Jake Lebowitz, dealer principal at Raceway Auto, was doing video multi-point inspections (MPIs) at his Audi store when he noticed customer pay revenue spiking. So, he went over to his Kia technicians and told them they were implementing the same process immediately.
But the Kia techs pushed back hard. They argued it would slow them down, create more work, and wasn't necessary for their customer base.
"We got a lot of pushback, we got a lot of resistance, but you know, if you basically mandated it, you know, it's part of your employment, it will get done," Lebowitz told Daily Dealer Live hosts Sam D'Arc and Yossi Levi.
As a result, fixed ops gross profit jumped 250% at his Kia location.
Why it matters: Lebowitz's results prove that massive fixed ops improvements don't require new equipment or complex systems. They require absolute consistency in execution.
How it works: The mandate applies to every customer without exception, and technicians who refuse, are let go.
"MPIs on every single customer. You know, every customer needs to get, we're doing video walkarounds, video MPIs," Lebowitz explained.
This approach addresses customer skepticism about repair recommendations that they can't see or understand.
When technicians show customers video footage of worn brake pads or leaking components, the conversation shifts from doubt to urgency, dramatically improving conversion rates.
And regardless of which technician handles the vehicle or daily department workload, MPIs ensure consistent revenue capture and customer experience.
Between the lines: Lebowitz's disciplined processes capture revenue that casual approaches miss, and the underlying retention component is proving equally valuable.
"Generally, you'll see a correlation between CSI and retention," he noted.
Once customers experience transparent, video-documented service, they develop lasting trust that translates into long-term relationships and higher lifetime value.
And revenue increases become so obvious that resistant technicians embrace the process and begin advocating for its expansion.
"When they see how it affects business, then it's just a snowball effect," Lebowitz said.
Bottom line: Lebowitz's success exposes one of the biggest myths in dealership service departments: that massive revenue growth requires major investments or revolutionary changes. The real difference between mediocre and exceptional fixed ops performance is the commitment to enforcing basic processes with every single customer, every single time.
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Sources: 1. Similarweb, Traffic Report (Cars.com, Autotrader, TrueCar, CARFAX Listings (defined as CARFAX Total visits minus Vehicle History Reports traffic), Q1'25, USA. 2. CarGurus analysis of US dealers that changed a vehicle price based on NBDR recommendations compared to vehicles without an NBDR- informed price change from Nov 2023 through Dec 2024.
