Dealer Uplift Newsletter: OCTOBER 2026

Cracking the Op Code: It's Time to Get it Right

by Jordan Jankowski, Armatus COO

For most dealership fixed-operations leaders, the phrase “op code cleanup” probably produces about as much excitement as a quarterly DMS training session.

Everyone knows there are too many of them. Everyone knows

some are outdated. Everyone knows advisors, technicians and managers sometimes use the wrong ones.

And almost everyone has more important things to worry about. That last assumption is the problem. While “miscellaneous op codes” often look like an administrative nuisance. In truth, they’re actually a data, revenue and management problem.

There are financial and performance implications for using miscellaneous operation codes and fixed ops leaders should establish clear expectation that advisors select the most accurate operation...

Read the complete story on the Armatus website

Winning Back Vehicle Owners: The Service Experience Is the Product

by Sean Reyes, Armatus Chief Marketing Officer

For about a century, franchised dealerships enjoyed a built-in advantage in service. They sold the vehicle, knew its history, employed factory-trained technicians, used only factory parts, and had direct access to the manufacturer. For many vehicle owners, returning to the dealership for service was simply what you did.

That assumption is disappearing.

Today's vehicle owner has more choices, more information and considerably less patience. Independent repair shops, national chains, tire retailers, mobile technicians and direct-to-consumer automakers have all changed the definition of service convenience. At the same time, consumers can research a repair, compare prices, read reviews and even use artificial intelligence to decide where to take their vehicle before ever speaking with a service advisor.

The result is an uncomfortable reality for dealership leadership. A customer can love the vehicle they bought from you and still have no reason to service it with you. That is the retention problem...

Read the complete story on the Armatus website

Social media has given everyone a voice these days. Sure, you may not agree with every opinion, but it's usually an episode that flashes in an instant and disappears the next. That is, until it's a dealer technician with a dispute over the flat rate guaranteed by a warranty that leads to almost a million Tik Tok views and his eventual walking away from an 11-year job at a Florida dealership. I'm not choosing sides because I don't have the details. Did he input the right op code, did he seek guidance from management, were there other more-profitable jobs on the ticket, etc? One thing is clear - no one wins in this story, least of all the technician, the dealership, and

the OEM brand. At a time when every store is starved for technician talent, it's a revealing story that likely culminated in years of frustration. Was there no other way this could end? More importantly, what can we take away from this that doesn't divide us as an industry?

His resignation stemmed from his refusal to take down the video. Perhaps the dispute over labor hours could have been resolved, but, in not pulling down the video after his employer demanded, it was not going to end well. He felt exploited for his labor and used the moment to express his frustrations, which drew more support for his cause and does not help our industry with technician recruitment.

The lesson here is that we need to keep the lines of communication open, even when it means fielding frustration and job dissatisfaction. Every staff member in the dealership armed with a phone can pull your brand into a mud-slinging contest that no one wins. The damage to your team internally can also be more damaging that what is visible to your customers. That's really where a poor culture of service begins - with frustrated employees that don't feel heard or appreciated. Good leadership will manage the situation long before it boils over. It all starts with more meaningful dialogue with dealership staff.

Travel and Events

10/2/26: CARA (CT) Dealer Preview Party at the Mohegan Sun Expo Center in CT - Event Sponsor

10/9/2026: MSADA (Massachusetts) Annual Meeting at the Boston Encore Casino & Hotel in Boston, MA - Event Sponsor

10/11-13/2026: NADC Fall Conference at the Grand Hyatt Nashville in TN - Event Sponsor

10/14-18/2026: PAA Annual Convention at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville NC - Event Sponsor

Armatus Dealer Uplift

50 Schilling Road, Suite 200

Hunt Valley, MD 21031

www.dealeruplift.com

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