The Service Lounge

Culture doesn’t show up on a report. But it shows up in retention, customer satisfaction, and the performance of your entire service department. In this episode of The Service Lounge, host Brandon Nixon sits down with Ali Alrubaie, Service Manager at Keyes Lexus of Valencia, to talk about leadership, service culture, and what it really takes to build teams that perform at a high level. Ali shares...

High-performing service departments aren’t built on process alone — they’re built on buy-in, culture, and execution. In this episode of The Service Lounge, host Brandon Nixon is joined by Peter Solber, Fixed Operations Director at Chicago Northside Toyota, for a real-world conversation about technician accountability, shop culture, and what it actually takes to execute at a high level in today’s s...

Service is no longer the support department — it’s driving the business. In this episode of The Service Lounge , host Brandon Nixon is joined by Jim Phillips, Principal of Training Team USA, for a candid conversation about financial alignment, revenue growth, and the future of fixed operations leadership. With decades of dealership experience and leadership roles at NADA and Cox Automotive Univers...

Customer experience is everyone’s priority. But the systems behind it often get overlooked. In this episode of The Service Lounge , host Brandon Nixon is joined by Scott Kaskocsak and Kim Kotz Carroll from Dominion DMS for a candid conversation about the role the DMS actually plays in today’s dealership—long before a customer ever reaches the service drive. With decades of experience across automo...

Data is everywhere in today’s dealership. Clarity is not. In this episode of The Service Lounge , Brandon Nixon sits down with Mark Begley, Chief Revenue Officer at DealerOps, to unpack what dealers are getting wrong about data—and why more reports don’t automatically lead to better decisions. With decades of experience across dealership operations, fixed ops leadership, and DMS platforms, Mark of...

Most episodes focus on tactics, tools, and strategies. This one starts at the beginning. In this special solo episode of The Service Lounge , Brandon Nixon shares the story behind the journey—where it started, the failures along the way, and the decisions that shaped everything that exists today. From early lessons learned in the collision industry to building through uncertainty, this conversatio...

🚀 Most dealerships are leaving money, loyalty, and long-term trust on the table — and they don’t even realize it. In this episode, Zabrina Ziemba joins us to uncover what dealers are missing when it comes to customer experience, community connection, digital strategy, and service drive engagement. From GA4 confusion to retention breakdowns to brand-building basics, this conversation is loaded wit...

Toyota of Danville’s Mike Weidenburner joins The Service Lounge to share how going all in on process change reshaped his service department — from empowering advisors and training techs to building accountability and trust with customers. What you’ll learn in this episode: ✅ How to inspire buy-in and consistency across your team✅ Ways to connect leadership with measurable results✅ Why full comm...

How do you keep customers driving 60 miles past independents just to return to your dealership?      In this episode of The Service Lounge, host Brandon Nixon sits down with Rusty Mayfield, Parts & Service Director at Coad Toyota, to uncover the real-world strategies that keep his Missouri dealership thriving against tough competition.      What you’ll learn in this episode:    - Why effective...

We’re back with a brand‑new episode! A year after our very first show, Brandon Nixon and Christian Eagen return to revisit the Top 10 Customer Complaints in Fixed Ops—this time using thousands of reviews from January through June 2025.  What’s changed since last year?  Why did “repairs not fixed right the first time” take the #1 spot?  And how did wait times drop off the top of the list?  You’ll h...

Special Rewind Episode: Top 10 Customer Complaints in Fixed Ops (Originally Aired June 2024) We’re throwing it back to where it all started — the very first episode of The Service Lounge Podcast. Join hosts Brandon Nixon and Christian Eagon as they revisit the top 10 customer complaints in the dealership service industry. From long wait times and appointment frustrations to communication breakdown...

Leading a service department shouldn’t feel like constant damage control—so why does it for so many managers?  In Episode 12 of The Service Lounge , Brandon Nixon is joined by Kyle Newsom, Co-Founder of Visperio Performance, to explore what it really takes to lead in fixed ops. From team accountability to breaking daily chaos cycles, this episode is all about helping service leaders step into thei...

Is AI the future of Fixed Ops—or just another overhyped tool?  In Episode 11 of The Service Lounge , Brandon Nixon and Christian Eagon tackle one of the most talked-about topics in automotive today: Artificial Intelligence. From 24/7 phone scheduling tools to real-time customer sentiment alerts and proactive service recommendations, AI is reshaping service departments across the country—but not wi...

The service department gets all the attention—but what about parts? When inventory issues, long wait times, and miscommunication pile up, customer satisfaction (and profits) take a hit.  It’s time to fix the disconnect. In this episode of The Service Lounge , Brandon Nixon sits down with Kaylee Felio from PartsEdge to reveal why parts and service must work together for fixed ops success.  What you...

In this episode of The Service Lounge, host Brandon Nixon sits down with Connie Gundrum, a 25-year automotive marketing expert, to uncover why fixed ops marketing is often overlooked or underrated, and how dealerships can fix it.  🚗 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:   ✔️ Why most dealerships neglect service marketing (and what it’s costing them)   ✔️ How to compete with independent shops dominat...

In Episode 8 of The Service Lounge Podcast, we sit down with Jamie Haberle, General Manager of Central City Toyota, to explore how data can revolutionize your service department. With over 30 years of experience, Jamie shares his journey from handwritten repair orders to leading one of the top-performing Toyota service departments in the nation. 💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️ How to trac...

Are outdated payment processes costing your dealership time, money, and customer trust? In this episode of The Service Lounge, we sit down with Zana Ziemba from UpdatePromise’s Merchant Services to uncover the hidden pitfalls of traditional credit card processing in dealerships. Discover why automotive-specific merchant services are a game-changer, how integrations save hours of reconciliation tim...

Is your service check-in process living up to its potential? In this episode of The Service Lounge, we dive into how you can turn your tablet into a profit machine. Learn practical tips and strategies to maximize efficiency, improve customer satisfaction, and get the most out of your tablet investment. From real-world examples to expert insights, this episode is packed with actionable advice to he...

In this episode of The Service Lounge, we dive deep into the growing demand for Digital MPIs from an OEM perspective with special guest Kenny Warren, representing Lexus/Toyota. Kenny offers a unique viewpoint on why OEMs are pushing for the adoption of Video and Photo MPIs, highlighting how these tools are transforming service departments by enhancing transparency, customer trust, and approval rat...

In this episode of The Service Lounge, we sit down with Geno Walsh to explore the strategies behind building high-performance teams at the dealership. From implementing new processes to motivating team members with consistent reporting and competition, Geno offers practical advice for leaders looking to drive both team performance and customer satisfaction. He also shares the "Qvale Way,&quot...

In this episode of The Service Lounge Podcast, we’re diving deep into one of the biggest challenges in the service department—service scheduling. Join hosts Brandon Nixon and Christian Eagon as they sit down with Scott Loveless, Fixed Operations Director at Diamond Valley Honda, to uncover the strategies that have helped his dealership excel in managing customer appointments. Scott shares his weal...

Welcome to the second episode of the Service Lounge Podcast! Join hosts Brandon Nixon and Christian Eagon as they uncover the fine line between upselling and overselling in dealership service departments.  In this episode, we discuss:  Real customer feedback on upselling experiences.  The power of transparency: using videos and photos to build trust.  Mystery shopping insights: what we learned abo...

In our premiere episode, hosts Brandon Nixon and Christian Eagon break down the top 10 customer complaints in the dealership service industry for 2024. Learn about the challenges and solutions for long wait times, appointment issues, rude staff, and more. This episode features: Analysis of the CDK Global cyberattack and its consequences. Tips for enhancing customer experience in dealerships. Real...