As well as flocking to the beaches this week, I hope the warm weather has brought trade in through your doors - or at least to your covid-secure car park area!

I've been reading reports that the garden centre sector has been doing very well, despite the rest of the high street opening up now too. Perhaps this domestic upturn really is related to the many workers still being at home on furlough with some money to spend on garden improvements?  Whether this will dramatically change as furlough is phased out and the sad, yet seemingly inevitable, redundancies start kicking in, we shall see.

One slightly disturbing trend I did read about this week is the level of money that UK businesses are apparently owed. According to research carried out by business loan company, MarketFinance, there's an almost unbelievable £133b owed to British firms since lockdown. Based on their survey of 2000 companies, they say nine in ten businesses are waiting to be paid an average of £148,917 for work done pre-lockdown.

They also report that the vast majority of businesses (81%) are also expecting to wait longer to be paid for the goods they provide and work they do from now on. Apparently half anticipate waiting anywhere between 14-30 days beyond normal terms (45 days).

We all know the pressures that slow payments place on a small business's cashflow are significant. The company who carried out that research are of course biased and would advise that firms should look beyond banks and government for funding sources to get them through tight times - but there are options.

We actually have an article today from our SME Digest editor, Adam Bernstein, offering advice on different methods SMEs might want to consider to pull themselves through periods of financial hardships. Adam looks at how a business might find solutions by looking at areas such as using your accounts and available software, speaking to HMRC, speaking to the bank and speaking to creditors.

As ever, with all Adam's pieces, it's written in clear, jargon-free language so it's certainly worth a read. And indeed, as with all his other recent articles which can be found on Service Dealer's website, you might want to consider printing them off and keeping them together to form an information pack.

Elsewhere, business life in our sector is doing its utmost to continue as close to normal as possible. It's encouraging today to hear that Walker Mowers are in a position to appoint five new dealers across England. Signs that style of ride-on machine is finding increasing favour in the UK perhaps?

Also today we carry the news that Netherton Tractors in Scotland is building a new depot to accommodate an expanded John Deere territory. Undoubtedly good news for them and another example of the ever-changing franchise jigsaw at play - as one piece is added another is removed. Come October HRN Tractors will no longer hold the marque at their Balbeggie branch - with the manufacturer not commenting on other depots in the area.

These developments coincidentally tie in with a major feature in the latest edition of Service Dealer magazine, which I believe should be landing on your desks this coming week. Written by founder Chris Biddle, his superb article discusses the notion of the rise of the super-dealer and what place brand loyalty plays with customers.

Which comes first, Chris asks, the product or the dealer?

Chris looks at recent examples, talking to dealers C&O Tractors and Sharmans, both of whom have changed the colour of the machines on their forecourts. He also speaks to David Hart, md of Kubota UK about their dealer strategy and he considers research suggesting that brand loyalty isn't as prevalent amongst consumers as it once was.

It's a fascinating read so do look out for your copy of the magazine arriving this week. In the meantime, please feel free to leave any thoughts you have regarding where you believe customer loyalties lie - is it with you or your suppliers?