What would you, our valued dealer readers, say was the biggest shift in mowing habits in the past few years - both for your domestic and professional customers?

My guess is that it must be toss-up between either the growth of battery-powered products or the rise of robotics? From my observer's position it would seem that battery took off first and quickest. This seems to be backed up by the statistics too if we go by the results of EGO's Challenge 2025 campaign that we reported on last week.

As part of their recently published whitepaper, the manufacturer of cordless tools said that the percentage of petrol-powered equipment in use across Europe fell from 36% to 24% during the five years of their campaign. At the same time, they claim use of electric cordless equipment almost doubled, rising from 28% to 48%. 

So it doesn't seem too controversial a position to adopt, to say that battery powered outdoor machinery is now normalised, both in the minds of end-users, but crucially with dealers themselves.

If we're thinking about what is truly having its moment of ascendency right now though, that must be robotics. We discuss the topic regularly in Service Dealer. Just the other week we reported on Husqvarna being in the running for a couple of industry technology awards for their pioneering use autonomous mowing at the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcaw last year. Whilst today we hear from Mower Magic who have been recognised by their international supplier, Mammotion, with a Regional Growth Award, presented for outstanding growth and market development here in the UK.

So today, we're running one of our brief dealer surveys, to gauge your thoughts on the how the technology is faring for your dealership.

In the domestic market, robotic mowers appear to have moved beyond a novelty for the latest tech obsessed customer. Improved reliability, quieter operation and the appeal of a 'hands off' form of lawn care have all contributed to growing consumer interest.

Crucially, the technology itself has changed. App connectivity, weather response, and obstacle detection are now expected rather than premium features, helping position robotic mowing as a lifestyle product rather than a technical novelty.

That said, do barriers remain? Are you finding for your local customers that upfront costs, perceived complexity, and garden suitability are still shaping buying decisions? Is the challenge perhaps, not explaining what a robotic mower is, but rather helping customers decide whether it is right for them?

We’re keen to understand whether you’ve seen a genuine uplift in domestic demand this season, and whether that demand is converting into repeat customers and after-sales.

On the professional side, the conversation is arguably more nuanced.

Editor of our sister title TurfPro, Laurence Gale, is constantly hearing that landscapers, local authorities and sports turf managers are actively exploring robotic solutions, driven in part by labour shortages and the need for consistent, repeatable results. In fact he wrote a blog on the subject entitled From Curiosity To Core Tools this very week.

However, adoption is far from universal. Questions around productivity, site suitability, fleet management and return on investment still influence decision-making.

For dealers, this raises important questions. Are professional customers enthusiastically investing, cautiously trailing, or simply watching from the sidelines? And how does after-sales support differ compared to traditional machinery?

A clear driver for the growth of robotics, in both the domestic and professional segments, are the advances in RTK GPS, vision systems and AI navigation. Now that the boundary-wire isn't really part of the buying decision making process, we've heard anecdotally that more customers are converting - especially those that were previously in the market for a lawn tractor (or a ride-on fairway mower).

So today we would love to hear of your recent experiences with the tech in your dealership? Has there been an obvious uptick, or is your community of buyers still showing caution? This time next week it is, of course, the start of the long Easter weekend - traditionally the start of domestic machinery dealers' season (and, just to say, a week off for your favourite industry Update). Are you expecting a rush on robots out of your doors?

Please take a few moments to answer our quick questions today. As ever there is also space to leave your thoughts on the subject and we will endeavour to publish as many as we have space for in the upcoming issue of the magazine.

Thanks in advance for your help - and all the best for a cracking Easter!

TAKE THE SURVEY