What happens when car prices hit record highs, consumers feel the squeeze, and dealers are forced to play a smarter game, not a harder one?

In this episode of The Fixed Ops Roundtable, Sarah Vantine sits down with Steve Greenfield, General Partner at Automotive Ventures, for a wide-ranging conversation about where automotive retail is really headed, and why fixed operations may be the most important lever dealers have right now.

Steve brings a rare vantage point to the table. With nearly 50 early-stage investments across dealer-facing technology, he sees the future before most of us ever feel it. And in this conversation, he doesn’t hold back.

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What we discuss in this episode:

• Why dealers can’t control the economy, but they can control fixed ops
• How rising vehicle prices, negative equity, and interest rates are reshaping consumer behavior
• The first real wave of AI hitting fixed operations (and why it’s starting with phone calls)
• How smarter scheduling, service videos, and automation are transforming the customer experience
• What dealers can learn from companies like BusyCar, MoreCloud, and TruVideo
• Why global pressure—especially from China’s automotive market—will change repair costs, loyalty, and profitability
• The evolving role of the technician and why this might actually attract the next generation
• How dealers should think about vendor selection without getting overwhelmed at events like NADA

This episode is packed with practical insights, real examples, and forward-looking ideas that matter right now, especially if you’re trying to future-proof your service department while everyone else is still chasing the front end.

If you’re a dealer, operator, or industry leader wondering where to focus next, this is one of those conversations that helps you see the board more clearly.

Listen to the episode featuring Steve Greenfield 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 Greenfield

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 biggest risk to your dealership isn’t what you don’t know… but what you’ve gotten used to overlooking?

In this episode of the Fixed Ops Roundtable, Sarah Vantine and I sit down with our good friend Paul Elliott from Insurance Office of America (IOA), and let me tell you, this conversation goes way beyond “insurance talk.”

Paul pulls back the curtain on what risk actually looks like inside today’s dealership. From mobile service fleets operating in customer driveways, to technicians recording MPI videos on their phones, to employees lifting tires the same way they’ve always done it (until one day, they can’t)—this episode is a wake-up call in the best possible way.

And here’s the thing: none of this is about fear. It’s about awareness, protection, and leadership in a business that’s changing faster than most of us want to admit.

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What we discuss in this episode:

• Why insurance shouldn’t be a once-a-year renewal conversation—and what happens when it is
• How evolving customer expectations (mobile service, off-site work, digital inspections) create brand-new exposures for dealers
• The real role of risk management: protecting people first, profits second
• How technology (yes, even AI) is being used to prevent injuries—not punish people
• Why the best dealer-broker relationships look more like partnerships than transactions
• And Paul’s refreshingly honest take on compliance, consulting, and doing business the right way

This episode isn’t about selling you a policy.

It’s about helping you sleep better at night, knowing your people, your customers, and your assets are protected as your operation grows and evolves.

If you’re a dealer, GM, fixed ops leader, or department head trying to future-proof your business heading into 2026—this is one of those episodes you don’t half-listen to.

Hit play. Take notes. And ask yourself one simple question along the way:

“Are we truly protected… or just hoping nothing goes wrong?”

Listen to the episode featuring Paul Elliott 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, Paul Elliott

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 biggest opportunity in your fixed ops department isn’t working harder… but seeing clearer?

In this episode of the Fixed Ops Roundtable, I’m joined by Pete Carusone, President & CEO of VisionAST, and Ed Roberts, COO of Bozard Ford Lincoln, for a real, no-nonsense conversation about why how we look at our numbers matters just as much as what we’re measuring.

We dig into a hard truth many dealers don’t want to admit: most of us are still managing fixed operations in the rearview mirror. Monthly reports. Lagging indicators. Emotional decisions. And then wondering why nothing changes.

This conversation challenges that thinking.

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What we discuss in this episode:

• Why real-time metrics beat monthly scorecards every single time
• How to avoid analysis paralysis by focusing on just 3–5 numbers that actually move the needle
• The danger of running your department on emotion instead of data
• How visual dashboards can become powerful coaching and training tools
• Why “keeping score” fuels healthy competition and better performance
• What mobile service profitability really looks like when you track it van by van
• And how data helps you stop justifying results… and start improving them

Ed shares practical, boots-on-the-ground insights from Bozard Ford Lincoln, including how his team uses data to create accountability, uncover opportunity, and make smarter decisions today—not next month or next year. Pete breaks down how dealers can simplify the chaos, align their teams, and build momentum by making the numbers visible, relevant, and actionable.

If you’re tired of reacting, guessing, or explaining away results—and you’re ready to lead your fixed ops department with clarity and confidence—this episode is for you.

Listen to the episode featuring Pete Carusone & 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, Pete Carusone & 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