The PartsEdge Podcast

Robert Migliaccio is the service director at Carter Myers Automotive in Virginia. He has 22 years of experience!! He is passionate about helping others succeed and has worked his way up the ranks from detailing to becoming a service manager and a service director. Robert knows Fixed Ops. Robert Migliaccio was a self-starter from a young age, getting into car radios and stereo installations. This e...

Laurie Halter is the owner of Charisma! Communications, a PR agency specializing in the automotive industry. Her 20 years of professional automotive experience gives her a unique talent for connecting businesses and owners with audiences. She is the host of the Careering podcast, which interviews fearless female leaders and see what motivates them at work, home, and life. Laurie learned about conn...

Owen Moon is an experienced automotive marketing consultant and CEO of Fixed Ops Digital, which was started in 2018. He is working with over 750 dealerships across the U.S. and Canada to help them evolve their service departments from an online standpoint. Owen believes the fixed operations side of the business will remain a huge part of dealerships going forward. He’s been pushing for new integra...

Charity Dunning is the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at FixedOps Marketing. She helps startup companies build their marketing departments from the group up. She also co-hosts WTF (What the Fixed Ops?!) podcast with Russell Hill. The automobile industry is changing rapidly, and fixed ops companies need to adapt to survive. Customers are more educated, parts are becoming more refined, and automation...

Angela Willoughby is the Fixed Ops Analyst with Foundation Auto Corp, a large auto group with 33 stores across Canada and the US. She has been in the auto industry for 25 years, and is passionate about taking care of customers and growing the business. Despite having a non-traditional career in the auto industry, Angela has managed to thrive due to her ability to partner with third party vendors....

Marcus Aman is the founder of Bayley: The Service Bay Assistant, a technology that helps reduce chaos at the dealerships, by identifying bottlenecks and allowing service staff to work more efficiently using IoT devices and the smart bay sensor system. Marcus was a former fixed operations director who had worked in the car industry for 14 years. He was frustrated with the efficiency of the dealersh...

Mark Haeck is the VP of Business Development at Mainstreet Computers LLC. The company provides glass repair and replacement software. Everything from inventory to insurance is included. This software provides dealerships with an additional source of revenue. This allows dealers to help employees work more efficiently and give customers a better solution to the problem of damaged windshields. Conne...

Kyle Winkley is a financial advisor who used to work for BG and in the Auto space. He is now focusing on helping companies retain, recruit, and reward their top or key employees. He is also working with individuals on an individual level to help them with their financial journey. Connect with Kyle Winkley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-winkley-833a05113/ The Takeaways What employees want from t...

Ellen Haney is the parts manager at Jeff Schmitt Auto Group. She has been in the automotive industry for 5 years and in management for 3. Shonda Miller is the service manager at Jeff Schmitt Auto Group. She has been in the automotive industry for 11 years and in management for 5. Ellen Haney and Shonda Miller have been successful in their roles as parts manager and service manager, respectively, a...

Joshua Taylor is a Technician and the founder and CEO of Just Work Hard Consulting, Inc., a company that provides technicians solutions and consultation services. Joshua shares how obsolescence in the automotive industry can be prevented by accurate diagnosis and avoiding over buying all parts at one time. Teamwork between the tech and parts departments can make the process more efficient (and pro...

Jaimie Bowe is the territory manager of Update Promise, a consumer-experience, lifecycle solutions company that puts dealerships in touch with their customers. With their mobile app and online platform, customers can easily connect with dealerships and service writers for vehicle repairs and related services. Jaimie shares how innovations provide better solutions for dealerships, especially when i...

Mike Gass is the parts director for Rick Case Automotive Group, an auto dealership company with headquarters in South Florida and a store branch in North Atlanta. Mike has been through many roles in dealership departments and has worked his way to the top. Mike explains the differences between the parts department and the service department. Even though they differ in many ways, both are vital to...

“Everything I did, I did with passion.” Troy Scheer is the director of marketing and communications for the National Independent Automobile Dealership Association. Their mission is to make sure that independent dealers get updated on the latest trends and technology in the automotive industry. Troy shares his experiences working in the automotive business and the years prior to his fulfilling care...

Brooke Furniss is the CEO of BZ Consultants Group, a consulting agency that specializes in reviewing dealership reports and guiding dealers through their relationships with vendors. Brooke shares why it’s important for business owners to delegate tasks for their staff so they can all learn together. Brooke also shares her tips to make an automotive business successful - investing in people through...

“If you’re a dealership, you have to look for the right person you can train and mold. But you have to have a process and core values.” Corey Smith is the national fixed ops training manager for National Auto Care, a Leading Provider of Finance and Insurance Products and Programs Over 35 Years. They provide vehicle service agreements, limited warranties, asset protection products, and special part...

Maureen Martin attributes her ongoing success in the automotive industry to her personal mantra: be flexible and stay focused. As the current vice president of client retention and strategy for Dynatron Software, Inc., she applied some of the best business practices in dealerships based on her extensive career in the industry. She found her passion for automotives and dealerships at the Ford Motor...

Shawn Armorer is the founder and owner of the Montreal-based BDC Alchemy Inc., a consulting and coaching firm that specializes in generating an automotive business’ revenue by aligning their BDC’s initiatives with the departments they serve. April Simmons is the corporate internet and marketing director at Horne Auto Group, LLC in Phoenix, Arizona. Each of them has a two-decade experience in the a...

Dealer Solutions Inc. conducts inventories in the parts departments of auto dealers across the country, totaling to about 1,500 inventories per year. While physical inventories are often overlooked by management, taking annual inventory can help improve the parts department and, in turn, can enhance the quality of the service department. In this episode, Tom Deane, Jeff Baker, and Becca Kroeger ex...

“If it’s important to you, you have to set aside the time to do it. You need to get it done.” - Joe Chambers “Always remain as the best student you can possibly be.” - Erick Jauregui Joe Chambers & Erick Jauregui both host Service Drive Live, a show that supports a community of professionals in the automotive industry. Just like mastermind groups with weekly episodes, the show accommodates inq...

Coralee Zueff is the author of the Amazon best-selling book, Five Star Service Advisor where she provides guidelines for advisors, shop owners, and dealerships about proven management techniques. Effective communication keeps customers and technicians on the same page, eliminates conflicts, and increases profit. Coralee believes that service advisors can diagnose miscommunication issues that can r...

Scott Armstrong’s expertise in fintech platforms propelled him to launch GasApp.io. This innovative payment system empowers automotive dealers and merchants in strengthening the loyalty of their customers. With dealerships and purchases earning them credits, customers can receive rewards such as fuel and other additional products and services. Scott believes that change in the automotive industry...

Carol Kitts is the fixed ops director of Schomp Automotive Group, with 11 stores under her watch. Based on her experience, automotive professionals can achieve success by setting realistic business goals, training their employees about new industry trends, and having a clear vision for the company. With all her expertise, Carol always makes sure to include her family as her top priority. Even when...

With the industry’s inevitable changes, how can automotive professionals and entrepreneurs keep up? Scott Gregg acknowledges that change is constant and the best way to thrive in an ever-changing industry is to learn and adapt. As Tucson Subaru’s Fixed Op Director with 43 years of experience in the automotive business, Scott has witnessed these changes and still succeeded. Scott cites the rising p...

Success in the automotive industry is achievable, but it depends on how car dealers run their business. For Sean Welsh, CEO and cofounder of Car Biz Done Better, innovation is key to stay on top. Shifting from the corporate world to his entrepreneurial career, Sean finds the value of taking risks and strengthening connections. When he first started his business, he saw the advantage of maximizing...

Innovation paves the way for an automotive business to stand out in an ever-changing competitive industry. In this episode, FixedOPS Marketing Co-Founder and Managing Partner Russell Hill and Chief Marketing Officer Charity Dunning share tips on how dealerships can build their Fixed Operations brand online. Whether it’s designing their websites or posting on social media, Dealerships need to make...