Guide · October 29, 2026 · 2 min read
What is fixed ops? The fixed operations director’s job, explained
Fixed ops is a dealership’s service, parts and body shop. What the fixed operations director runs, the roles under them, and what they buy.
Fixed ops
Fixed operations, or fixed ops, is the side of a dealership that keeps working on cars after they are sold: service, parts and, at many stores, the body shop. It is called fixed because its revenue and costs are steadier than vehicle sales, which rise and fall with the market. For vendors, fixed ops is one of the biggest buyers of software and services in the building.
What fixed ops covers
| Department | What it does | Who runs it |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Maintenance, repairs, warranty and recall work | Service manager or service director |
| Parts | Supplies the service lane, body shops and walk-in customers | Parts manager |
| Body shop | Collision repairs, often paid by insurers | Body shop or collision manager |
| Express service | Oil changes, tires and quick jobs without an appointment | Service manager |
What a fixed operations director does
The fixed operations director runs service, parts and collision together. At a single store they report to the general manager; in a dealer group there is often a group-level fixed ops leader above them. They answer for technician capacity, how much work the service lane turns, parts inventory and whether customers come back after the sale.
- Technician hiring, pay plans and training
- Appointment scheduling and service lane capacity
- Labor rates and repair-order profit
- Parts inventory and wholesale parts sales
- Warranty and recall claims with the manufacturer
- Service marketing and customer retention
Fixed ops titles you will see
- Fixed operations director, director of fixed operations
- Service and parts director, fixed ops manager
- At groups: VP of fixed operations, regional fixed ops director
What fixed ops buys
Scheduling and online booking, multi-point inspection and video tools, service marketing, parts sourcing, technician recruiting and training, and phone or BDC services for the service lane. The 8 types of dealership software post names common vendors.
Pitch fixed ops in hours and visits: technician hours sold, lane capacity, customers who come back for their next service.
Reaching fixed ops leaders
DealerData lists fixed operations directors, service managers and parts managers at every US and Canadian dealership, with verified work emails and mobiles. See where fixed ops sits in the car dealership org chart.
Frequently asked questions
What does fixed ops mean at a car dealership?
Fixed operations: the service, parts and body shop departments that keep working on cars after they are sold.
What does a fixed operations director do?
Runs service, parts and collision together: technician staffing, scheduling, labor rates, parts inventory, warranty work and service profit. They usually report to the general manager.
Why is it called fixed operations?
Because its revenue and costs are steadier than vehicle sales, which are called variable operations because they rise and fall with the market.
Find the right person at every dealership.
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