Most commercial contractors would love to stop chasing late payments in 2026. Matthew Tassinari already did.
Tassinari, Project Manager at Electrical Systems of Maine, said: "We have taken our accounts receivable from being 50% due over 60 days to being 10% due over 60 days, with most customers paying before 15 days. Our average ticket has increased by 15%."
ServiceTitan surveyed 1,020 commercial owners, executives and general managers to see how many contractors share that priority, and who is pulling ahead.
Growth is concentrating at the top. Overall, 44% of contractors grew revenue in the first half of 2026 and 33% declined, nearly the same split as 2025. Among businesses above $50 million, the share reporting growth of more than 25% rose from 8% to 18%. Every other revenue segment held roughly flat. Larger operators also report more exposure to labor shortages, rising costs and tariffs than the rest of the market.
Improving cash flow is now the No. 2 goal for 2026 at 40%, up from 28% in 2025 and behind only net profit margin at 42%. The survey shows where the delay sits. Of the contractors surveyed, 82% invoice within three days of finishing work, yet 96% wait 15 days or more to be paid and 30% wait more than 30 days. The report places the lag with the customer, not the back office. ACH (43%) and check (34%) still dominate payment collection, with credit card at 15%.
AI is moving from curiosity to priority faster than it’s moving to proof. The share of contractors naming AI a top technology priority more than doubled, from 15% in 2025 to 33% in 2026. Of the contractors surveyed, 62% have piloted or deployed AI. Among AI users, 15% report a significant positive impact with clear ROI, and 43% report a moderate positive impact with ROI unproven. Scheduling and dispatch leads the list of areas where contractors expect AI to matter most over the next two years, at 37%.
Leila Rookstool, senior industry advisor for commercial at ServiceTitan, frames the findings around execution. Rookstool said: "The contractors who pull ahead won't be the ones who win the most work. They'll be the ones who execute on it best."
These three findings are a small part of the full picture. The 2026 Commercial Service Market Report also covers gross margin by work type, agreement penetration, tariff impact, field execution obstacles and CRM benchmarks.
