Your service department should be the most dependable profit center in your dealership. For many stores, it isn’t. Advisors churn, technicians leave, CSI scores wobble, and the hours your managers put in never match what shows up on the financial statement.
That’s the exact problem Chris Collins Inc. was built to fix. In this guide, we break down who Chris Collins is, what the company offers, the results dealerships have documented, how to pick the right program, and what it’s like to work there.
Table of Contents
- What Is Chris Collins Inc?
- Who Is Chris Collins?
- The Four Outcomes Every Program Targets
- Services and Programs
- Documented Dealership Results
- The Fixed Ops KPIs Chris Collins Inc Moves
- Which Program Fits Your Dealership?
- Free Resources, Books, and the Podcast
- Company Culture: The Self-Made Underdogs
- Careers at Chris Collins Inc
- How to Get Started
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
What Is Chris Collins Inc?
Chris Collins Inc. is a fixed operations coaching and training company that works with new car dealerships across the United States and Canada. Its focus is narrow on purpose: the service drive.
The company provides service advisor training, service manager coaching, BDC appointment process training, leadership development, profitability KPI coaching, and onsite training. The goal is stronger process accountability and measurable growth, not another binder that sits on a shelf.
Who Chris Collins Inc Works With
The programs are built for every level of fixed ops leadership:
- Dealership owners who want to increase the value of their asset
- General managers who need to transform an underperforming service department
- Fixed ops directors overseeing multiple stores or rooftops
- Service managers who want profits that reflect the hours they’re putting in
- Service advisors who want to earn more and build customer loyalty
The client list spans independent single-point stores and large groups. Chris Collins Inc. has worked with Penske, Lithia, Checkered Flag Auto Group, Morgan Auto Group, and International. It also works with the ATA Technology & Maintenance Council.
Brand-Agnostic by Design
A common question from dealers: “Does this work for my franchise?” The company’s position is clear. Clients see improvements regardless of the vehicle brand they service, and the case studies below cover Hyundai, Ford, Kia, Honda, and Chevrolet stores.
Learn more: Chris Collins Inc. company overview
Who Is Chris Collins?
Chris Collins is an automotive trainer and fixed ops specialist with roughly three decades in the industry. His path into coaching is anything but conventional, and it explains a lot about how the company operates today.
From the Wash Pit to the Service Drive
Chris started at the bottom: washing cars at a dealership while playing drums in a grunge-inspired band to chase a music career. The gigs didn’t pay, so the dealership job became the main event.
He lobbied his boss for roughly a year to get a shot at service advisor. Once he landed the role, he faced a monthly repair-hours quota or a trip back to detail.
Instead of just hitting quota, he rebuilt how the department ran. He focused on consistent processes and genuine customer relationships. The change ruffled feathers, but the results spoke for themselves when he began logging far more repair hours than anyone else.
General Manager, Setback, and Pivot
Other dealerships soon invited Chris to consult on their internal processes. He went full-time as a consultant, then became General Manager of a BMW dealership. Under his leadership, that store ranked number one globally in sales for four consecutive years.
Next, he invested in his own Chrysler dealership. A partner relationship turned into a lawsuit, and his personal life hit a low point at the same time.
That setback clarified his real calling. Chris realized he didn’t want to run one dealership; he wanted to help many businesses grow. That realization led to Chris Collins Inc.
Results Beyond Automotive
While service drives remain the core focus, Chris has applied his systems in other industries too:
- Service centers: a track record of increasing profits by up to 400% within months
- A personal trainer’s business: grew to more than $2 million in profits within three years
- A hydroponic nutrient company: grew from $28 million to more than $50 million per year
What Chris Believes
Chris’s philosophy shapes every program the company runs. In short:
- Passion is non-negotiable. If you daydream all day about life after work, you’re in the wrong business.
- Nobody is entitled to anything. You get what you work for.
- Complacency is the enemy. There’s always one more challenge to meet head-on.
- Torch convention. Don’t find new ways to do old things; build new frameworks entirely.
- Results, period.
Read Chris’s full story: Meet Chris Collins
The Four Outcomes Every Program Targets
Every Chris Collins Inc. engagement aims at four outcomes. Understanding them helps you judge whether a program fits your store’s biggest pain point.
1. Profits
The promise here is specific: grow net profit margins without hiring more technicians or spending more on advertising. The emphasis is on increasing profit hour by hour, without discounting the work.
2. Performance
Chris Collins Inc. sells proven systems rather than theory. These are step-by-step processes designed to hold up on the busiest day of the month, not just on a quiet Tuesday.
3. Hiring
Turnover is one of the most expensive problems in fixed ops. The company’s hiring focus covers reducing turnover, recruiting faster, and building a team of advisors and technicians who actually want to stay.
4. CSI
Rather than chasing surveys, the approach is to raise customer satisfaction scores by improving the actual customer experience. Higher CSI then feeds customer retention, which feeds future RO count.
Services and Programs
Chris Collins Inc. offers several paths, from monthly virtual training to fully customized one-on-one coaching.
Chris Collins Signature Coaching Group (Performance Coaching)
This is the company’s “done with you” ongoing coaching option. It’s built around your store’s numbers and your market.
What’s included:
- A dedicated advisor assigned to your dealership
- Weekly accountability on effective labor rate (ELR), CSI, and retention
- On-site and remote engagement options
Best for: Dealers and GMs who want hands-on accountability tied to their own financials. A free 30-minute call with an advisor is the first step.
Details: Chris Collins Signature Coaching Group
SDR Live Academy
SDR Live Academy is a live virtual service department training for your entire fixed ops team. It runs every month and comes with a community behind it.
What’s included:
- Two live classes every month, taught by Chris and Chris Collins Inc. experts
- Real-time problem-solving: bring your toughest issues and work through them on the call
- A community of hundreds of fixed ops professionals tackling the same challenges
Best for: Teams that want ongoing skill-building and peer support at a lower commitment than one-on-one coaching. Sessions are held on Wednesdays.
Details: SDR Live Academy – Save a seat for the next class
Service Advisor Training
Service advisors are the revenue engine of the service drive. Chris Collins Inc.’s advisor training focuses on frontline execution: the customer conversation, the recommendation, retention, and the daily habits that separate top earners from everyone else.
Details: Service advisor training
Service Drive Revolution On-Demand Training
Service Drive Revolution is an accountability-focused, on-demand program for service departments. It covers four areas:
- Customer experience
- Customer retention
- Department performance
- Profit and leadership execution
Like the rest of the company’s offerings, it requires no contract.
Book Chris Collins to Speak
Chris is available for keynotes and events. His story-driven, unconventional delivery makes him a fit for dealer groups, industry conferences, and leadership retreats.
Details: Book Chris Collins to speak
Documented Dealership Results
Claims are cheap. Numbers aren’t. Here are the case studies Chris Collins Inc. publishes, organized so you can compare them quickly.
| Dealership | Timeframe | Before | After | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai | 3 years (Mar–May net) | –$15,642 | $151,145 | 1,066% net profit increase |
| Pennsylvania Ford | 4 years (December net) | $76,445 | $182,191 | 138% net profit increase |
| Florida Kia | 60 days | –$7,743 (June) | $73,800 (Aug) | $81,543 net profit swing |
| Louisiana Honda | 1 year (Q3 net) | $147,677 | $274,590 | 86% YoY growth |
| Chevrolet | 90 days | –$22,452 (May) | $55,961 (Aug) | 349% service net improvement |
What These Results Tell Us
Speed is possible. The Florida Kia store went from a loss in June to $62,556 in July, a 900% increase in the first 30 days. The Chevrolet store flipped its service net from negative to positive in a single quarter.
Gains compound. The Hyundai store moved from a $15,642 loss to $95,226 in year two, then $151,145 in year three. The Pennsylvania Ford store grew every year for four straight years.
Starting point doesn’t matter much. Three of the five stores began in the red. Two were already profitable and still grew substantially.
The company also reports documented returns as high as 47-to-1 ROI. As with any coaching, results depend on the dealership and how fully the team implements the system.
See more: Chris Collins Inc client reviews and success stories
The Fixed Ops KPIs Chris Collins Inc Moves
If you’re evaluating coaching, you should know exactly which numbers to watch. Here are the core metrics the programs target and why each matters.
Effective Labor Rate (ELR)
ELR is the average labor dollars you actually collect per hour sold, after discounts, internal work, and warranty. A big gap between your posted rate and your ELR usually means discounting or poor menu discipline.
Why it matters: Raising ELR increases profit without adding a single technician or bay.
Repair Order (RO) Count
RO count measures how many customer visits your drive handles. It reflects marketing, retention, appointment-setting, and customer trust.
Why it matters: More ROs mean more opportunities to sell needed maintenance and repairs.
Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI)
CSI scores come from manufacturer surveys and influence incentive programs and allocation. They’re also a leading indicator of whether customers will come back.
Why it matters: CSI tied to real experience improvements drives retention, not just better survey scores.
Customer Retention
Retention tracks how many customers keep coming back for service after the sale. As vehicles last longer and need fewer repairs, every retained customer becomes more valuable.
Why it matters: Retention is the long-term moat for fixed ops revenue.
Technician Productivity
Productivity compares hours billed to hours a technician is clocked in. Low productivity often signals dispatching problems, parts delays, or advisors who aren’t presenting enough work.
Why it matters: Productive techs earn more, stay longer, and lift department profit.
Service Lane Profitability
This is the bottom line: service department net. Every other KPI rolls up into it.
Industry benchmarks: Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI)
Which Program Fits Your Dealership?
Not every store needs the same level of support. Use this quick guide to narrow your options.
Choose Signature Coaching If:
- Your service department is losing money or stuck flat
- You need weekly accountability tied to your specific numbers
- Leadership turnover has left gaps in your processes
- You want on-site support, not just virtual
Is SDR Live Academy Right for You?
- Your department is stable, but you want continuous improvement
- You want your whole team, not just managers, learning together
- You value a peer community you can lean on between classes
- You prefer a lighter, lower-cost commitment
When to Choose Books and On-Demand Training
- You’re a self-starter who wants to implement independently
- You’re testing the methodology before committing to coaching
- You want to train new advisors on a consistent foundation
Practical Example
Picture a mid-size Kia store with a negative service net and two advisors who just quit. That store likely needs Signature Coaching first, to stabilize processes and rebuild hiring. Once things stabilize, adding SDR Live Academy keeps the whole team sharp month to month.
Now picture a profitable Honda store with a seasoned team. SDR Live Academy plus the books may be all it needs to push margins higher.
Free Resources, Books, and the Podcast
Chris Collins Inc. gives away a lot before asking for anything. That’s useful if you want to evaluate the approach first.
Books by Chris Collins
Chris has published three training books:
- The Irreplaceable Service Manager – leadership and accountability for service managers
- Millionaire Service Advisor – frontline performance and earning potential for advisors
- Gamification: Playing for Profits – using competition and incentives to drive results
Millionaire Service Advisor and The Irreplaceable Service Manager are offered as a bundle, often at a discount from the regular $74.95 price. The books cover building a workplace your team loves, increasing RO count, raising CSI, and creating lifetime customer loyalty.
Get the books: Chris Collins Inc shop
Free Downloads
- M.O.R.E. Technician Recruiting Workbook – a framework for attracting and keeping techs
- Technician efficiency and shop profits guide – a roadmap for fixing turnover and underperforming bays
- “What’s Holding Your Service Drive Back?” playbook – pick your challenge (profit, traffic, or hiring) and receive the matching playbook
- Two free training videos – on working on the business instead of in it
More free material: Service advisor training resources · Free service drive playbook
The Service Drive Revolution Podcast and YouTube
The Service Drive Revolution podcast has passed 300 episodes, covering topics from leadership to making better technician videos. Episodes are also on YouTube.
Listen: Service Drive Revolution podcast · Chris Collins Inc on YouTube
Chris also hosts the Books That Changed My Life podcast, where guests share the books that shaped them.
The Blog
The Chris Collins Inc. blog publishes weekly fixed ops strategies, leadership insights, and service drive tactics. You can also subscribe to get them by email.
Read: Chris Collins Inc. blog
Company Culture: The Self-Made Underdogs
Culture matters whether you’re hiring a coaching firm or applying to join one. Chris Collins Inc. describes its team as “Self-Made Underdogs.”
The four pillars behind that identity:
- We crave a challenge.
- No one hands us anything, and we’re not entitled to anything.
- We are Hungry, Humble, and Smart.
- We’re changing the world of business together.
The tone is blunt and energetic, which matches Chris’s personal style. The company frames its work as a movement rather than a vendor relationship, and invites dealers and fixed ops pros to join its community.
Learn more: Join the movement · Our community
Careers at Chris Collins Inc
If you’re a fixed ops professional who wants to coach others, Chris Collins Inc. hires remote talent.
Recently Listed Positions
| Position | Location | Department | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Manager | Remote | Sales | Full Time |
| Coach | Remote | Service | Contractor |
Openings change over time, so check the live careers page for current roles. Applications are handled through Hireology.
What the Coach Role Involves
Coaches work with dealership service teams to install the company’s accountability systems. Because the work is results-driven, strong candidates typically bring hands-on fixed ops experience as advisors, managers, or directors.
What the Sales Manager Role Involves
The Sales Manager connects dealerships with the right program. This role suits someone who understands dealership economics and can speak credibly to owners and GMs.
Who Thrives Here
Based on the company’s culture, the best fit is someone who:
- Has a track record of measurable service drive results
- Is comfortable with accountability, both giving and receiving it
- Prefers unconventional thinking over “the way it’s always been done”
- Is self-directed enough to excel in a remote role
See open role: Chris Collins Inc careers
How to Get Started
Getting started takes three steps:
- Identify your biggest constraint. Profit, traffic, hiring, or CSI? This decides your starting program.
- Book a discovery call. A free 15- or 30-minute call lets the team review your situation and recommend a path.
- Pick your path. Signature Coaching, SDR Live Academy, on-demand training, books, or a combination.
Contact details:
- Phone (US and Canada): 1-800-230-5165
- Canada: chriscollinstraining.ca
- Online: the contact form at chriscollinsinc.com
Reach the team: Contact Chris Collins Inc
Frequently Asked Questions
Chris Collins Inc. provides service department coaching, service advisor training, and fixed ops leadership development for new car dealerships in the US and Canada. It focuses on increasing profit, CSI, customer retention, and team stability.
No. There are no long-term contracts and no hidden fees, and clients can cancel at any time.
Some clients have seen measurable gains within 60 days. One Florida Kia store achieved an $81,543 net profit swing in that window, and a Chevrolet store improved its service net by 349% in 90 days.
SDR Live Academy is live virtual training for fixed ops teams. It includes two live classes per month, real-time problem-solving, and a community of hundreds of service professionals.
Yes. The company’s published results cover Hyundai, Ford, Kia, Honda, and Chevrolet dealerships, and it states that its systems work regardless of brand.
Yes. Clients include single-point dealerships and multi-location groups such as Lithia, Penske, and Morgan Auto Group.
Chris has written The Irreplaceable Service Manager, Millionaire Service Advisor, and Gamification: Playing for Profits.
The company periodically hires remote coaches and sales staff. Current openings are listed on its careers page.
Call 1-800-230-5165 or use the contact form on chriscollinsinc.com. Canadian dealers can also visit chriscollinstraining.ca.
Conclusion
Chris Collins Inc. exists for one reason: turning service departments into reliable profit centers. Its founder came up through the wash pit and the service drive, and the company’s systems reflect that frontline experience.
The documented results are hard to ignore. Stores starting in the red have turned profitable within months, and already-profitable stores have kept compounding their gains year after year.
Whether you need full coaching, a monthly live academy, or a book to hand your newest advisor, there’s a clear entry point. And with no long-term contracts, the risk of finding out sits mostly on their side.
Ready to see what your service drive could earn? Book a free discovery call with Chris Collins Inc. and find out which program fits your dealership.
