Interesting news in today's Update about Honda now selling their premier lawn and garden range through John Lewis's website.

Coming hot on the heels of the STIHL and Dobbies announcement, which presumably is just the first of its kind, specialist dealers more than ever need to be concentrating on what they do best.

Offering a very real alternative to the mass channels.

But of course, it's all very well being the best at what you do in your local area, but what good is it if no one knows about you?!

Everyone will have their old regulars who they can count on for repeat business. However, they can't be relied upon forever.

Who else is out there? New people will have moved into the local area. Young people will have bought their first house with a garden. People whose previous machine was purchased from a shed or the internet will be looking to upgrade. There is definitely plenty of potential.

If they've never heard that there is retailer locally who specialises in the machinery they are after though, how are they expected to come in through your doors?

The key is good communication. You have to let them know there is a genuine, and frankly infinitely better, alternative available to them.

Focusing on customer communication is crucial for the long-term success of any small business. In the early stages of the relationship, effective communication ensures that the customer knows you exist and that you meet their immediate needs. As time goes on, regular communication with your customer base allows you to continue to meet its requirements – and of course benefit from their repeat business.

Communication is just one of the myriad of skills which a successful dealer needs to master to compete in the marketplace - but as skills go, it's right up there.

We have a Special Report supplement included with the forthcoming issue of Service Dealer magazine focusing on this very subject. It includes an interview with a dealer who is finding real success in mixing the modern with the traditional in terms of how they reach out to potential and existing customers.

The report also takes a look at areas such as social media, updating websites, local press advertising and not forgetting the vital communication tool of face-to-face, in-person interaction.

Powerful, effective communication is fundamental for specialist dealers - without it, few other aspects of a customer’s experience will matter.

Look out for the Special Report which will be included in the November / December edition of Service Dealer magazine.

SERVICE DEALER CONFERENCE

'The Challenge of Change: Embracing & Adapting To A Changing Market'

EARLY BIRD ticket prices end today, Friday September 29th!

Act now to take advantage of the discounted ticket prices to the Service Dealer Conference and Awards.

Make sure you don't miss out on what is set to be the dealer event of the year, for a reduced price, by booking your place now.

The outline of this year’s Conference has been announced – and it promises to be a fascinating and educational day with more expert speakers that ever before.

You can find out all about our lineup of speakers here.

A popular addition to the format last year, which shall return in Novemeber, are the Breakout Sessions offered to delegates. These allow you to become more deeply involved in subjects that are close to you and your business - getting invloved in the debate in a smaller group.

Click here to book your tickets at the special EARLY BIRD prices which are available until September 29th.

Also the organisers would like to welcome Ibcos who are the latest company to confirm as a sponsor of the event.

DEALER OF THE YEAR AWARDS -

DEADLINE EXTENDED! Nominations close October 10th.

Have you got your entry in yet for our Dealer of the Year Awards?

If not, don’t worry we have now extended the entry period until October 10th – and don’t forget that like last year dealerships are able to nominate themselves.

Our core awards will recognise Dealers of the Year across the Garden, Professional Turfcare, Farm Machinery, Forestry Equipment, and ATV/Quad sectors.



Once again the finalists for the Dealer of the Year awards will be assessed via feedback from the most important people to your business - your customers. 

Once you are entered into the competition we will send you a link which you could email to your customers which will take them to a page on our website where they can submit comments in favour of your dealership. We will also provide you with a logo you can add to your own website and a Word document you can print off and hand out at your premises.

We are now gathering this feedback until 10th October 2017. So don’t delay, click here to get your dealership in the running.

Honda’s premium lawn & garden machinery range is now available from the e-commerce site of UK retailer John Lewis.

Orders placed on the site are fulfilled by local authorised Honda dealers and delivered to the door, set-up and ready for the customer to use.

The move comes on the back of Honda establishing its first online store for lawn & garden products in June 2016, which the company in a statement says aims "to offer more convenience for customers while retaining the brand’s reputation for first-class service and support offered by its nationwide network of highly-qualified dealers."

The John Lewis site currently stocks 27 Honda models - with a range of petrol mowers from the IZY range, through larger pedestrian models, up to lawn tractors. It also carries Honda’s premium petrol-powered bruschcutters, hedge trimmers and leaf blower.

Once an order has been placed on the John Lewis site, a local Honda engineer will assemble the product, deliver personally to the customer’s door and carry out a full demonstration of how to use and maintain it. "In so doing," says a press release from Honda, "the customer also gets the peace of mind of meeting their local dealer who can be on hand for future advice, maintenance, servicing and repairs."

Steve Morris, Head of Power Products for Honda (UK) said, “While our traditional market model of selling largely through our dealer network is vital to ensuring that our customers get the very best in advice, service and support, customers continue to seek the convenience of buying online.

"By fulfilling these orders through local dealers, they now get both that convenience and the service which they expect and deserve for the life of their investment. John Lewis is a perfect partner for us given the close match in our customer bases and the first-class standards for which both brands are known.”

Burden Bros Agri were named the Swale Business Awards Employer of the Year 2017 at the prestigious awards ceremony on Friday 22nd September.


Dale Burden, Managing Director from Burden Bros Agri receives award from Dale Penfold, from COOK Ltd

Competing against 16 finalists for the coveted title, Burden Bros Agri were praised for the approach taken to integrate a significant number of new team members over the last year. This followed the acquisition of another neighbouring John Deere dealer business specialising in Turf products and services.

Dale Burden, Managing Director said, “It is the first year we’ve entered the awards and to be presented with Employer of the Year in our 10th anniversary year, is a magnificent achievement for the company, we’re absolutely delighted. Since the beginning, I’ve always wanted to help the team be the best they can be, through training, personal development and providing our talented staff with the opportunity to shine.”

Dale went on to say, “Our company has expanded greatly over the last year. Our people are our greatest asset, we’ve found communication with the team has been integral to our growth plans.”

Dealers Johnston Gilpin & Co based in County Down, Northern Ireland have been appointed by Overton (UK) for the range of Mean Green Electric Commercial mowers.



Randal McConnell Managing Director commented, “We are exceptionally pleased to be chosen by Overton (UK) to represent them in selling the Mean Green Electric mowers. These mowers are at the forefront of electrical technology having the ability to cut grass in a commercial application.

"We know that electric mowers will be in great demand by councils and large operators who are keen to do their bit for the environment and especially as the maintenance costs will be minimal compared to a similar diesel engined version. With no belts, no filters no refuelling and build quality derived from the aircraft industry, I am confident that these machines will do well for us”

For dealers interested in stocking the machines, the company will be exhibiting at the forthcoming SALTEX exhibition.

Deere & Company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Blue River Technology, which is based in Sunnyvale, California and is described as a leader in applying machine learning to agriculture.



“We welcome the opportunity to work with a Blue River Technology team that is highly skilled and intensely dedicated to rapidly advancing the implementation of machine learning in agriculture,” said John May, president, agricultural solutions and chief information officer at Deere. “As a leader in precision agriculture, John Deere recognises the importance of technology to our customers. Machine learning is an important capability for Deere’s future.”

As an innovation leader, Blue River Technology has successfully applied machine learning to agricultural spraying equipment and Deere is confident that similar technology can be used in the future on a wider range of products, May said.

Blue River has designed and integrated computer vision and machine learning technology that will enable growers to reduce the use of herbicides by spraying only where weeds are present, optimising the use of inputs in farming - a key objective of precision agriculture.

“Blue River is advancing precision agriculture by moving farm management decisions from the field level to the plant level,” said Jorge Heraud, co-founder and CEO of Blue River Technology. “We are using computer vision, robotics and machine learning to help smart machines detect, identify and make management decisions about every single plant in the field.”

Already in 2017, Blue River Technology has been listed among Inc Magazine’s 25 Most Disruptive Companies, Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, CB Insights’ 100 Most Promising Artificial Intelligence Companies in the World and the Top 50 Agricultural Innovations by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.

Deere said it will invest $305 million to fully acquire Blue River Technology. Deere plans to have the 60-person firm remain in Sunnyvale, with an objective to continue its rapid growth and innovation with the same entrepreneurial spirit that has led to its success. 

May said the investment in Blue River Technology is similar to Deere’s acquisition of NavCom Technology in 1999, which established Deere as a leader in the use of GPS technology for agriculture and accelerated machine connectivity and optimisation.

Reesink Turfcare has appointed John Addy to its TYM Tractors team as northern regional sales manager.

This appointment is, says Steve Haynes, TYM sales manager, part of a strategy to accelerate growth of the TYM business in the UK. John has vast sales experience in the sector, having worked at dealer level for some time, not only in the groundscare market, but also working with construction equipment sales.

Steven says, “John has experience in all the key areas important for this role, he has a good understanding of the tractor market and a proven track record for sales having worked within the dealer network for some time. It’s this knowledge of working with dealers that makes John ideal for the role and our plans to grow the TYM dealer network and further strengthen and support the relationships that already exist.”

Concluding the news from the brand is that Scott Turner, who had previously held the position of TYM product specialist takes responsibility for sales in the south.

Steven says: “Scott moves from his role of TYM product manager where he used to work with all dealers across the UK to now focusing on dealers in the south. This new structure focusses on the skills of two individuals who are tractor specialists. By splitting the sales area between the two guys we can now fully focus our efforts on the day to day tractor activity and developing our dealer network to further grow the TYM business in the UK.”

Steven concludes by saying: “Reesink Turfcare introduced the TYM brand to the UK five years ago and it’s been very well received by the market in that time. Brand development has been progressive and we’re now in the perfect position to enhance our focus on the opportunities for our dealers across the country.”

The top educators in the agricultural machinery sector chose Kubota UK to host their annual conference, ensuring they are up to speed with the latest machinery and technology offered by the manufacturer.



The Association of Lecturers In Agriculture Machinery (ALAM), whose members boast academic staff from top colleges across the country, including Harper Adams and Hartpury College, were treated to a host of lectures and workshops covering Kubota’s global business heritage, its product offering and plans for the future, whilst also getting hands on experience with Kubota machinery and visiting local dealers from Kubota’s network.

Ian Coleman, Chairman of ALAM and lecturer at Hartpury College, said: “The function of ALAM is to keep up-to-date with the latest technologies and to disseminate current practices and focuses to our members, ensuring that what we teach our students across the country reflects the modern industry. Holding our conference at Kubota UK this year has filled us with confidence that we are up to speed with technological advances, trends for the future and updating our knowledge on Kubota’s product portfolio, from horticulture right the way through to agriculture.

“Technical updates are vital for both ALAM and our students, so another advantage of working with Kubota is that we can look outside of the standard agricultural box into other sectors, giving us a rounded view and ensuring that we have our finger on the pulse of the industry as a whole. The three days were hugely beneficial and demonstrated the clear advantages of networking between colleges, colleagues and manufacturers.”

Keith Miller, Service and Training Manager at Kubota UK, added: “For Kubota, the relationship with all the UK agricultural colleges is really important. We understand that communicating the essential principles of machinery and their operation to the colleges makes a real contribution to the future learning of the students and the sector as a whole, injecting a high number of skilled engineers into the industry.

“It’s for these reasons that we put so much effort into the ALAM conference, with a rigorous itinerary that included getting hands on experience with a number of machine models, including the new Kubota M7001 series, plus visiting two of our leading dealers, Lister Wilder and George Browns, to give insights from their perspective too. We really wanted Ian and the whole ALAM team to get as much out of the three days as possible and the feedback we’ve had has been very positive.”

Dave Roberts, Kubota UK Managing Director, closed by adding: “It has been a great pleasure welcoming ALAM to Kubota UK for the team’s annual conference. There’s a real synergy between our organisations, not only in the agricultural machinery we manufacture, but also in the need for all stakeholders in the industry to work together to ensure that we are all aligned in promoting the best practice for agricultural and horticultural engineering. This is essential in keeping the full and sustainable availability of quality engineers to support the market, which is increasingly complex and diverse.

“We also have a strong affinity with ALAM as we currently have 4 apprentices in our business, and a number of our team, including myself, went through the agricultural machinery education system."

Farm machinery dealer Mike Pullin hopes to see something positive come out of the untimely death of his wife earlier this year by undertaking a fund-raising walk for the charity that helped him and his family during the most difficult time of their lives.


Mike Pullin

But instead of setting out on a simple sponsored walk in the picturesque Malvern Hills close to his P & D Engineering dealership at Bredon in Gloucestershire, Mike has signed up for a Sue Ryder challenge - an arduous six-day trek in the eastern Himalayas.

For someone who does not count walking or rambling as one of his regular pastimes, the 60km (38 mile) route through valleys and forests and along rocky ridges in the Kingdom of Bhutan will be a genuine personal challenge.

“I’ve enjoyed the walks I’ve done to get a bit fitter since signing up for the challenge and also the gym workouts twice a week,” he says. “But I’m under no illusions that it will be as easy to walk 10-15km (6-9 miles) a day over steep mountainous terrain in unpredictable weather at high altitude.”

As a supplier of agricultural equipment, Mike’s professional interest in the small farms, orchards and cultivated farmland of the Paro valley during the first 10km (6 mile) leg will no doubt be a distraction to any discomforts. But thereafter, steep climbs, rocky trails and often slippery ridge paths, plus the impact of altitude while walking at up to 4200 metres above sea level, will no doubt focus the mind on the seriousness of the undertaking.

“The first I knew about this challenge was from a poster in the Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice where Penny, my wife and business partner for 36 years, received fantastic care,” says Mike. “The impact the hospice had on me and my family was incredibly touching, and now I feel it’s my turn, to say thank you to the Sue Ryder staff for their hard work and commitment to my family.”


Mike and Penny Pullin at the Royal Three Counties Show where they secured several ‘best stand’ awards

Through sponsorship from family, friends and business associates, Mike hopes to raise at least £4,000 - half the cost of running a hospice for just one day.

He also hopes his efforts will help raise awareness of Sue Ryder, which provides specialised care for people with life-changing conditions either at home or in the seven hospices it operates, and in the five neurological centres for people with conditions affecting the brain and nervous system.

“It’s so important that this organisation raises funds for the vital support and service it provides to families like ours,” says Mike. “So I really hope I get the help to achieve or even exceed my target as I undertake this trek to give something back.”

Donations towards Mike’s ambitious fund-raising effort can be made direct or online through his Just Giving page.

Massey Ferguson has scooped a Silver Medal for the newly-launched IDEAL combine harvesters in the Innovation Awards presented by the DLG (German Agricultural Society).

Developed by its parent company AGCO, IDEAL from Massey Ferguson is described as a completely new, high-performance combine range designed using requirements taken directly from farmers and operators around the world. The range includes three models from 451 to 647hp.



In awarding the Silver Medal, the citation from the expert committee said that “the IDEAL combine is the first combine in years to be developed from scratch and to feature special technology.”

Particular mention was made of the combine’s narrow transport width. According to the judges, “as high-capacity combines continue to increase in size to boost productivity and efficiency, road transport width is becoming the limiting factor in this development. The IDEAL combine is the only high-capacity combine that does not exceed the 3.3 m transport width and still uses ground-friendly running gear.”

Even the largest 647hp MF IDEAL 9 with 800mm tyres or the new 26-inch (660mm) inhouse-designed TrakRide rubber track system can meet a 3.3m overall width requirement, expanding the potential for width-regulated farmers.

Also highlighted by the jury was the fully-automatic header attachment with header identification which enable settings of the particular header to be retrieved. This AutoDock™ table hook-up saves time, promotes safety and minimises effort for the operator. When hooking-up the header from a table-trailer or from the ground, the operator simply presses a button in the cab and all the connections - mechanical, electrical and hydraulic - are made automatically by a robotised process

“This is a great result. We are confident that the MF IDEAL is a real winner and are honoured to receive the award,” says Thierry Lhotte, Vice President and Managing Director, Massey Ferguson Europe and Middle East.

“We are very excited that the new combines are already winning international recognition. With its exceptional new features, the range is a game-changer for our customers, designed to offer real business benefits that make a positive contribution to their productivity and profitability.”

In a stunt that will no doubt infuriate both health and safety officials and vegetarians, a man has filmed himself modifying his lawnmower's engine so he can both cut the grass and cook bacon at the same time!

The man behind the YouTube channel Project Farm said the idea was suggested to him in a comment by one of his followers.

In the video he replaces the engine oil with cooking oil and modifies the machine so that it's able to sort of deep fry the bacon, which he wraps in tinfoil.

After the video shows him making the modifications and mowing the lawn for an unspecified amount of time, the machine then somehow blows out orange smoke to indicate the bacon is cooked. The man is then seen tasting the bacon and saying how good it is.

Quite tellingly he only appears to have a couple of very quick, very small bites!

It's difficult from the video to tell what make of mower he is using - perhaps it's a Maspork?!

Any other suggestions gratefully received in the comments below . . .

For a free demonstration contact Evopos on Tel: 01202 795900

Evopos UK Ltd are the producer of the Dealer management software which service dealers are taking a serious look at. This all-in-one solution with friendly and effective telephone support may be worth checking out, if you are a new service dealer or are currently unsatisfied with your current system.

The latest version includes quick and easy point of sale software, comprehensive stock control, workshop organiser, hire contract module, accounting package and state of the art automated SMS and email marketing, all of these features are available in specifically designed dealer packages.

"What makes Evopos streets ahead of its competitors?" asks Denis Bullen (MD). "Evopos is perfect for the Service Industry; everything about the customer is tracked, sales of parts, whole goods and all vital contact information."


Denis Bullen, Evopos md

Denis continues, "The workshop module is of particular interest to most service dealers. Evopos will fulfil the main three requirements that make any busy workshop successful.

• 1. Easy to use; this minimises mistakes making sure correct time is billed for and all the information is correct.
• 2. Maximises sales and repeat custom using the excellent time management and service reminder tools built into Evopos.
• 3. Helps to provide the very best customer service; by providing engineers and salesman with all the necessary information to make the job or the sale as easy for the customer as it as easy for you.

"As far as I can see the workshop process is fairly straight forward

• Step one: Book the job in, providing the customer with details regarding the job.
• Step two: Book parts and labour to the job.(Evopos will automatically remind the customer to drop the machine off and when the job is finished, let the customer know when to pick it up via an SMS text or email alert.)
• Set three: Produce a professional looking invoice for when the customer picks up their machine.

"A comprehensive history is retained within the Evopos system. For example for each machine you can see who has previously owned it and what work it has had done to it.

"Evopos offers a very competitive pricing structure, where costs are kept to a minimum. A standard dealer package can cost as little as £75.00 per month, there are no hidden extras. If you are concerned about losing your old customer database, this shouldn't be a problem. The helpful support team can convert most databases into workable Evopos data at no extra charge.

"Evopos is a low cost way to help make your business more controllable and profitable. It's a total business management solution."

Whether you are a new start-up or run an existing business, why not contact Evopos and arrange a no obligation free demo and see what Evopos can do for your business.

Contact them direct on telephone: 01202 795900 or register online at Evopos.com and they will call you.

Software that does more and costs less.

The countdown to Europe’s largest annual turf management event has officially begun, marked by the opening of online visitor registration.



SALTEX 2017 takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 1-2 November, and has already attracted over 250 exhibitors - a number that’s set to grow further in the weeks leading up to the event. Confirmed to return are a number of leading brand names spanning the whole turf management industry including manufacturers and suppliers of world-class products and services for the maintenance of pitches, grounds, landscaping, parks and estates.

SALTEX will also once again boast unique show features such as:

• Learning LIVE - an all-encompassing free-to-attend education programme offering grounds and open space practitioners across all disciplines, volunteer as well as professional, the chance to increase their CPD points.
• Outdoor demonstrations - providing an opportunity to see a number of products in action directly outside the SALTEX halls 6, 7 and 8.
• The SALTEX College Cup - a national student-led sports-turf challenge sponsored by Ransomes.
• Pathology & Soil Science LIVE - allowing visitors to look in detail at the symptoms of some common turfgrass fungal disease problems.
• The Young Groundsmen’s Conference, sponsored by Rigby Taylor and Top Green - an ideal opportunity for young people looking to advance their career in the groundscare industry
• Ask the Expert – free pitchcare advice from the IOG’s team of regional pitch advisors based on the IOG Hub
• The IOG Industry Awards - the UK’s biggest celebration in groundsmanship held on the evening of the first day (1 November) at the National Motorcycle Museum.
• NEW for 2017! The Job Clinic – the chance to receive one-to-one advice from industry expert Frank Newberry on how to progress your career, write a compelling CV and perform well in an interview situation.

Located in the centre of the UK, whether you are travelling from overseas or within the UK, the NEC is incredibly easy to get to by car, rail or air.

SALTEX 2017 is free to attend. To register your attendance and beat the queues visit www.iogsaltex.com

Follow SALTEX on Twitter @IOG_SALTEX and Facebook - www.facebook.com/IOGSALTEX

For further details click here.

The full offer can be downloaded via www.uni-power.co.uk (Account login details required), or requested via info@uni-power.co.uk .

The following organisations have confirmed their sponsorship of the 2017 Service Dealer Conference and Awards. We’d like to welcome them on board and thank them for their support and input. 

PRINCIPAL SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSOR




GOLD SPONSOR




SPONSORS

Want to become a sponsor? Email: julie@theadplain.com