---
title: "Fixed Ops Roundtable Recap: How Parts is the Powerhouse of Dealership Profitability"
description: Learn how parts departments are transforming dealership profitability through strategic inventory management and data-driven decisions from industry leaders at the Fixed Ops Roundtable.
---

[Blog - PartsEdge ](https://www.partsedge.com/blog)

# [Fixed Ops Roundtable Recap: How Parts is the Powerhouse of Dealership Profitability](https://www.partsedge.com/blog/partsedge-fixed-ops-roundtable-parts-powerhouse)

 Written by [PartsEdge](https://www.partsedge.com/blog/author/partsedge) | Nov 21, 2025 8:00:00 AM

Dealerships are finally catching on: the parts department isn’t a back-office function anymore — it’s the heartbeat of fixed ops success.

At this year’s **Fixed Ops Roundtable**, I joined leaders across the industry to unpack why parts are becoming the central profit lever for dealerships and what forward-thinking managers are doing to get ahead.

This blog recaps the insights from **two powerful conversations**.  
Below is the first — and the moment you send the second transcript, I’ll write that one next.

## **Elevating Dealership Success — The Power of Parts**

*Featuring Ted Ings & Sarah Vantine hosts of The Fixed Ops Roundtable with Kaylee Felio*

If you’ve been around the industry long enough, you know parts has always mattered — but it hasn’t always been recognized. In this panel, Ted, Sarah, and Kaylee dug into why that’s shifting, what’s driving the momentum, and how dealerships can finally get the ROI they’ve been sitting on for years.

## Parts Are No Longer an Afterthought

Ted opened with the reality: sales may make noise, but parts keeps the dealership stable. Today, leaders across the country (and even financial institutions) are finally treating parts as a growth engine rather than a cost center.

## Customer Behavior Is Driving the Shift

Drivers are keeping their vehicles longer, prioritizing repairs, and relying on service departments more than ever. That means *parts demand is skyrocketing* — and dealerships who invest today will benefit for years.

## Giving Parts Managers the Tools They’ve Always Needed

Kaylee shared what she sees daily across dealerships: extremely smart parts managers working in incredibly chaotic environments. Not because they lack skill — but because they lack support.

PartsEdge exists to fix that gap. By giving managers clarity, structure, and daily optimization, they get the power to:

- Reduce obsolescence
- Improve profit
- Tighten processes
- Increase tech efficiency
- Make smarter inventory decisions
- Build a healthier mix of productive stock

## Data That Drives Real Decisions

One of the biggest takeaways:  
Dealers don’t need *more* parts. They need the *right* parts.

We discussed how only **20% of inventory typically generates 80% of profit**, and how shifting more items into that productive mix unlocks immediate gains.

Kaylee also shared the key data points parts managers must monitor weekly — including demand trends, aging stock, return eligibility, and special orders — and how PartsEdge turns all of that data into *action*, not overwhelm.

 

> **“The next 10 years of dealership growth are won in Fixed Ops.”** — **Ted Ings**

 

 

[View full post](https://www.partsedge.com/blog/partsedge-fixed-ops-roundtable-parts-powerhouse)

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