In his first year as service director at Ted Britt Ford and Lincoln in Chantilly, Va., Michael Darlin says his changes added more than $1.2 million to annual fixed operations selling gross, set monthly records and improved technician retention.
He started at a tire shop, moved into dealership service advising, and found his lane at Ted Britt Truck Center, specializing in commercial truck service. He then spent nearly three years as commercial service manager at another Ford store, growing its commercial operation, before returning to Ted Britt to lead one of the largest Ford and Lincoln service departments in the Washington, D.C. area, with more than 60 employees.
The changes were one technician per bay, centralized dispatching, Reynolds Advanced Service for consistent maintenance menu use, digital multipoint inspections and a bigger mobile service operation. He more than doubled the store’s mobile service events, which also moves lower-profit work out of the main shop so its most expensive technicians stay on bigger jobs. Fixed ops executives at other dealerships regularly ask for his input. Until recently, he was a volunteer firefighter.
“My goal is not simply to run a successful service department, but to help shape the future of fixed operations leadership.”
