Flat rate has been debated for decades in service departments, but what if the real issue isn't the pay structure at all?

In this episode of Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki, I sit down with Joe Minns, Corporate Fixed Ops Director at Dennis & Co Auto Group, who brings 34 years of real dealership experience to the conversation.

Joe has seen just about everything in service operations, from dirt-floor shops to high-tech 80-bay service departments. Today he oversees fixed operations for Dennis & Co's growing network of dealerships, and he shares one powerful perspective that many leaders overlook:

Flat rate doesn't fail… culture does.

We dive deep into the real reasons technicians struggle to flag hours and why so many service departments unintentionally waste the most valuable resource they have, technician time.

Joe breaks down the operational leaks that quietly drain productivity, the cultural shifts required to protect technician efficiency, and why leaders must rethink how dispatch, advisors, and managers support the shop.

We also talk about:

• Why technicians are the true revenue engine of fixed operations • How small moments of lost technician time cost dealerships thousands • Why many service departments unknowingly rig the system against their own techs • The leadership shift required to fix flat rate culture • How service advisors, dispatchers, and managers must align to protect technician productivity • Why career pathing is critical to solving the technician shortage

If you're a service director, fixed ops leader, or dealership executive trying to improve technician retention, shop productivity, and labor performance, this conversation is packed with practical insight.

Because at the end of the day, great service leaders don't just manage the shop, they protect the people who power it.

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