03/28/2026
Brandon Brown sharered his thoughts about our future challenges, I think it’s worth a look.
I was recently reflecting on discussion topics for a Fixed Operations department, and my thoughts went in a lot of different directions—service efficiency, inventory strategy, EV training, leadership development, KPIs, and evolving customer expectations.
But all of that led me to a much bigger question:
Why are we failing the next generation of Fixed Ops leaders?
Too often, new service managers or advisors are promoted into leadership roles with little to no training, no real guidance, and no clear understanding of what “good” actually looks like. They’re given enormous responsibility and then told things like:
“Figure it out.”
“Hit your budget.”
“You should already know this.”
“We don’t have time or money for training.”
The reality is, we would never accept those kinds of excuses from our teams. We would never accept poor performance because someone “didn’t have time to learn” or “was never trained.” Yet somehow, when it comes to developing our leaders, those excuses become acceptable.
Many of us were fortunate to have mentors who shaped our careers, who took the time to explain not just what to do, but why it mattered. They helped us avoid mistakes, grow faster, and become better leaders ourselves. That didn’t happen by accident—it happened because someone invested in us.
Now it’s our turn to do the same.
Leadership isn’t inherited. It isn’t automatic just because someone gets a new title. Leadership is built, over time, through coaching, mentorship, mistakes, feedback, and support. And the future of Fixed Operations will depend on how well we build the leaders coming up behind us.
Call to action:
If you’re a leader in Fixed Ops, or a General Manager/Owner it’s time mentor someone, invest in them as someone did for you. Share your knowledge. Make time for questions. Explain the numbers. Teach them how to lead, not just how to close a repair order. Invest time in developing your people.
Don’t let the next generation “figure it out.”
Help them grow into it.
Because a leader’s true success isn’t measured only by their numbers — it’s measured by the people they develop and bring with them.
Let’s invest in them.
Let’s guide them.
Let’s break the cycle.
The future of our industry depends on it.
Brian Goodman Brandon Brown Gooley Danny Finkel
