Another January is here, bringing that familiar mix of optimism and reality that comes with starting a new year.  Happy New Year!  I hope 2025 treated you well, and that you are entering 2026 with some momentum, a few lessons learned, and a clear understanding that the real opportunities in our business still lie in the aftermarket.

Industry forecasts and market data all point in the same direction.  The market is growing, but the bar is rising.  Customers want faster support, more transparency, and more value.  Costs continue to climb; technology keeps accelerating, and talent and labor remain a challenge.  Parts, service, and rental support are where all of these trends turn into real customer needs and real decisions every day at your dealership.

MHEDA’s 2026 Business Trends specifically highlight several forces that matter directly to parts, service, and rental support.  These include growing customer demands, tighter contracts, consolidation, and the rising use of artificial intelligence.  Additionally, strategic partnerships between manufacturers and dealers are becoming increasingly important as customers demand more options, more data, and faster service.

The American Rental Association projects growth again in 2026, although at a slower rate.  Contractors and industrial customers continue to rely on rental to manage capital and match equipment to workload.  For dealers, this means uptime and fast turns matter more than ever.

The message from these sources is consistent.  Growth is there, but it requires sharper execution.  That puts pressure on your aftermarket operations to operate smarter and remove friction for the end customer.  Let us dive into and explore actionable objectives for 2026 that you can implement in your aftermarket operations.

Use data and AI to improve uptime

Artificial intelligence sits high on MHEDA’s 2026 list for a reason.  For dealerships, it does not start with robots or complicated software.  It begins with using the data you already have to make clear improvements.  Pick one data or AI use case and make it meaningful; more importantly, focus on customer outcomes rather than the technology itself.  AI and data only matter when they reduce downtime, shorten repair times, or prevent repeat service calls.  If a tool is not clearly improving your aftermarket performance results, adjust it.  Dealers who simplify technology rather than overbuild it will gain real traction in 2026.

Protect margin through clarity and consistency

Customer expectations keep rising, and contract terms keep getting tighter.  At the same time, labor, freight, and parts costs continue to increase, so protecting your margins requires structure and clarity.  Start by publishing a clear aftermarket menu that makes it easy for customers to understand your billing structure for inspections, planned maintenance, and common repairs.  Turn your most frequent jobs into repeatable packages.  Build value into your contracts by offering bundles that combine PM, tire programs, inspections, and safety checks, and tie your services to uptime guarantees or response times to strengthen your position.  In addition, put reman and repair options front and center, since many customers want cost control.  Remanufactured components, rebuild programs, and repair choices help you meet that need while protecting your margin.  A clean pricing structure and a repeatable service model give you more leverage in a market where customers shop harder and negotiate more.
Strengthening talent, training

MHEDA highlights workforce challenges again for 2026, and every dealer is feeling it.  Recruiting is tougher, training costs more, and the talent gap continues to widen.  Teams are thinner, and younger employees expect development, structure, and a sense of purpose.  Start by building real career paths in parts and service, with clear training stages and pay steps for counter staff, service writers, and technicians.  Crosstrain for flexibility so that at least one parts person can assist with dispatching and at least one service administrator can handle parts lookups for key accounts.  Your people are your engine, and a strong talent strategy helps you support customers faster and more consistently.

Align your aftermarket with a steady but slower rental market

ARA’s 2026 forecast shows continued growth, although softer than in past years, and for dealerships with rental fleets or heavy rental customers, this means operating with more discipline.  Treat rental as its own aftermarket segment by building inspection intervals, PM standards, and reconditioning templates designed specifically for rental units.  Tighten communication between rental, service, and parts so that when a unit returns with damage, odd wear, or missing accessories, you document it and use that information to guide stocking decisions and service planning.  Support your contractor customers with rental-ready service packages that help them keep their owned equipment fully prepared as they move between owning and renting.  Rental customers judge you by uptime, turn times, and the condition of every machine, so make those priorities central in 2026.

Strengthening partnerships with OEMs through shared data

MHEDA’s trends point to the need for greater collaboration between manufacturers and distributors, as customers increasingly expect more direct access and stronger digital tools.  Customers want more direct interaction with the manufacturer, more transparency, and faster access to information.  OEMs are responding by building tools, portals, e-commerce options, telematics dashboards, and support channels that connect directly to end users.

This does not mean your customers want to bypass your dealership entirely. It means:

• Customers expect modern, friction-free access to information
• OEMs are creating more direct digital touchpoints
• Dealers need to stay aligned with OEMs, so the customer gets a consistent experience
• Transparency, data sharing, and online access are becoming normal expectations

So yes, “demand for direct consumer business” means your customers want a closer, simpler connection to the brand and their equipment data, and OEMs are stepping in to meet that expectation.  This raises the bar for dealers to integrate with, collaborate with, and keep pace with those tools.  Clear data and aligned goals make these relationships smoother and improve your aftermarket results.

Action to Kick-off 2026

If you only apply three ideas from this article as you kick off 2026, make them these: Implement one data-driven or AI-supported process that clearly focuses on customer outcomes with the data you already have to make improvements.  Then publish a clear, consistent aftermarket menu for 2026 outlining your most common services, what each includes, and how you structure labor, travel, fees, and optional add-ons, so you provide your customers with transparency upfront.  Finally, build or refresh a five metric dashboard, a focused set of the most essential aftermarket performance indicators, and review it monthly with your team and your key OEM partners to keep everyone aligned in their performance.

The market is steady, the opportunities are real, and the New Year gives you a clean slate to tighten your aftermarket operations.  So, everyone, raise your glasses, and cheers to a productive 2026, stronger partnerships, and a year where smart daily habits drive real results.

About the Author: 

Chris Aiello is the Business Development Manager at TVH Parts Co. He has over 20 years of experience in the equipment business, serving in various roles, including service manager, quality assurance manager, and business development manager. Chris now manages a national outside sales team that sells replacement parts and accessories to various equipment markets, including material handling, equipment rental, and construction and earthmoving dealerships.