Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to write here each month for Ratchet+Wrench about training and why it matters so much in today’s auto repair environment. As we kick off this new year, it feels like the right time to take that conversation a step further—not just focusing on what training looks like right now, but on how shop owners should be preparing for the year ahead and the years beyond.
Every auto repair shop owner knows the industry keeps changing. What feels different heading into 2026 and beyond is not just what is changing, but how fast the gap is widening between shops that are prepared and shops that are constantly reacting.
The shops that are calm, profitable, and growing are not working harder. They are training earlier, training intentionally, and training with a purpose.
Training is no longer about collecting certificates or sending one tech to a class when something breaks. It is about building a shop that can adapt without chaos, handle complexity without burnout, and grow without the owner being trapped in the building.
Here is what shop owners need to prepare for—and how training ties directly into every piece of it.
1. Smarter vehicles demand smarter, ongoing training. General repair is still strong. But “general repair” in 2026 is nothing like it was even five years ago. ADAS, advanced diagnostics, module communication, software updates and safety systems are no longer rare. They are normal. And they are only increasing.
The mistake many shop owners make is waiting to train until:
- A car comes in they cannot fix
- A comeback happens
- A customer questions safety or liability
- A tech feels overwhelmed and frustrated.
By then, the pressure is already affecting the team and the day-to-day operation of the shop.
What to prepare now:
- Decide what your shop will service and what it will sublet, then train to support that decision.
- Train your entire team on process, not just technical skills. Scanning procedures, documentation, disclaimers, and communication are just as important as turning the wrench.
- Schedule technical training proactively. When training is planned, it feels like growth. When it is reactive, it feels like punishment.
Training is how you turn complexity into confidence.
2. Diagnostics training protects your time and your profit. Diagnostics is one of the biggest stress points in modern repair shops. Not because diagnostics are bad, but because many shops never trained for them properly.
Without training, diagnostics turn into:
- Underpriced time
- Poor communication
- Frustrated techs
- Advisors afraid to sell time
- Owners jumping in to “save the day.”
What to prepare now:
- Train advisors and techs together on diagnostic flow. Diagnostics is a team process, not a tech problem.
- Train on diagnostic levels and pricing structure so everyone understands why time is sold the way it is.
- Train techs on documentation and advisors on explanation. A great diagnostic is worthless if it cannot be clearly communicated to the customer.
Shops that train on diagnostics do not argue about time. They sell it confidently.
3. Parts chaos requires training in process, not just purchasing. Parts pricing, availability and quality will continue to fluctuate. Training is what keeps parts problems from turning into profit leaks.
Most parts issues are not caused by vendors. They are caused by:
- Poor verification
- Weak documentation
- Inconsistent estimating
- No accountability for returns or cores.
What to prepare now:
- Train advisors on estimating discipline and documentation.
- Train techs on verification expectations before installation.
- Train the entire team on why parts process matters to profit, not just convenience.
Training turns parts management from a daily frustration into a controlled system.
4. Training is the foundation of recruiting and retention. The labor market will remain competitive. But the shops that struggle most are usually not the ones paying the least—they are the ones offering the least structure.
Good technicians want:
- Clear expectations
- A path to grow
- Confidence they will not be thrown into chaos
- Leaders who invest in them.
What to prepare now:
- Build training into your recruiting message. “We train” is not enough. Show how.
- Create a structured onboarding plan. Training in the first 30 days matters more than the next year.
- Use training as a retention tool. Techs who are learning feel valued. Techs who are stagnant leave.
A shop that trains consistently becomes a place people want to stay—and one technicians talk about as a good place to work.
5. Pay plans and productivity only work when training supports them. Many shops try to fix productivity problems by changing pay plans. That rarely works without training.
If techs do not understand:
- How jobs are dispatched
- What is expected at each stage
- How time is tracked
- How efficiency is measured
Then productivity conversations feel personal and unfair.
What to prepare now:
- Train your team on how the shop makes money. Transparency builds trust.
- Train leaders on coaching productivity instead of policing it.
- Train techs on time management, documentation, and workflow, not just technical repair.
Training aligns pay plans with performance instead of creating resentment.
6. Customer expectations demand training beyond technical skill. Customers expect clarity, updates, and confidence. They aren’t judging your technical details—they’re judging how safe they feel trusting you.
What to prepare now:
- Train advisors on communication, not just estimating.
- Train techs on inspection consistency so every vehicle gets the same level of care.
- Train the team on expectation setting: timelines, approvals, delays and next steps.
A well-trained team reduces conflict before it ever reaches the counter.
7. Training supports your visibility in an AI-driven search world. Search behavior is changing. Customers are increasingly asking AI-driven tools where to go and who to trust.
Training plays a role here, too.
Shops that win online are usually the shops that:
- Communicate consistently
- Document well
- Educate customers
- Deliver a repeatable experience.
What to prepare now:
- Train your team on asking for reviews professionally and consistently
- Train advisors on explaining repairs in a way customers understand and trust
- Train leadership to understand how shop behavior directly impacts online visibility and, in turn, the long-term success of the business.
Training inside the shop shows up outside the shop.
8. Cybersecurity and systems training protect your reputation. As shops rely more on digital systems, the risk grows. Most breaches are not technical failures—they are training failures.
What to prepare now:
- Train your team on basic cybersecurity awareness.
- Train staff on password policies and access control.
- Train leaders on what to do if something goes wrong.
Training prevents a small mistake from becoming a major business disruption.
9. Financial stability comes from trained decision-making. Owners who feel overwhelmed financially often do not lack revenue. They lack clarity. Training matters here, too.
What to prepare now:
- Train yourself to read and understand your financials, not just glance at them.
- Train managers on basic KPIs so they understand how their actions affect profit.
- Train the team on why pricing, productivity and quality matter to the health of the shop.
Financial training removes emotion from decisions and replaces it with confidence.
10. Training is how owners stop being the bottleneck. The biggest limit to growth in 2026 and beyond will not be technology. It will be owners who are still carrying everything themselves.
Training is how you step out of the middle without losing control.
What to prepare now:
- Train leaders, not helpers. Delegation without training creates dependency.
- Train your management team on decision-making, not just reporting.
- Train yourself to lead with systems instead of heroics.
A trained team allows the owner to think, plan, and lead instead of constantly reacting.
The truth about training and the future:
- Training does not slow your shop down.
Lack of training does. - Training does not cost money.
Poor execution does. - Training does not make people leave.
Lack of growth does.
The shops that will thrive in 2026 and beyond are not waiting for the next crisis to send someone to a class. They are building training into the rhythm of the business, so growth feels intentional instead of exhausting.
If you want a shop that is profitable, stable and able to adapt without burning you out, the answer is not working harder.
The answer is training—done on purpose, tied to a vision, and supported by leadership that understands the future is built long before it arrives.
About the Author
Jim Saeli
Jim Saeli is a senior speaker, workshop instructor, and shop inspector manager for DRIVE. With more than 40 years of industry experience under his belt, including owning his own shop, Jim is dedicated to helping every shop owner grow their business and improve their lives. He’s an expert in management, marketing, and employee relations.