We are proud to include a couple of stories today straight out of Service Dealer Towers.

Firstly we have some important news regarding the good cause that will be supported at the Dealer Of The Year Awards ceremony that is taking place in a couple of weeks' time.

Called Safe Fields For Ukraine, rather than an established charity it's a Crowdfunder initiative that is developing a new automated system for clearing agricultural fields that have been laced with landmines by the Russians. The scheme has as its intention, allowing Ukrainian farming to begin to get back on its feet once again, by making safe these vital territories. Apparently the Russian armed forces have mined land in more than six regions of Ukraine, using anti-personnel as well as anti-tank mines.

Louisa and Jonathan Elwes who are driving the Crowdfunder explain that the new tech they are developing works by a purpose-built drone determining the boundaries of the agricultural field and identifies foreign objects (including mines and missiles), generating safe navigation lines for an unmanned vehicle. The drone map then loads onto the control system of the automated vehicle, allowing it to move directly through fields to the dangerous objects already identified. Further identification of the objects and location can then take place, leading to the de-mining or neutralisation.

This project should pique the interest of our dealer and manufacturer guests at the Awards ceremony on a humanitarian level, but alongside this one feels it should also appeal to their natural interest in the development of new and innovative powered outdoor equipment. To be a part of helping towards the creation of a new solution to a hideous and very real problem, is a project that I think a room full of dealers and manufacturers will be keen to get behind.

New module launch

This inherent fascination that our dealer readers hold in exploring new avenues of innovation that move the boundaries of the sector onwards, also ties in with our other in-house story today. This being the exciting launch of the latest module in the Dealer Digital Toolkit.

This endeavour was launched as an entirely complementary service to the network during Covid - offering help and advice in a selection of areas, all geared towards the successful running of an independent dealership. Packed with video content featuring real dealers addressing real dealership issues, everybody involved in the creation of the Toolkit has the sharing of insight and wisdom as their guiding intention.

The module that has gone live today considers what's needed to build the dealership of the future. Looking at three key areas of what does a future dealership look like, the rise of robotics and how a dealership can be a force for good, it's all about offering up advice that can be put into practical application, safeguarding the business for the next 5, 10, 15 years.

One element of the new module for example, gives consideration to what does the modern premises need to offer customers who, as Service Dealer owner Duncan Murray-Clarke says in his introduction, have ever higher expectations? We hear from dealer Anthony Deacon of MKM, who following on from their devastating fire, is deep into the process of building a new facility from scratch.

Clearly having plenty of up-to-date, real-life experience to impart, he believes a key element is having a building that you can grow into - one that allows scope for expansion over the coming years. Also starting from scratch allows for thought to be given to environmental considerations such as your carbon footprint, including elements such as rainwater harvesting and electricity charging points.

Other progressive dealers also share their expertise in further insightful videos - all in easily-digestible, well formatted sections.

Please do have a look at the new module today. You can log-in with your details from before - although if you're like me and you can't remember how you accessed in the past, you can simply request a new password or register for the first time.

In these uncertain times, I genuinely believe that any help or inspiration that's offered up, is well worth checking out. Of course not everything will be relevant to everyone - however, you'll know what suits your business. You'll be able to identify that nugget of gold that you can shape and apply in your own way to your own situation.

Like I say, the service is entirely free and exists solely to benefit the dealer network. Visit it here.