First up today, some super exciting news regarding another expert speaker for our Conference in December.
The organising team are delighted to announce that GB Paralympic gold medallist Frankie Allen MBE will be talking to our valued dealer delegates. Frankie, who has a collection of medals longer than Mr Tickle's arms, will be talking about the culture at the heart of an incredibly successful team. In her case the team are top level rowers, but as ever with all our Conference speakers, parallels will be drawn to the dealership experience. I am very much looking forward to hear her presentation, which will compliment our previously announced keynote speaker, Cally Beaton.
Speaking of the dealership experience, recruitment has long been one of the biggest headaches facing our readers of every machinery discipline - domestic, commercial, agricultural and construction. Whether it’s finding experienced technicians, attracting younger people into the workplace, or simply holding on to good staff once they are trained, it’s a challenge that has repeatedly come up in conversations with dealers across the country.
Looking back on the results of our survey that we ran on the subject around this time last year, things were still proving extremely difficult in 2025.
Last year, more than eight in ten dealers who responded described recruitment as ‘extremely difficult’. While many businesses had successfully hired new staff over the previous 12 months, the vast majority were still looking to recruit further. The biggest issue cited was a lack of candidates coming through the door in the first place, followed closely by a shortage of suitable skills and experience amongst applicants.
Other frustrations also emerged. Unrealistic wage expectations were frequently mentioned, alongside concerns about younger people simply not being aware of the opportunities that exist within the agricultural, groundscare and outdoor power equipment sectors.
At the same time, however, there has undeniably been a growing push across the industry to improve that situation. I don't think it's in any way fair to claim that recruitment is a subject that is not at least being discussed.
Campaigns such as WeAreLandbasedEngineering, alongside apprenticeship initiatives, dealer-led outreach and manufacturer support programmes, are all aiming to shine more of a spotlight on careers within the sector. More businesses are engaging with schools and colleges, social media is increasingly being used to promote vacancies and career paths, and there appears to be a wider recognition that the industry needs to do a better job of selling itself to the next generation.
The question is: has any of that started to make a genuine difference at a dealership level?
That’s what we want to find out in our recruitment survey today.
Has recruitment become any easier over the past 12 months? Are more suitable candidates applying for vacancies? Have any industry initiatives improved awareness of your business amongst younger people? Or are dealers still facing the same uphill battle they were a year ago?
As we always do with our surveys, we have space for your extended comments. You can tell us which roles are proving hardest to fill, whether dealerships are having more success retaining staff, what recruitment methods are currently working best, and where you believe responsibility lies for promoting careers within the sector.
As always, the aim is to gauge our readers for a snapshot of the challenges facing dealerships today. Understanding whether the situation is improving, stagnating or worsening feels more important than ever.
So, if you can spare a few minutes, we’d greatly appreciate your input. We will publishing the findings in the next issue of Service Dealer magazine, and like I say, we will feature as many of your comments on the subject as we have space for.
Thanks in advance for your help.
TAKE THE SURVEY
