First up, I'd like to draw your attention to a survey we are running today, regarding women working in dealerships.
We have a few brief questions which we'd really appreciate receiving as much feedback on as possible, from our dealer readers. We are hoping to gain a sense of what the situation is currently like out there.
As ever, we will publish the results and a selection of your comments in the next edition of Service Dealer magazine. Thanks in advance for your help.
TAKE THE SURVEY
AEA Conference
It was the AEA's annual conference this week, which once again took place amongst the salubrious surroundings of the Institution of Civil Engineers building at Westminster. It was a well attended event, with plenty of dealers present amongst the delegates of manufacturer and supplier representatives who make up the Association's membership.
The format of the day saw a variety of speakers address the conference, followed by a lunch and further talks by the incoming president and specially invited presenters. There should in fact have been an even greater variety of speakers with Conservative MP, Mark Spencer, Minister of State Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs due to talk. However, "urgent business" drew him away at the 11th hour shortly before the conference began - but thankfully the first guest, TV and press political pundit, Andrew Neil, was happy to speak for longer and take questions from the floor.
We'll have more detail about what Mr Neil and the other speakers had to say in the upcoming edition of Service Dealer magazine.
Attracting and retaining staff
Following the speakers, pre-lunch, the AEA's incoming president, Martin Hamer, national sales manager for Fendt, gave his inaugural address.
What I found particularly interesting was his concentration on how the industry needs to attract and retain more team members across the board.
Martin said, "I believe the AEA is making great strides to get our industry noticed by those we need to run our businesses in the future. And making the case that our industry is at the top, or at the very least on, the career aspirations list for those in the education system."
Martin was keen to stress that the industry shouldn't just be attracting the offspring of farmers, ". . but the broad base of potential product specialists, marketers, parts managers, purchasing managers, engineers, I.T specialists, accountants, machine operators, and people managers to name but a few." These are people that Martin said the industry needs to make businesses in our sector succeed and prosper in the future.
Martin continued saying that he believes that the AEA’s We Are Land-Based programme is " . .leading the charge to spell out opportunities and clear career progression and qualification pathways, to attract the widest possible cohort of interested people – right from school through to university and those considering a career change."
He challenged the many business leaders of large organisations in the room on Tuesday to ask themselves, what were they doing to attract and retain staff?
He went on to say "I’m a firm believer that achievement leads to contentment. I also believe that you can’t just motivate people to achieve. But you can create an environment where they are motivated and happy, which leads to achievement."
He concluded, "As leaders we have to reflect and put ourselves in our employees’ shoes, our dealers’ shoes and our customers’ shoes. Is it clear what’s expected of them? Do they see where they fit in? Do we train them and give them the skills to understand and enhance what we want them to do? Are we creating the right environment?"
I thought Martin hit the right tone with his speech and I think all reading this today would agree that attracting and retaining staff is one of, if not the, most challenging and vital tasks facing dealers and manufacturers today.
Hopefully Martin raising this subject in a room full of influential industry figures both indicates that recruitment is at the top of the AEA's agenda - and will act as inspiration for the listening employers to redouble their efforts to raise the profile of our sector.
Easter break
Next Friday is Good Friday, so the Service Dealer Update will be taking a week's break.
Speaking to dealers and manufacturers this week, it's clear that everyone has fingers crossed that the weather situation will improve in order for the bank holiday period to give the season the kick-start it so desperately requires.
Hopefully when we reconvene, spring will have well and truly sprung!
