Service Drive Revolution with Chris Collins
Service Drive Revolution with Chris Collins

SDR #364: What I Learned As A General Manager

June 22, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Unseen Path from Fixed Ops to General Manager

Chris Collins opens with a blunt observation: most fixed operations managers see the service director role as the finish line, not a stepping stone. He wants to change that. Drawing on his own journey from lot attendant to dealer principal, Collins argues that the real barrier isn't competence—it's curiosity and the willingness to learn the parts of the business that feel foreign.

The Curiosity Gap

Collins traces his own trajectory back to a single moment: standing in the alley of a dealership as a lot attendant, asking the dealer how much it cost to buy one of those buildings. "I always thought of myself as being the owner of the thing," he says. "I never thought of myself as just becoming a service manager, and that's where it would end."

That mindset, he argues, is rare. Most fixed ops managers see the service director role as the finish line. Worse, many take a kind of pride in not understanding sales—treating it as a foreign country they have no interest in visiting. Collins calls this a missed opportunity. A general manager who truly understands fixed ops has an "unfair advantage," because the discipline, structure, and process orientation that make a service department run well are almost entirely absent in sales departments. "If you apply them, the leverage is 10 times," he says. "It's a force multiplier."

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:32) **Episode Introduction & Context** - Chris Collins introduces the topic: his experience as a general manager, what led him there, and what he learned.
  • 2 (11:48) **Books That Changed My Life** - Chris and Hogie discuss their own life-changing books and the power of reading.
  • 3 (27:26) **Transition to Main Topic: From Fixed Ops to General Manager** - Chris introduces the core thesis: encouraging high-performing fixed ops managers to consider becoming a general manager.
  • 4 (30:01) **Chris's Path: Curiosity and Intentional Learning** - Chris explains how he prepared for the GM role by learning all parts of the business.
  • 5 (33:48) **The NADA Academy and Becoming a GM** - Chris describes his plan to attend the NADA Academy and how it led to a GM offer.
  • 6 (35:29) **The Fixed Ops Mindset vs. Sales** - Chris contrasts the structured, process-driven fixed ops world with the loose, unstructured sales department.
  • 7 (41:12) **The "Dark Side" of Sales and the Gene Wilder Lesson** - Chris shares his experience fixing a sales department and the resistance he faced.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Chris Collins

Show Notes

In this episode of Service Drive Revolution #364, Chris, Hogi, and Adam dive deep into the mindset shift, the career trajectory, and the harsh realities behind stepping out of fixed operations to take over the entire dealership as a General Manager.

Chris shares his raw, unfiltered journey from being a lot attendant to running the front office, and why fixed ops operators actually hold a massive, unfair advantage when running a store.

The team breaks down the fear holding elite service managers back from making the jump, the massive shock of navigating variable sales and marketing, and the exact leadership dynamics required to stop running a loose department and start leading an asset.

Plus: The crew discusses the absolute necessity of non-stop personal growth, how books drastically change lives, and why a direct connection beats expensive advertising agencies every day of the week. (Note: This episode was pre-recorded while Chris interviews legendary broadcaster Joan Lunden for "Books That Changed My Life," so the team will catch you in the comments next week!)

KEY TAKEAWAYS

- The Unfair Fixed Ops Advantage: Why general managers who understand the service drive carry a lethal superpower for driving dealership profitability.

- Hiding vs. Leading: Breaking down the heavy self-handicap of a manager simply wanting to be liked versus executing visionary leadership.

- The "Plumber" Test: Why people naturally want to force your career into a singular, lazy category—and how to completely reject it.

- The Reality of Dealership Marketing: Moving away from traditional ad agencies throwing millions at right-wing radio and the Golf Channel, and bringing hyper-local community connection in-house.

- The 90% Retention Blueprint: A radical look at how rebuilding the sales floor to act like the service drive permanently eliminates client decision fatigue. 

- SDR Live Academy Check-in: The details on how you can join the On-Demand membership community at chriscollinsinc.com to start mastering your numbers. 

#ServiceDriveRevolution #FixedOps #AutomotiveLeadership #GeneralManager #ServiceManager #DealershipLife #CarBusiness #ChrisCollins #AutoIndustry #DealershipTraining #ServiceDirector #FixedOperations #BusinessStrategy #CareerGrowth #BookClub #personaldevelopment 

🛑 SDR Live Academy Online Training For Huge Results: https://chriscollinsinc.com/op/sdr-live-weekly/

🛑 Book your Profit Gap Analysis Now: https://calendly.com/byron-webster/30min

🛑 Best Selling books on making Fixed Ops a money printer: https://chriscollinsinc.com/shop/

🛑 Got a question? Call us at 1-833-3-ASK-SDR

🛑 Want to work with the best? https://chriscollinsinc.com/careers

Service Drive Revolution with Chris Collins

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