Summary:
The automotive service landscape is evolving quickly, and 2026 will bring new technologies and strategies for fixed ops success. This article highlights the key trends and practical steps dealerships can take to drive efficiency, customer loyalty, and smarter inventory sourcing.
What You’ll Learn:
- The top fixed ops tech trends for 2026, including digitization and AI-driven automation
- How to boost customer retention with mobile-first tools and personalized communication
- Ways to turn your service lane into a powerful source for used vehicle inventory
We expect 2026 to be another year of rapid change, new challenges – and lots of opportunities for automotive service. Here’s what to look for at NADA to help your service department maximize efficiency, customer retention and profitability.
End-to-End Consumer-Facing Digitization
Customers now expect seamless digital interactions—from scheduling to check-in and real-time updates during the service appointment. Tools like mobile-first scheduling, self check-in, and automated status updates throughout the service appointment help provide the convenience, speed and transparency customers are looking for.
With 65% of consumers rating digital features as critical to their service experience,* dealerships are leveraging enhanced texting, chat, and multimedia tools to keep customers informed and engaged.
When you provide your service customers with flexible tools and real-time information, your dealership builds trust and boosts retention.
AI and Automation to Boost Customer Retention & Profitability
Smart technology that connects data for automated scheduling, declined service recommendations and targeted marketing promotions helps transform service departments into profit centers.
Automation can also personalize communications to customers, reduce their wait times, and speed up the approval process for ASRs.
These technologies help optimize technician workflows, reduce downtime, and personalize service recommendations, leading to higher approval rates and more revenue per visit.
Inventory Sourcing from the Service Lane
Customers are increasingly choosing to replace their vehicles rather than assume high repair costs. The 2025 Cox Automotive Service Industry Study found that a $3,195 repair cost is the tipping point where consumers start considering trade-in over repair. This makes the service lane an ideal place for providing an appraisal or making an offer to acquire more consumer trade-ins.
Savvy dealers are transforming the service lane into a powerful used vehicle acquisition engine. By leveraging key strategies across inventory, CRM, and service, they can activate workflows that use marketing insights and service history to identify desirable vehicles and engage customers at the right moment. Service departments can also set repair thresholds as triggers for trade-in offers, turning routine visits into inventory-sourcing opportunities.
With upcoming integrations in 2026, expect seamless acquisition workflows and smarter inventory sourcing—further powering the lifetime value of customers like never before.
*Source: 2025 Cox Automotive Service Industry Study
Talk to Xtime Experts at NADA 2026
We invite you to visit the Cox Automotive Village at NADA and meet the Xtime professionals who help dealers improve customer and employee experiences with connected solutions that lead to more profitable fixed operations.
