Some dirty phrases get thrown around in Fixed Ops so often, they start to feel normal. But behind those everyday sayings are beliefs and behaviors that quietly damage culture, kill profitability, and erode trust with both employees and customers. These aren’t harmless habits, they’re red flags. If you’re hearing them regularly in your shop, it’s time to take a hard look at what they really mean.
1. “We’ve always done it this way.”
Translation: We’re allergic to change.
This phrase is the fastest way to kill progress. It’s what people say when they’re comfortable, complacent, or threatened by a new idea. It shuts down innovation and locks your team into routines that may no longer serve them—or your customers.
Fixed Ops doesn’t stand still. Customer expectations change. Processes must evolve. The shops that succeed ask better questions, challenge old habits, and adjust quickly when needed. Clinging to the past is not a strategy.
If “We’ve always done it this way” is allowed to live unchecked, you’re not just holding the team back—you’re holding the entire department hostage to yesterday’s thinking.
2. “They’ll call back.”
Translation: It’s not my responsibility to follow up.
This is what you hear when accountability is missing. It’s a sign that someone would rather dodge the extra step than stay engaged. But it’s that extra step—calling back, confirming pricing, checking status—that keeps the customer experience tight.
Assuming a customer will chase you is a dangerous habit. It leads to missed approvals, delayed service, and lost opportunities. Worse, it tells the customer you don’t value their time.
A well-run service lane doesn’t guess or hope when it comes to communication. It follows through, every time. If your team believes “They’ll call back” is good enough, you’re losing business without even realizing it.
3. “We’re short-staffed.”
Translation: We’ve accepted underperformance as normal.
Yes, staffing is tough. But repeating this phrase daily turns a real challenge into a permanent excuse. It lowers expectations. It teaches the team to tolerate dropped balls and missed steps.
Leaders who lean on this line too often are signaling that it’s okay not to perform. That’s how standards drop. That’s how high performers burn out while others hide behind the excuse.
Every dealership has staffing challenges. The difference is how leadership responds. Strong teams rally. They communicate better. They train. They triage. They find ways to move forward instead of giving up ground.
Stop repeating “We’re short-staffed” like it’s the end of the conversation. It should be the start of a plan.
4. “That’s not my job.”
Translation: I don’t care if it gets done.
This phrase signals the death of team culture. It turns cooperation into competition and shrinks every employee’s sense of ownership.
Fixed Ops requires collaboration. If a tech sees something missing on the RO, they should say something. If a service advisor notices a customer waiting without help, they should step in. No one wins when people only care about their assigned tasks.
Great teams act like owners, not renters. They see the big picture. They don’t turn away from a problem just because it doesn’t have their name on it.
If “That’s not my job” is said aloud in your shop, the real issue is bigger than whatever task just got ignored.
5. “Parts is the problem.”
Translation: I don’t want to fix the real issue.
It’s easy to blame the parts department. But when that’s your go-to excuse, you’re not solving anything—you’re dodging process accountability.
Delayed quotes? Maybe the parts request was vague. Wrong part ordered? Maybe the op code wasn’t set up correctly. Stock issues? Maybe nobody’s forecasting based on upcoming work.
If every delay turns into “Parts is the problem,” your departments are working in silos, not as a team. That kind of thinking builds walls instead of solutions.
Shops that perform well don’t throw each other under the bus. They cross-train, document clearly, and meet regularly to tighten up communication.
When blame becomes routine, it’s not a parts issue—it’s a leadership one.
6. “It’s probably fine.”
Translation: I don’t want to slow down and do it right.
This phrase invites comebacks, liability, and broken trust. It means someone didn’t confirm a detail, didn’t check a warning light, or skipped a final inspection step.
“Probably fine” is never actually fine. It’s a guess. And in this business, guessing is dangerous.
A car leaves the shop with under-torqued wheels. A fluid level isn’t double-checked. A noise goes untested. Now you’re dealing with a callback, an angry customer, or worse—a safety issue.
Strong teams are definitive. They ask the extra question. They verify. They make sure. That doesn’t slow them down in the long run—it keeps the schedule clear of rework and protects the shop’s name.
If “It’s probably fine” is tolerated, you’re gambling with every job.
7. “Just make it go away.”
Translation: I’m avoiding a real problem.
This one usually comes from someone who’s overwhelmed or uncomfortable. It pops up when there’s a tough customer, a warranty issue, or a conflict between departments.
But brushing a problem aside doesn’t make it disappear. It just guarantees that it comes back harder.
Warranty issues snowball when left unaddressed. Angry customers become lost ones. Staff tension turns into turnover.
Real leaders step into uncomfortable situations. They get involved. They listen. They make decisions based on facts, not feelings.
“Just make it go away” is a reflex that needs to be replaced with, “Let’s figure out what’s really happening here.”
Avoidance isn’t strategy. It’s surrender.
8. “We’ll take care of it next time.”
Translation: We hope they forget.
This is how shops lose customers without realizing it. It’s not always intentional—it often comes from trying to rush, close out an RO, or get through a packed day.
But every delay in communication or service tells the customer they’re not a priority. And unless you’ve earned a lot of goodwill, they may not give you a next time.
Deferring recommendations, delaying conversations about cost, or skipping documentation because “we’ll handle it later” sends the wrong message. It says, “You don’t matter right now.”
Retention is built on consistency and clarity. Don’t gamble on memory. If something needs to be done, do it—or document it so clearly that it will get done.
Otherwise, “next time” turns into “never.”
9. “They probably won’t buy it anyway.”
Translation: I’ve already decided for the customer.
This one shows up when advisors make assumptions about what a customer will or won’t approve. It sounds logical—maybe the customer declined work last time, or seemed price-sensitive—but it’s not your job to filter based on assumptions.
Your job is to present the facts. Clearly. Professionally. Without bias.
When service advisors skip recommendations because they assume a no, they rob the customer of the chance to make an informed decision. That’s not customer service. That’s a failure to communicate.
And when that missed service leads to a breakdown, it’s the shop—not the customer—who takes the blame.
Train your team to recommend with consistency. Judgment-free. Let the customer decide.
10. “Good enough.”
Translation: Let’s settle for less.
This mindset is subtle—but deadly. It shows up in small decisions: skipping a final check, rushing through a walkaround, ignoring a messy waiting room.
“Good enough” becomes the standard when no one’s pushing for better. And once it takes hold, your team stops aiming high.
The problem is, your customers notice. So do your top performers. And over time, they either check out—or check out for good.
Great shops aren’t perfect. But they care deeply about doing things the right way, even when no one’s watching. That’s what separates shops with real pride from those just going through the motions.
You can’t fake high standards. And you can’t build loyalty on “good enough.”
Final Thoughts on Dirty Phrases
The words and phrases we allow in Fixed Ops shape the culture, whether we mean them to or not. Every “dirty phrase” on this list reveals a deeper issue, one that’s holding your team back or wearing down your results. When you start replacing these excuses with accountability, clarity, and pride, the numbers will follow.
Cut the phrases. Change the mindset. Raise the standard.
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