How do you make the leap from Service Manager to General Manager? In SDR #326, Chris & Christian lay out the 7 key steps every ambitious Fixed Ops leader needs to follow if they want to run the whole dealership. Most Service Managers get stuck because they only think about their department.

But the path to GM requires mastering leadership, profitability, culture, and dealership-wide strategy. In this episode, you’ll learn exactly what separates managers who stay in the service lane from those who rise to the top.

We also cover:
- The mindset shift every Service Manager needs before becoming GM
- Why controlling hours per RO and gross profit isn’t enough
- How to think like an owner, not just a department head
- The importance of recruiting, coaching, and culture-building daily
- Industry news, leadership lessons, and Top Dog updates

Whether you’re just starting to think about your next step—or you’re actively gunning for the GM seat—this episode gives you a roadmap to get there.

If you want more than just survival in Fixed Ops… if you want to run the whole show… this is the playbook.

#ServiceManager #FixedOps #CarDealership #AutomotiveLeadership #ServiceDrive

OnDemand Training For Huge Results - https://shorturl.at/j7J8u

Schedule a 15-minute intro call with our team to find out how Chris Collins Signature Coaching can grow your bottom line. http://bit.ly/CCIschedule

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

Grab Chris' New Leadership Book I AM LEADER: https://iamleaderbook.com

Grab our best selling books for your team: Your 90-Day roadmap to your best Fixed-Ops month ever starts here: https://swiy.co/F-ln

Millionaire Service Advisor also includes our 11-step Circle of Trust System: https://swiy.co/F-lq

When is a new service advisor really ready? In SDR #325, Chris & Christian break down training timelines, feedback loops, and why rushing onboarding ruins more advisors than it helps.

Plus, industry updates on Ford recalls, Nissan’s struggles, and more. We also tackle one of the most common questions in the service drive: how long does it actually take to get a new service advisor up to speed? Is it 6 months? A year? Or is there no set timeline at all?

Chris & Christian also reveal why “one-size-fits-all” training doesn’t work—and how dealerships can create smarter onboarding systems that build confidence, boost CSI, and keep advisors around for the long haul.

We also cover:

- Why there’s no universal timeline for training advisors

- How feedback loops and gradual workload increases build lasting success

- Leadership lessons on hosting, culture, and Top Dog Live prep

- Industry news: Nissan plant closure, Ford F-150 recall, and rising brand loyalty

If you’re serious about building a high-performing service team—and want to avoid burning out new hires before they’re ready—you won’t want to miss this one.

#ServiceDriveRevolution #DealershipLife #AdvisorTraining #FixedOps #ChrisCollins #TopDogLive

Offers on Training and Books in Description Below ⬇⬇⬇

OnDemand Training For Huge Results - https://shorturl.at/j7J8u

Schedule a 15-minute intro call with our team to find out how Chris Collins Signature Coaching can grow your bottom line. http://bit.ly/CCIschedule

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

Grab Chris' New Leadership Book I AM LEADER: https://iamleaderbook.com

Grab our best selling books for your team: Your 90-Day roadmap to your best Fixed-Ops month ever starts here: https://swiy.co/F-ln

Millionaire Service Advisor also includes our 11-step Circle of Trust System: https://swiy.co/F-lq

In this episode of Service Drive Revolution, we dig into a hot-button topic in the service lane: what to do when customers say "NO!" Should advisors really be trained to overcome objections?

Or is that outdated sales tactic actually hurting CSI, retention, and long-term profitability? We share stories from real dealership experiences—including a Range Rover service visit—and reveal why the way most advisors are taught to handle a “no” is broken.

Instead of teaching advisors to push harder, we break down how to build trust, create "key-thrower" customers, and design systems that prevent objections in the first place.

We also cover:

✅ The big announcement for Top Dog Live (October 23–24 in Los Angeles, with Chris Voss (Never Split the Difference)

✅ Why alignments, inspections, and advisor write-up systems make or break customer trust

✅ Real talk on recalls, dealer inventory shortages, and the reality of $5,000 mirrors

✅ Why treating symptoms (like “overcoming objections”) will never fix your dealership’s real problems

If you’re serious about running a more profitable, customer-focused service drive—and want to stop losing customers because advisors are taught bad habits—you need to hear this one.

#ServiceDriveRevolution #DealershipLife #AdvisorTraining #CustomerExperience #ChrisCollins #TopDogLive #NeverSplitTheDifference

Offers on Training and Books in Description Below ⬇⬇⬇

OnDemand Training For Huge Results - https://shorturl.at/j7J8u

Schedule a 15-minute intro call with our team to find out how Chris Collins Signature Coaching can grow your bottom line. http://bit.ly/CCIschedule

Got a question? Call us at 1-833-3-ASK-SDR Grab Chris' New Leadership Book I AM LEADER: https://iamleader.com

Grab our best selling books for your team: Your 90-Day roadmap to your best Fixed-Ops month ever starts here: https://swiy.co/F-ln

Millionaire Service Advisor also includes our 11-step Circle of Trust System: https://swiy.co/F-lq