Top Dog 2021 Results
- Net/Gross went from 18.6% to 44.36%
- Effective Labor Rate (ELR) increase of $19
- CSI rose from 86.3 to 88.1
Interview
Watch the interview below with Amanda H., winner of our Top Dog 2021 You Vs. You Service Manager Challenge. Scroll down to read her story.
Summary
Amanda H.’s story shows how she grew from early setbacks into a strong service leader. She rebuilt morale, strengthened teams, and improved results.
She credits leadership, clear process, team culture, games, and the Chris Collins pet the dog approach for better customer service, employee engagement, and profit.
Her path shows flexibility, grit, and a belief that hard times can lead to lasting success.
Leadership Philosophy
Leaders are designers, stewards, and teachers. They build teams that can handle hard work and keep a clear vision. That choice is the first act of leadership and the start of real inspiration.
Early Career Lessons
I started in the auto industry in 2002 in sales under my father. I joined the family business thinking sales would be easy. It was not. I moved through many roles over two years and was even fired by my own father.
That hurt my pride, but it taught me a lot. I moved into service, first as an assistant advisor, then on my own, and later into management.
Brand Experience and Flexibility
I have worked with Pontiac, GMC, Hummer, Hyundai, Jaguar, Land Rover, and now Honda. Good service work asks you to dive into the brand, the department, and the people.
You have to adapt to the brand and the team. You learn, you listen, and then you help shape the future with what you know.
Discovering the Chris Collins Culture
Over the years, I built my own process in the service drive. When I found The Chris Collins culture, we welcomed the new ideas and steps with ease.
Petting the dog is much like our 12-step training process, but with a fresh point of view. When guests enter any Checkered Flag Service Department, they should get the same top-tier care, the same energy, and the same effort to exceed expectations.
Pet the Dog Culture: Employee and Customer Satisfaction
Adding the pet the dog culture helped us improve the experience for both our employees and consumers.
Building the Perfect Team
Building the right team is the first step in fixing a service department. I take time to make sure each personality fits. A steady, tight team can change the whole feel of a service lane.
Each employee matters. I want to honor each person’s needs and strengths. My advisors become a team, a community, and a family. Getting the right team in place is one of the fastest ways to lift morale.
Training, Process, and Customer Rapport
Once the team is in place, the next step is training and process. Petting the dog helps build trust with clients. In a fun setting, we can serve customers with skill and care.
We check this process every day. We make sure the key steps of service writing are used with each client. We can adjust as the world changes, but the base stays the same. Kindness and knowing what people need lead to success.
Profitability and Pricing
The next step is profit. Service departments must watch margins closely. Good pricing and top-tier service can decide whether a company wins or loses.
Using bubble pricing and product bundles for games helps drive more sales and more steady results.
Games and Team Energy
The Chris Collins game style makes selling more fun and builds team energy.
I like to make games that fit each employee’s style. For music fans, we do karaoke. For sports fans, we do trivia. For book fans, we do word games. We also play Family Feud as a group.
I include our valet, parts, and technician staff too, so we build a strong team bond. We truly have fun at work every day, and that friendly competition helps our output and our bottom line.
Becoming the Company Fixer
My work with Checkered Flag Motor Car Company has taken me to many stores and shown my skill in change and management. That is how I earned the title of Company Fixer. I have used my skills to rebuild morale, create steady work, and lift sales across many service lanes.
This takes change, grit, and honest intent. Chris Collins has also helped a lot. It fits well with my own beliefs as a leader, so it was easy to accept.
Growth as a Leader
I think I have become a better role model. I am more open to advice and change because of what I have learned through this approach.
Perseverance and Success
I believe people can rise above almost any situation. My struggles, wins, tears, and joy have changed me in life and in my career.
Life is hard. It takes steady work and careful habits. We have to earn happiness and earn success.
Buddha said it simply: “Life is Suffering.” Life can change fast. It can be more uncertain than we expect.
Still, hard work and steady effort help us win. I plan to keep winning.
Q&A
Amanda H. improved Net/Gross from 18.6% to 44.36%, raised the Effective Labor Rate (ELR) by $19, and lifted CSI from 86.3 to 88.1. Those gains show better profit, labor results, and customer satisfaction.
Being fired by her father was a hard hit, but it became a turning point. She moved into service as an assistant advisor, learned service writing, and later moved into management. That path built her grit, flexibility, and drive to keep growing.
Amanda sees the team as the base of a strong service department. She believes each personality must fit the culture and that a steady, close group improves morale, presentation, customer care, and overall results. To her, advisors become a team, a community, and a family.
Games make selling and process work more engaging for employees. Amanda uses games that fit different personalities, such as karaoke, trivia, word games, and group games, to build energy and team bond. That friendly competition helps lift output, consistency, and financial growth.
The pet the dog culture supports Amanda’s focus on kindness, customer rapport, steady service steps, and employee engagement. It matches her leadership beliefs and helps improve both employee and consumer satisfaction through a service setting built on care, energy, and top-tier treatment.
