The Evolving Role Of The Fixed Operations Manager

Picture this: your dealership has just experienced a record-breaking month. Sales are up, and so is your bottom line. But if you're like most dealership owners, you know that this profit isn’t likely to stay this high for long. Instead, it will fluctuate as the market changes and consumer behavior shifts. Your best bet for long-term stability? Dealership profitability.

In this blog, we will discuss the evolving role of the fixed operations manager and how leveraging AI for car dealerships can help keep your dealership profitable over time.

Why the Fixed Operations Role Is More Critical Than Ever

The Fixed Operations Manager oversees a:

• Dealership’s service department
• Parts department
• Sometimes the body shop

Their role is to ensure all post-sale operations run efficiently, handling everything from:

• Technician scheduling
• Parts inventory
• Customer service
• Service drive performance

They are responsible for a substantial portion of a dealership’s gross profit, particularly as vehicle sales fluctuate.

The Pressure Has Increased

Dealerships today face tighter margins and rising customer expectations. With more buyers holding onto vehicles longer, fixed operations, service, and parts now play a bigger role in profitability. In this landscape, fixed ops performance isn’t just important, it’s mission-critical. Every missed call, lost appointment, or clunky workflow is a lost revenue opportunity.

Why Phone Still Matters in the Age of Digital Booking

CDK’s recent findings drive this home: 64% of service customers still prefer to book by phone, including 65% of Gen Z, outpacing Millennials and Gen X. It's easy to tap “call” from a search result, but the experience often falls short. Only 3 in 10 customers got through without a hitch. The rest hit roadblocks, mostly being placed on hold.

The average hold time? Eight minutes. That delay dropped Net Promoter Scores (NPS) from 59 to 39.7, and down to 26.7 when calls went unanswered. When someone picked up right away and was helpful, satisfaction increased significantly, with the NPS jumping to 72.7.

The Role Is Expanding, and So Are the Stakes

Fixed Ops Managers are no longer just responsible for internal processes and bay flow. They are also expected to uphold customer satisfaction and drive retention. A poor service call experience doesn’t just result in a lost oil change; it can damage the customer’s entire perception of the dealership.

With service volumes recovering post-pandemic and customer expectations climbing, the role of Fixed Operations Manager has never been more central to a dealership’s success.

The Need for Smarter Tools

The modern service department requires more than capable people; it needs better tools. With more customers calling in, often outside regular business hours, managers can’t rely solely on human availability. Missed calls equal missed revenue, and overworked teams mean inconsistent service. Solutions like Pam help dealerships meet these demands.

As a 24/7 AI receptionist, Pam ensures that calls are answered, leads are nurtured, and service appointments are booked, even when your team is off the clock. This directly supports Fixed Ops teams by reducing missed opportunities and easing the daily pressure on staff. In today’s environment, smart systems are no longer a bonus; they’re a necessity. And fixed operations managers are at the heart of making them work.

Related Reading

• Fixed Ops
• Best Auto Repair Software
• Service Drive
• Overflow Call Handling
• Service Lane

The Day-to-Day Pressure on a Fixed Operations Manager

Balancing Act: Productivity vs. Real-World Demands

Fixed operations managers are constantly under pressure to maximize team performance. There’s an expectation to keep service bays full, minimize downtime, and push every department, service, parts, and sometimes collision, towards tighter efficiency.

The challenge lies not only in training staff to hit the ground running, but also in ensuring that learning sticks beyond the initial onboarding phase.

Ongoing Performance: A Moving Target

Managers must ask themselves: How quickly can new team members get up to speed? Are technicians and advisors consistently applying best practices? Are the team’s output and quality levels sustainable over time? When staff are rushed or undertrained, mistakes occur, resulting in:

• Delays
• Rework
• Loss of trust

Minimizing Errors: Boosting Process Quality

Operational errors, from service booking inaccuracies to compliance gaps, can be costly. Repeated mistakes don’t just cause internal frustration; they affect the customer experience and, ultimately, the bottom line. One way managers are addressing this is by utilizing technology more effectively.

Tools that guide users through tasks, validate entries, or automate repetitive steps can prevent issues before they occur. For example, when service advisors are inputting job details, support systems can prompt them with real-time checks to reduce manual entry errors. Over time, this helps standardize processes and build confidence across the team.

Customer Satisfaction: Always on the Line

Fixed Ops isn’t immune to customer satisfaction pressures. In fact, with post-sale customer interactions often occurring in service, managers bear a significant responsibility for fostering long-term loyalty. A significant challenge here is First Call Resolution (FCR).

According to research from the Service Quality Measurement Group (SQM), every 1% increase in FCR correlates with a 1% rise in customer satisfaction. High FCR scores are also associated with reduced costs and enhanced staff morale.

Relieving the Pressure on Fixed Ops Teams with AI Support

This is why managers can’t afford to have phones going unanswered or customers passed from one department to another. They need to ensure that staff have the right tools and information readily available to resolve issues quickly. Solutions like Pam, a 24/7 AI receptionist, support this goal.

Pam answers every call, books service, and keeps leads warm, so that even during peak periods or after hours, dealerships maintain a consistent and helpful service experience. It’s one less pressure for Fixed Ops leaders to manage.

Constant Coordination: Revenue Vigilance

Every day, Fixed Operations Managers juggle multiple moving parts. They coordinate with sales, finance, technicians, and customer service while constantly watching for lost revenue. If a customer leaves unhappy, if a service opportunity is missed, or if parts delays slow down repairs, it falls on the manager’s desk.

This role is about finding a workable balance: pushing for performance without overburdening staff, staying agile while maintaining structure, and keeping profitability in sight without compromising quality. The pressures are real, but so are the tools that can help lighten the load.

Smarter Than Your Average Agent: AI That Actually Converts

Pam's 24/7 AI receptionist never misses a call, scheduling service, and nurturing leads even when your team is off the clock. Experience the technology that's delivering a 20% revenue increase and a 10× ROI for over 100 dealerships nationwide, with seamless integration into your existing systems, such as Tekion and XTime.

See how Pam outperforms both human agents and competing AI for car dealership solutions by scheduling your personalized demo today. Implementation takes just one day. Book a demo to boost your revenue by 20%, like 100s of dealerships across the nation.

The Problem with Missed Calls and Manual Scheduling

A Frustrating Experience for Customers

In today’s service environment, responsiveness is everything. When customers reach out to book an appointment, ask a question, or follow up on a service, they expect a quick and efficient response.

But when no one picks up, or they’re placed on hold indefinitely, it creates immediate frustration. Missed calls signal to customers that their time isn’t valued. And unlike emails or forms, phone calls are usually time-sensitive. Whether they’re trying to book a next-day service or clarify a pricing detail, the delay can prompt them to switch to a competitor.

The Impact on Reputation

Reputation doesn’t just live in person anymore, it lives online. If customers feel ignored or struggle to get through, they’re not likely to keep it to themselves. Even one negative service interaction can lead to unfavorable reviews on Google or social media, which can influence how future customers perceive your business.

And once a dealership becomes known for being “hard to reach” or “slow to respond,” it’s hard to reverse that perception. In an industry where trust and reliability are essential, poor communication becomes a severe liability.

Missed Opportunities to Learn and Improve

Every call, even the ones that don’t lead to a sale, is a learning opportunity. When a customer calls with a concern or question, they’re giving insight into what matters to them:

• Is the booking process unclear?
• Are your prices confusing?
• Are wait times too long?

When calls go unanswered, you don’t just lose potential revenue, you also lose a chance to refine your:

• Service
• Messaging
• Processes

Most Teams Can’t Keep Up

Dealership service departments are already managing tight schedules and high volumes. Expecting them to manually answer every call, especially during busy periods or after hours, is unrealistic. Overflow times lead to call bottlenecks, where even the best-intentioned teams simply can’t keep up. And while many customers may try calling back, the reality is that most won’t.

According to HubSpot, 69% of customers still prefer phone support over live chat or email, especially when it comes to high-value services like auto maintenance. If your dealership isn’t equipped to answer, it’s not just a missed call; it's a lost opportunity. It’s a lost customer.

Related Reading

• Automotive Purchase Funnel
• Dealership Operations
• Automotive Service Marketing
• Dealership Service Department
• Automotive Service Department Marketing
• Call Diverting
• Service Lane

How Pam Supports Fixed Ops Teams Without Adding Headcount

Pam acts as a 24/7 AI assistant for fixed ops teams, helping to ensure no customer is turned away, even after hours. One of the biggest challenges for fixed operations managers is ensuring customers can schedule service or get answers to their questions, especially after hours and during peak call times.

Pam solves this problem by acting as a 24/7 AI receptionist. It never misses a call, day or night, ensuring customers are always able to book service or make an inquiry.

Seamless Appointment Booking

Pam doesn’t just answer calls, it takes action with direct integration into dealership systems like Tekion and XTime. Pam books service appointments in real time. This reduces pressure on advisors and helps keep the service drive fully booked, eliminating the need for manual scheduling.

Lead Nurturing That Keeps the Bay Busy

When potential customers call in with service questions, Pam gathers key information, responds to routine inquiries, and ensures your team has everything they need for a timely follow-up. This keeps leads warm and reduces the chances of losing business to competitors.

Focus Your Team Where It Matters

By handling routine and time-consuming calls, Pam frees up your service team to concentrate on in-person customer service, technician coordination, and shop floor efficiency. Your people do less juggling and more of the work that drives revenue.

Reliable Support Without Adding Headcount

For Fixed Operations Managers, Pam delivers consistent, dependable support without the need to expand your internal team. It acts as a valid extension of your service department, quietly working in the background to ensure no call, lead, or booking falls through the cracks.

Related Reading

• Fixed Ops Marketing
• Dealership Service Department Best Practices
• Dealership Customer Experience
• Dealership Tools
• How to Manage a Service Department
• Automotive Dealership Customer Retention Statistics
• Dealership CSI
• Dealership Customer Service

Book a Demo to Boost your Revenue by 20% (Trusted by Hundreds of Dealerships Across the Nation)

Meet Pam: Your New AI Receptionist

Pam is no ordinary receptionist. This AI for car dealership tool operates 24/7 to answer calls and schedule service appointments. Moreover, Pam helps dealers nurture leads when their teams are unavailable, ensuring that no opportunity goes neglected. This technology has proven to increase dealership revenue by an average of 20%, delivering a substantial 10x ROI for over 100 dealerships nationwide.

And Pam seamlessly integrates with your existing DMS, like XTime and Tekio,n to make implementation a breeze. You can schedule a personalized demo to see Pam in action today. Most dealerships can get up and running with this technology in just one day.