager can make ✅ The truth about self-driving tech: Waymo vs. Tesla's latest chips ✅ How to move from "Maintenance Mode" to "Mission Mode" If your service department struggles with: - Inconsistent performance and "rollercoaster" months - A culture of excuses instead of accountability - Lack of clear systems and processes - Managers who act like "glorified technicians" - Uncertainty about the future of automotive tech This episode provides the blueprint to stop "playing it safe" and start winning in the service drive. The success of your department depends on your ability to lead, not just solve problems. 📌 Watch now to evaluate your management style and prepare for the future. 🔔 Subscribe for daily automotive service industry insights 📞 Got a question? Call 833-3-ASK-SDR 📚 Special deals on training: https://offers.chriscollinsinc.com #ServiceDriveEvolution #ServiceManager #FixedOps #AutomotiveLeadership #TeslaFSD #Waymo #ChrisBulldogCollins #ServiceDepartment #dealershipsuccess

    1h 10m

  5. FEB 16

    SDR #346: Most Shop Foremen Are Doing This Wrong (And It's Costing You Production)

    Service Managers, Fixed Ops Directors, and dealership leaders — this role can either explode your production or quietly destroy it. Most dealerships misunderstand what a shop foreman in Fixed Ops is supposed to do. They treat the foreman like a master technician instead of a production leader. In this episode of Service Drive Revolution (#346), we break down: ✅ What a shop foreman's REAL job is ✅ Why production drops when foremen think like technicians ✅ How daily flagged hours should be tracked ✅ The right way to handle dispatch and technician balance ✅ How to build shop culture through standards ✅ Why coaching beats solving problems for techs ✅ How leadership in the shop drives gross profit If your service department struggles with: - Low technician productivity - Inconsistent efficiency - Poor shop culture - Lack of accountability - Or unclear production tracking This episode will change how you look at the shop foreman role. The strength of your shop foreman determines the strength of your Fixed Ops department. 📌 Watch now and evaluate your leadership structure. 🔔 Subscribe for daily automotive service industry insights 📞 Got a question? Call 833-3-ASK-SDR 📚 Special deals on training: https://offers.chriscollonsinc.com #FixedOps #ServiceManager #ShopForeman #DealershipLife #AutomotiveLeadership #ChrisBulldogCollins 🛑 On-Demand Training For Huge Results: https://shorturl.at/j7J8u 🛑 Book a free 30-min discovery call for coaching that grows your profits: https://calendly.com/cci-schedule/30-minute-discovery-call-with-chris-collins-inc?utm=SDRPod&month=2025-12 🛑 Best-selling books on making your Fixed Ops a money printer: https://chriscollinsinc.com/shop/ 🛑 Got a question? Call us at 1-833-3-ASK-SDR 🛑 Grab Chris's New Leadership Book I AM LEADER: https://iamleader.com

    42 min

  6. FEB 9

    SDR #345: Increase Your NPS Score!

    Service Drive Revolution with Chris Collins

    45 min

  7. FEB 2

    SDR #344: Chris Collins Answers: Why Your Fixed Ops System Is Failing

    Service Managers, Fixed Ops Directors, and Service Advisors — If your service department feels busy but results stay inconsistent, the issue probably isn't your people. It's your system. In this episode of Service Drive Revolution #344, Chris Collins answers real questions from service managers and breaks down why broken Fixed Ops systems create advisor burnout, technician inefficiency, and customer frustration — even in dealerships with great employees. This episode covers: ✅ Why good people fail inside bad systems ✅ How poor process design increases unapplied labor and stress ✅ Why convenience and ease drive customer retention ✅ How quick lube setups often hurt long-term profitability ✅ Why the real competition is anywhere customers can service their vehicle ✅ How service managers regain control by fixing systems first If you're a service manager or advisor dealing with: - Constant chaos in the service drive - Missed opportunities and low retention - Inconsistent technician performance - High stress with little improvement 👉 This episode will change how you think about Fixed Ops systems and leadership.  #ServiceManager #FixedOps #DealershipService #CustomerExperience #ServiceDriveRevolution #ChrisBulldogCollins 🛑 On-Demand Training For Huge Results: https://shorturl.at/j7J8u 🛑 Book a free 30-min. discovery call for coaching that grows your profits: https://calendly.com/cci-schedule/30-minute-discovery-call-with-chris-collins-inc?utm=SDRPod&month=2025-12 🛑 Best Selling books on making your Fixed Ops a money printer: https://chriscollinsinc.com/shop/ 🛑 Got a question? Call us at 1-833-3-ASK-SDR 🛑 Grab Chris' New Leadership Book I AM LEADER: https://iamleader.com

    31 min

  8. JAN 26

    SDR #343: Handling Difficult Customers in Fixed Ops the Right Way

    Service Managers and Service Advisors — If you're dealing with angry customers, escalations, or CSI issues, the problem usually isn't the customer. It's the system behind the interaction. In this episode of Service Drive Revolution #343, the conversation breaks down why most "difficult customers" in Fixed Ops are created by poor communication, unclear expectations, and weak leadership systems — and how service managers can fix it. This episode covers: ✅ Why arguing with customers makes situations worse ✅ How poor communication creates unnecessary conflict ✅ The leadership skill of absorbing tension and defusing emotion ✅ How to trace customer complaints back to process failures ✅ Why intention matters more than being "right" ✅ How to turn upset customers into long-term loyal customers If you're a service manager, service advisor, or Fixed Ops leader struggling with: - CSI problems - Customer escalations - Negative reviews - Advisor burnout - Constant complaints 👉 This episode will change how you approach customer conflict in the service drive. #ServiceManager #FixedOps #DealershipService #CustomerExperience #ServiceDriveRevolution #ChrisBulldogCollins 🛑 On-Demand Training For Huge Results: https://shorturl.at/j7J8u 🛑 Book a free 30-min. discovery call for coaching that grows your profits: https://calendly.com/cci-schedule/30-minute-discovery-call-with-chris-collins-inc?utm=SDRPod&month=2025-12 🛑 Best-selling books on making your Fixed Ops a money printer: https://chriscollinsinc.com/shop/ 🛑 Got a question? Call us at 1-833-3-ASK-SDR 🛑 Grab Chris's New Leadership Book I AM LEADER: https://iamleader.com

    39 min
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4.6
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About

Got a question for the show? Call us at 1-833-3-ASK-SDR! Chris Collins, the leading Automotive Service Manager Coach and Service Advisor Trainer in the world, discusses little known service drive secret weapons to help pull your service department ahead of the pack. Everything from hiring technicians, increasing dealership CSI, building relationships for long term customer retention, to increasing customer pay sales and more, is all discussed here on Service Drive Revolution. All from the automotive industries #1 go-to guy for Fixed Operations; Chris Collins. Listen, and enjoy!

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