According to the Irish Senior Management Business Sentiment Survey in 2023, more than 80% of Irish SMEs find retaining staff a significant challenge, with eight out of ten spending more time on recruitment compared to 2019. 

Ireland is almost at full employment with recent figures showing that only 4.3% of the population is out of work. With such a small pool to fish from, and given the specialised skillset that is needed to run a dealership, it makes it very difficult for Irish dealers to recruit talented and experienced staff.

Niamh O’ Brien, Director of Talent Management with BDO Ireland said “……many SMEs are starting to create EVPs (Employee Value Proposition) as part of their efforts to make sure their staff are aware of the benefits they offer.”

Including an EVP in your advertising campaign is like employees including their C.V with their job application. It can be worthwhile as it allows any possible new employees know what benefits you have to offer and how it compares against your competitors’ benefits. This helps in attracting and retaining the best talent you can get and also improves your dealership’s brand recognition.

Examples of job benefits would be: how many days annual leave will you give; what are the sick leave benefits; career development; training; overtime rates. An effective EVP can reduce your cost of recruiting by attracting and retaining employees who are a good fit for your business and are therefore more likely to stay.

Creating an EVP is like creating a Safety Statement but with less trouble. You may need different EVPs for different job rolls or departments such as sales reps, office administration or the workshop. It would be no harm to do some research on finding out what your target employees value most in their jobs. This may involve carrying out a survey. A good starting point would be to ask your existing employees what they value the most at work. Once you have gathered this information you can begin compiling your EVP.

Recruiting and retaining mechanics for the workshop is probably the biggest challenge dealers are facing at the moment. Informing the agricultural mechanical engineering colleges of your recruitment plan, including your EVP, would be a good starting point.

I am delighted to report that the theme for this years’ Service Dealer Conference and Awards is ‘Driving Success’. The Service Dealer Conference & Awards takes place on Thursday 28th November 2024, once again at the Crown Plaza, Stratford-Upon-Avon. For more information on how you can be a part of the event and to stay updated on conference news visit our website or follow us on social media @servicedealer

To conclude, I would like to offer my sympathies to the family of the late Seamus Weldon, who passed away last month. Seamus was the main John Deere Dealer for turf equipment in Munster and was based in Barleymount, just 11km outside of Killarney. I met Seamus many times at ATPI events, particularly in their Southwest regional golf outings and found him a true gentleman. You can read a more detailed tribute to Seamus in this edition of Service Dealer Ireland.

The Irish turfcare dealership community were deeply saddened on hearing the news of the death of Seamus Weldon. Seamus was the founder of Seamus Weldon/Gortnavogue Ltd, a business located at Barleymount, just outside Killarney in Co. Kerry, which he founded in the 1970’s. Seamus passed away on the morning of 16th March after a battle with Motor Neuron Disease.

Specialising in lawn mower equipment, Seamus was best known as the main John Deere equipment agent for Munster. It was by chance that he got into the industry. During the 1970s Killarney Golf Club bought one of the first hydraulic mowers in Ireland. From time to time it would break down and would be transported back to Dublin for repairs. At that time Seamus was working at the Liebherrs factory, which was located across the road from the golf club. One day, during his lunch break, Seamus was passing by the golf club and saw the machine, which had broken down again, He had a look at it and got the mower back up and working. A few weeks later the mower broke down again, The golf club asked the factory to allow Seamus time off to fix the mower. From there he started into golf and lawnmower sales and repairs. 

Seamus was a very talented engineer, where he often modified some of the John Deere tractors to suit his customers’ needs. Speaking at his father’s funeral Mass, James said “Seamus often made his own design modifications to John Deere machines, working on feedback from his customers. These were fed back to the parent companies who often acted out on them. I used to wonder, at times, if we were going to end up moving to America with him working in the John Deere design department.” 

Seamus Weldon was very much a GAA fan. He managed his home club, Fossa GAA, to successive Division Two and Division One East Kerry championships. He was also a great supporter of St Paul’s Basketball Club in the town, and would often watch his sons and grandchildren play the sport.

Seamus was very generous and would sponsor many organisations and events. He was particularly generous to the Association of Turfgrass Professionals Ireland (ATPI) where he would sponsor their educational and golfing days, particularly the ATPI Southwest region. 

Seamus fought bravely against Motor Neuron Disease. “MND is a dreadful disease to deal with but you would have been forgiven for thinking that Seamus didn't have it at all as he was so strong and courageous right up until the end,” added James. “We would like to take the opportunity to thank the medical teams and Palliative Care staff for their compassion and professionalism as they showed during his time.”

Seamus is survived by his wife, Eileen, daughter Kathleen and sons Michael, James and Padraig, son-in-law James Culloty, daughters-in-law Hilda, Sharon and Gillian, and grandchildren Ewan, Eve, Shea, Ava, Rian, Ruairí, Zachery and Esme.

May he rest in peace.

Landini, the brand of the Argo Tractors group, has marked its 140th anniversary by honouring its history while looking towards a bright future in which it aims to consolidate its presence throughout the international market, including Ireland. 

Kevin Phelan, Country Manager for Ireland

In 1884, Giovanni Landini founded Officine Landini, a factory which produced wine making machines in Fabbrico, 60 kilometres from the northern Italian city of Bologna, where the headquarters of Argo Tractors is still based.  

Inspired by the 1900 World’s Fair in Paris, Landini successfully built the world’s fixed hot bulb engine a decade later, which was initially used by farmers for threshing and water pumping. 

By 1925, the company’s first tractor - the Landini 25/30 HP - went into production, setting in motion a proud manufacturing tradition which has been maintained to this day.  

2024 also marks the 30th anniversary of Landini's acquisition by the Morra family, which, combined with the subsequent addition of McCormick, led to creation of Argo Tractors in 2007. 

Led by Kevin Phelan, Country Manager for Ireland, Argo Tractors Ireland Ltd continues to deepen its footprint across the country through the impressive expansion of its dealer network. 

“Passion and innovation are the key drivers that have guided us over the years,” said Valerio Morra, the President of Argo Tractors. 

“This has made us ambassadors of ‘Made in Italy’, proudly represented abroad, where we have expanded our presence with the creation of new branches, including Argo Tractors Ireland Ltd, while consolidating our extensive sales network. 

“The innovative process set in motion by our founders in the 19th century has continued to take centre stage, thanks to the passion we devote every day to manufacturing tractors and offering increasingly connected, cutting-edge digital services. 140 years is a historic milestone that places us among the world's oldest manufacturers and is also a reason to move proudly on to new heights.” 

Argo Tractors Ireland Ltd, one of the newest brands in Irish agriculture, was launched at the FTMTA Farm Machinery Show in Punchestown Racecourse last July. 

“This is a most significant anniversary for Landini,” said Kevin Phelan. “As Country Manager for Ireland, I am very proud of the advances Argo Tractors Ireland has made withing our market since last year’s launch and we’re looking forward to developing further working relationships and promoting the Landini brand throughout the remainder of this year – and beyond.”  

Further events to commemorate Landini’s landmark anniversary will be announced by Argo Tractors in the coming months. 

The latest FTMTA Statistics Service Report for February 2024 shows an increased level of activity in the farm machinery sector in Ireland with new tractor and telescopic loader registrations continuing in an upward trend. The numbers of imported used tractors and machines, registered for the first time in Ireland, reduced compared with the same month of February 2023.

Tractors
The February 2024 new tractor market at 231 units was 2% higher compared with the same month in 2023. There were 662 new tractors registered in the year-to-date, a 7% decline compared with the first two months of 2023.

County Cork continues to deliver the highest number of new tractor registrations at 101 units for the year-to-date, while Tipperary is ranked in second place with 67 units followed by Limerick at 38 units.

The most popular power band moves to the 161 to 200hp category, which for February 2024 accounted for 23.4% of all new tractor registrations. Tractors in the power band lower than 100hp now account for 6.04% of all new tractor registrations, slightly higher than for the same month in 2023. The over 200hp category now accounts for 12.83% of all new tractors, up from 7.72% of registrations for the first two months of 2023.

The FTMTA data shows that 225 imported used tractors were first-time registered in Ireland in February 2024, 70 units less than in February 2023. For the year to date, 427 used tractors were imported and registered for the first time, an 18.6% decline.

Telescopic Loaders
The Irish market for new telescopic loaders reported continued growth in February 2024 at 60 units. The latest FTMTA data shows new telescopic registrations increased in February 2024 by 13.2%  compared with February 2023 when 53 units were registered. The year-to date market shows a 13.2% increase in registrations. The two leading brands JCB and Manitou account for 67% of the total market, while Kramer has grown to a healthy 15% market share. There were 43 imported used telescopic loaders registered in February 2024.

Wheeled Loaders
The Irish wheeled loader market recorded a lower number of new registrations in February 2024 at 21 units, compared with February 2023, while the year-to-date market decreased by 9%. The market dominance of the smaller Chinese manufactured machines at the lower price and power end of the market for farmers remains strong and now accounts for over 57% of the new wheeled loader registrations in Ireland. There were just 3 imported used wheeled loaders registered in February 2024.

Backhoe Loaders
The Irish backhoe loader market improved in February 2024 compared with February 2023 with 11 new machines, which converts to a 120% increase. There were 5 used backhoe loaders registered in February 2024 in Ireland.

The first two companies who will be supporting November's Service Dealer Conference & Awards have been unveiled.

They are:

Husqvarna UK who are returning as a Gold Sponsor

And Societe Generale Equipment Finance who are also returning as a Gold Sponsor.

Service Dealer owner Duncan Murray-Clarke said, "We are tremendously excited about how this year's event is taking shape. We are building upon the energy and buzz that was generated at last year's Conference and Awards - and we are determined to keep that momentum building ahead of November.

"It is a delight today to welcome back both Husqvarna and Societe Generale Equipment Finance who have chosen to support our day again, which is dedicated to the dealer network."

Stephen Irvine, head of UK sales at Husqvarna UK Ltd, said, "Husqvarna are very pleased to be sponsoring the Service Dealer Conference and Awards again this year.
 
"The conference and awards are an investment into our industry and we are delighted to be part of this event”.

Steven Davies, head of Agriculture at Societe Generale Equipment Finance, said "Societe Generale Equipment Finance UK (SGEF) is delighted to be a sponsor of the Service Dealer Awards for the third year.
 
"Service Dealer’s focus on driving success aligns closely with SGEF’s commitment to build together with our clients and partners a successful future through innovative and meaningful finance solutions."

The theme for this year's Service Dealer Conference has been announced as Driving Success and it will take place, along with the Dealer Of The Year Awards, once again at the Crowne Plaza, Stratford-Upon-Avon on Thursday 28th November 2024.

For more information on how you can be a part of the event and to stay updated on conference news visit our website or follow us on social media @servicedealer

The styling of the new Steyr Plus series has been recognised by the judges of one of the design sector’s most globally-respected prizes, with the presentation of an iF Design Award.

The awards were first granted in 1954. This year’s edition attracted 10,800 entries from 72 countries, with the Steyr Plus tractor range a winner in the Industrial Machine category. To achieve this involved passing a rigorous two-stage selection by a jury of industry-respected design experts. The iF seal is granted to products that blend innovative style and aesthetics with enhanced functionality, to benefit customers while raising the profile of the design community.

With five models spanning 80-117hp, the new Plus line of four-cylinder tractors has introduced new styling and a new name in a power bracket that represents the largest market in Europe by volume. The manufacturer says the Plus styling not only ensures the tractors stand out visually, but brings with it practical benefits such as seamlessly-integrated road and work lights for easier, safer operation in the field and on the road. The design also acknowledges the technology now available inside the tractors, including the latest precision farming systems such as S-Fleet telematics and S-Guide steering automation.

“It’s great to see Steyr engineers and the design team of our parent CNH recognised with one of the world’s most important design awards,” says David Wilkie, head of design at CNH. “Following their launch at Agritechnica, we are looking forward to showing potential customers the substance and specification beneath the style of the new Plus range.”

Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) has expanded its network development team in the UK with the appointment of off-road specialist Richard Gregg as network development advisor Ireland and the UK for the Can-Am off-road and Sea-Doo brands.

The manufacturer says the appointment will enable them to continue to optimise its dealer programme, while growing its share of the recreational and utility markets. 

Richard has a wealth of experience in the off-road sector having spent the last four years as BRP’s district commercial manager for Ireland and the UK where he managed the Can-Am off-road dealer network in Northern England and Scotland.

Anita Gobbo, BRP regional commercial manager UK, Italy, Ireland and Spain, said, “We are prioritising the growth of our UK and Irish dealer networks and are delighted that Richard Gregg will be spearheading this expansion. Richard is well known in both the recreational and utility sectors and his knowledge and contacts will enable him to hit the ground running.

"His experience working with dealers in his previous role will also help him cherry pick the very best dealers that will be an asset to the brands they take on. His passion for BRP will provide new dealers with insights into the breadth of products available to them and the benefits their addition will bring to their businesses in the short, medium and long term.”

We are currently looking for a Technical Specialist to join our team, the role requires a self-motivated individual with excellent technical experience specifically working with robot and battery-operated product. The successful candidate will be a key member of the Stihl team, providing support for technical sales and support to our dealer network. This role will be predominantly field based to ensure maximum brand awareness and high-quality service. 

Responsibilities: 

• Manage and interpret dealer requirements to understand, meet and exceed their needs and expectations.
• Development of service induction processes for new customers.
• Liaise with customers on technical and compliance matters to service our customer needs.
• Provide high quality technical expertise, product knowledge and support with difficult repairs.
• Maintain customer relationships, ensuring satisfaction and increasing loyalty to the business/brand.
• Create and escalate possible sales opportunities to the Sales Team.
• Process repairs and support calls within agreed timeframes.
• Reporting on faults to suppliers and customers both internally and externally.
• Provide training for new and existing customers both internally and externally.
• Responsible for installations of iMow, exhibition stock and displays as required.
• Managing and prioritising day to day activities including servicing, training, installations and upgrades.
• Assembly and pre-delivery inspection of Stihl machines for staff and exhibitions.
• Be aware and implement all company procedures to enhance the Stihl brand experience.

Key Attributes & Skills Required:

• Minimum 3 years’ experience working in a technical sales and support role.
• Full clean driving licence
• Customer focused approach with excellent communication and listening skills.
• Excellent literacy/English Language skills
• Strong Computer literacy: MS Office (Outlook, Word & Excel)
• Microsoft Dynamics skills desirable but not essential
• Conscientious, good team player, cooperative, reliable, efficient, and diplomatic
• Problem solving approach.
• Self-motivated individual with a willingness to succeed.
• Stihl experience advantageous

To apply contact Laura O'Brien at Lobrien@origo.ie

The new Workshop Scheduler comes with a variety of features that aim to simplify yet enhance the way you work. These minimise duplicate effort, promote intuitive working, and help you save time on simple tasks.

With real-time updates, you can manage your business better and smarter. This will not only improve your relationship with your customers and build trust through the accurate updates you provide them with, but it will also allow you to improve the relationship with your engineers by being able to better manage their workload.

With the various timeline views such as day, week, and month, you can easily track what is happening and when. The increased visibility and icon changes that show you the different statuses of a job will improve efficiency.

Workshop Scheduler reduces the need to repeat tasks. For example, the copy and paste feature enables you to easily copy a schedule and paste it to another day, time, or engineer. The un-scheduled task list allows you to re-schedule tasks at a time that suits you without having to create new tasks each time. These all reduce the need to start from scratch for every new job.

Whether your engineer is taking time off for holiday, training, or an illness, you can easily block out time for engineers without assigning them to a specific job. This will ensure that their available hours and days to work are accurate and up to date.

Advanced filtering lets you find the information you need in the quickest way possible. Filter by customer, item, model description, address, job status, invoice type and more!

With the new Workshop Scheduler fully integrated with Ibcos Gold and Ibcos Gold Service, managing your day-to-day tasks couldn’t get simpler!
For more information visit our page to view our info sheets, watch our promo video, and review our training material, click here.

To hear from our sales team and to begin your Workshop Scheduler journey, contact us at +44 (0) 1202 714200 or email sales@ibcos.co.uk.