Today, Kaylee Felio interviews Sheila Pogue, who shares her journey from working in restaurants to becoming a parts manager and eventually transitioning to a vendor role at Dealer OMG.
Together, they take on one of the industry’s big conversations: why fixed ops is treated like the “redheaded stepchild” of dealerships, and how better marketing, internal buy-in, and creative partnerships can help change that. Sheila draws on her deep boots-on-the-ground experience to share practical strategies for getting buy-in from decision-makers, why being vendor-savvy pays off, and the overlooked potential of accessories and wholesale parts.
If you’re looking for real talk and actionable ideas to empower your parts team—and maybe a laugh or two about dealership life—this episode delivers. Whether you’re on the counter, in the GM’s chair, or working to support the automotive world, Kaylee and Sheila’s conversation will remind you why the parts department is really the flywheel that keeps the dealership engine running.
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Takeaways
Fixed ops drives dealership success.
Customer service is a key focus.
There are many opportunities within fixed ops that dealerships often miss.
Chapters
00:00 Mentorship and Success in Dealership
03:35 Transitioning to Remote Work
07:19 Strategizing Dealer Operations Relationships
11:14 Meta Founder Recalls Early Recruitment
13:48 Passion for Automotive Client Support
18:00 "Unique Store Branding Focus"
19:41 Maintaining Customer Engagement in Auto Sales
24:36 Boosting Service Revenue Strategies
26:44 "Maximize Budget with Petty Card"
30:35 Dealership Leadership and Inventory Changes
35:17 PartsEdge: Streamlining Parts Management
36:45 "Direct Approach to Self-Solutions"
42:06 NCM Bender 20 Group Overview
42:59 Vetted Vendor Association's Impact