SDR #338: Why Unapplied Labor Was Made By The Devil

Service Managers, Fixed Ops Directors, and Controllers — this is one of the most misunderstood numbers in your dealership. Unapplied labor quietly destroys profitability, inflates your cost per hour, and masks the real performance of your service department. Most dealerships don't even realize how much money they're losing — because the problem is buried inside the financial statement. In SDR #338, Chris Collins and the team break down why unapplied labor is often joked about as being "made by the devil" — and more importantly, how to fix it the right way. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ What unapplied labor really means (and what it is not) ✅ Where dealerships mistakenly hide unapplied labor on the financial statement ✅ Why cost per hour skyrocket even when the technician's pay hasn't changed ✅ How two-man lube teams and poor shop design increase unapplied time ✅ Why throwing more people at a problem usually makes Fixed Ops less profitable ✅ How to correctly track unapplied labor so you can actually fix it ✅ How systems, minimum standards, and accountability reduce waste If your service department struggles with: - High labor cost per hour - Poor productivity - Inconsistent technician efficiency - Confusing financials - Or unexplained losses in Fixed Ops 👉 This episode will change how you look at your shop. #UnappliedLabor #FixedOps #ServiceManager #DealershipTraining #ServiceDriveRevolution #ChrisBulldogCollins 🛑 On-Demand Training For Huge Results: https://shorturl.at/j7J8u 🛑 Book a free 30-minute discovery call for coaching that grows your profits: https://calendly.com/cci-schedule/30-minute-discovery-call-with-chris-collins-inc?utm=SDRPod&month=2025-12 🛑 Best-selling books on making your Fixed Ops a money printer: https://chriscollinsinc.com/shop/ 🛑 Got a question? Call us at 1-833-3-ASK-SDR 🛑 Grab Chris's New Leadership Book I AM LEADER: https://iamleader.com