What if the “fixed costs” you’ve accepted for years… aren’t actually fixed at all?

That’s the question that kicks off this episode, and trust me, once we pulled on that thread, the whole sweater started to unravel.

In this Fixed Ops Roundtable conversation, I’m joined by Steve Thompson of Integrity Cost Consulting, Shon Kingrey from Kayser Automotive Group, along with Sarah Vantine, and we go straight at one of the most dangerous assumptions in dealership operations: that overhead is just the cost of doing business and not worth revisiting.

Spoiler alert: that assumption is costing dealers a lot more than they realize.

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What we discuss in this episode:

• Why “fixed costs” are often anything but fixed, and how contract drift quietly eats away at profitability
• Real-world stories of uniforms, laundry, telecom, waste, and utilities ballooning without anyone noticing
• Shon’s no-BS take on contracts, guarantees, and why “handshakes” sometimes outperform legal fine print
• How small, unchecked line items turn into six-figure losses across multi-rooftop groups
• The power of benchmarking beyond your own stores, and why most dealers are benchmarking the wrong way
• How Steve’s team finds refunds, negotiates better rates, and monitors vendors so dealers don’t have to
• Why saving money isn’t just about dollars, it’s about what those dollars can fund: people, growth, and peace of mind

There’s a moment in this conversation where it really hits you:

A few percentage points here and there can equal an entire employee, or more, every single year.

If you’re building budgets, planning for 2026, or just trying to protect profitability in a tighter market, this episode will absolutely challenge how you think about expenses you’ve probably ignored for far too long.

Listen to the episode featuring Steve Thompson & Shon Kingrey for even more insights!

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Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Steve Thompson & Shon Kingrey

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement