What the Fixed Ops?! (WTF?!)

About What the Fixed Ops?! (WTF?!)

Join automotive expert and entrepreneur Russell B. Hill and CMO Charity Dunning as they venture into the world of automotive, fixed operations, and the successes and failures in life in the What the Fixed Ops?! podcast. Get new episodes by following our social media networks or by visiting us at www.FixedOPSMarketing.com/WTF (http://www.FixedOPSMarketing.com/WTF).

Publisher

Russell Hill, Charity Dunning

Category

business · leisure · news

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

27 Dec 2021

Latest episode

12 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

1,221 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Oct 2026

   How P4 Automotive Builds Better Dealerships with Leo Portaluppi

   In this episode of What the Fixed Ops?!, hosts Russell Hill and Charity Dunning welcome Leo Portaluppi, CEO and owner of P4 Automotive, for a conversation about dealership leadership, fixed operations, customer retention, and what it takes to build a successful automotive dealership group. Leo shares his journey from working as a technician and service advisor to becoming a dealership executive and owner. He explains how mentors like Roger Penske shaped his career, why understanding both fixed operations and variable operations is critical to dealership success, and how building the right team can create opportunities for long-term growth. The conversation explores how P4 Automotive approaches dealership management, employee development, and customer experience. Leo discusses creating ownership opportunities for store leaders, improving communication between service and sales, using transparency to sell used vehicles, and building customer retention strategies that keep drivers coming back to the dealership for service and future purchases. We talk about: How P4 Automotive approaches dealership growth and leadership Why fixed operations and variable operations need to work together Why dealership leadership starts with developing people The four pillars of dealership success: people, process, passion, and product Creating dealership ownership opportunities to attract and motivate leaders How transparent used car sales can build customer trust Improving dealership customer retention through better service experiences Using loyalty programs, service contracts, and dealership apps to keep customers coming back Why dealerships need to rethink traditional technician pay structures How to identify people, process, and passion problems in dealership operations Leo also explains why dealership profitability is a byproduct of strong people, effective processes, passion, and confidence in the products being sold. From creating career paths for technicians to offering managing partners an opportunity to invest in their stores, he shares practical lessons on building a dealership culture where employees feel valued, leaders take ownership, and customers have a reason to return. Whether you're a dealer principal, dealership owner, general manager, fixed ops director, service manager, or automotive industry professional, this episode offers insights into dealership leadership, fixed operations management, employee development, and strategies for growing a more customer-focused and profitable automotive business. BE THE 1ST TO KNOW. LIKE and FOLLOW HERE https://www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketing/?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=wtf&utm_campaign=wtfsocial&utm_id=wtf https://www.youtube.com/@fixedopsmarketing?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=wtf&utm_campaign=wtfsocial&utm_id=wtf Get watch and listen links, as well as full episodes and shorts: https://www.fixedopsmarketing.com/wtf/?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=wtf&utm_campaign=wtfsocial&utm_id=wtf Join Managing Partner and Host, Russell B. Hill and Charity Dunning, Co-Host and Chief Marketing Officer of FixedOPS Marketing, as we discuss life, automotive, and the human journey in WTF?! Don't forget to send us a message here! https://www.fixedopsmarketing.com/?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=wtf&utm_campaign=wtfsocial&utm_id=wtf #podcast #automotive #fixedoperations

2. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Breaking Down Dealership Silos with Gary Sillman

   In this episode of What the Fixed Ops?!, hosts Russell Hill and Charity Dunning welcome Gary Sillman, agent owner of Global F&I Solutions, for a wide-ranging conversation about breaking down dealership silos, connecting sales and service, and uncovering new revenue opportunities inside the service drive. Gary explains why dealerships can no longer afford to operate sales, service, parts, and F&I as separate departments. With customers keeping vehicles longer and increasingly interacting with dealerships digitally, the service lane has become one of the biggest opportunities to strengthen customer relationships, acquire used vehicles, offer protection products, and create a natural path back to sales. The conversation explores how dealerships can turn every service visit into a more complete customer experience. Gary discusses using vehicle inspections, appraisals, service contract options, connected CRM systems, and better communication to give customers more choices while helping departments work together instead of allowing valuable opportunities to fall through the cracks. We talk about: Why dealership silos need to disappear Turning the service lane into a vehicle acquisition opportunity Connecting sales, service, parts, and F&I Offering F&I products beyond the initial vehicle purchase Creating sales funnels from existing service customers Using inspections and appraisals to give customers more options Why connected CRM systems matter How outdated dealership processes create missed opportunities Why technology and AI can't replace strong leadership Using social media to humanize your dealership Gary also shares why dealerships need to rethink processes that may have worked five or ten years ago but no longer fit today's customer journey. Rather than adding another piece of technology to an already fragmented operation, he encourages dealers to map out their processes, identify where customers and information are falling through the cracks, and build a more connected operating system. Whether you're a dealer principal, general manager, fixed ops director, service manager, F&I professional, advisor, or automotive leader, this episode offers practical insights into creating a more connected dealership, generating additional opportunities from the service drive, and building stronger relationships with customers. BE THE 1ST TO KNOW. LIKE and FOLLOW HERE https://www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketing/?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=wtf&utm_campaign=wtfsocial&utm_id=wtf https://www.youtube.com/@fixedopsmarketing?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=wtf&utm_campaign=wtfsocial&utm_id=wtf Get watch and listen links, as well as full episodes and shorts: https://www.fixedopsmarketing.com/wtf/?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=wtf&utm_campaign=wtfsocial&utm_id=wtf Join Managing Partner and Host, Russell B. Hill and Charity Dunning, Co-Host and Chief Marketing Officer of FixedOPS Marketing, as we discuss life, automotive, and the human journey in WTF?! Don't forget to send us a message here! https://www.fixedopsmarketing.com/?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=wtf&utm_campaign=wtfsocial&utm_id=wtf #podcast #automotive #fixedoperations

3. 

   14 Sept 2026

   How Dealerships Can Keep Their Best Technicians with Josh Arnold

   In this episode of What the Fixed Ops?!, hosts Russell Hill and Charity Dunning welcome Josh Arnold, Master Technician and Co-Founder of Within Spec, for an insightful conversation about the automotive technician shortage, technician retention, mentorship, and what dealerships need to do differently to develop the next generation of skilled automotive professionals. Josh explains why the industry's technician problem may be less about a shortage of young people interested in the trades and more about a shortage of dealerships equipped to develop them. From clearly defined career paths and strong shop leadership to consistent mentorship and follow-up, Josh argues that dealerships must give technicians a reason to see automotive service as a long-term career rather than simply a job. The conversation also explores the power of video MPI and technician-to-customer communication. After seeing firsthand how customers responded to technician videos, Josh developed his own customer-focused approach and eventually trained approximately 150 technicians on video inspections. Rather than treating video MPI as another tool for selling repairs, Josh believes technicians should use it to educate customers, create transparency, build relationships, and improve long-term service retention. We talk about: Why the technician shortage isn't simply a recruiting problem The importance of mentorship for young automotive technicians How dealerships can create clearer technician career paths Why Master Technicians need opportunities to continue growing Recruiting technicians with honesty and real-world expectations How dealerships can improve technician training and retention Why video MPI should focus on trust instead of selling Building stronger technician-to-customer relationships Challenging the "that's how we've always done it" mentality How Within Spec is building a community for the next generation of technicians Josh also shares what becoming a teacher and mentor taught him about his own career, why being questioned can make technicians better at their craft, and how the Toyota philosophy of Kaizen—or continuous improvement—continues to shape his approach to automotive service. His message to dealerships is clear: recruiting young talent is only the beginning. Developing, supporting, challenging, and communicating with technicians throughout their careers is what ultimately keeps great people in the industry. Whether you're a dealer principal, fixed ops director, service manager, shop foreman, technician, advisor, or automotive professional, this episode delivers practical insights into technician recruitment and retention, automotive mentorship, video MPI, customer communication, and building a stronger future for dealership fixed operations. BE THE 1ST TO KNOW. LIKE and FOLLOW HERE https://www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketing/?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=wtf&utm_campaign=wtfsocial&utm_id=wtf https://www.youtube.com/@fixedopsmarketing?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=wtf&utm_campaign=wtfsocial&utm_id=wtf Get watch and listen links, as well as full episodes and shorts: https://www.fixedopsmarketing.com/wtf/?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=wtf&utm_campaign=wtfsocial&utm_id=wtf Join Managing Partner and Host, Russell B. Hill and Charity Dunning, Co-Host and Chief Marketing Officer of FixedOPS Marketing, as we discuss life, automotive, and the human journey in WTF?! Don't forget to send us a message here! https://www.fixedopsmarketing.com/?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=wtf&utm_campaign=wtfsocial&utm_id=wtf #podcast #automotive #fixedoperations

Who has been a guest on What the Fixed Ops?! (WTF?!)

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Randy Kobat
• Chris Craig
• Tim Tipton

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

833,660

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 74 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

87

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

60