We're six days into it now, but I'd like to start today by wishing all our readers a happy new year!
I do hope you all managed to enjoy a well-earned and peaceful break over the Christmas and New Year period. That rest will prove vital as we progress into all the trials and tribulations that 2023 will no doubt throw at us all.
Looking on the bright side though, a glance back at my first blogs of the year for 2021 and 2022 reveals that we're certainly in a less anxious time now than at the start of both those years.
Last year we were worried about the rise of the Omicron variant and all the mass staff shortages it was causing for businesses with the mandatory 7-10 day isolation period workers were held to. Whilst at this time in 2021 we were commencing the start of the long, strict third lockdown - with dealers back to checking government guidelines regarding how they could trade.
So let's be thankful that whilst 2023 will have its own set of challenges - not least an escalating cost-of-living crisis - dealers are not having to do battle with those direct effects of Covid.
In fact this month we are able to experience tangible evidence that we're emerging from the other side of the pandemic with two of our sector's major trade shows returning to their traditional January slots for the first time since the start of 2020.
Next week, of interest to our agricultural machinery dealer readers, LAMMA is back at the NEC. Whilst in a couple of weeks' time, from the 24th, BIGGA's BTME returns to Harrogate, offering plenty for our commercial turfcare dealer readers to see.
Having these trade shows back in their established places on the industry calendar is reassuring and a sign that the world is doing its best to get back to normal.
Hangover
That's not to say that dealers aren't still feeling the hangover effects of the virus, because they clearly are. One obvious area that it seems like we've been talking about for an age now, but is still a sticking point for the smooth running of the dealership, is the stocking of goods and parts. This remains an issue that needs to be coped with.
I heard from a dealer this week who told me that stock availability is still the biggest thorn in their side. To be fair they did say that acquiring new machines is much better now and so far all the winter stock they have ordered has been fulfilled. However they did say that selling is quite simply a different experience now to what it was three years ago.
"Where we used to be able to offer the customer what they were looking for," this dealer said, "it is now a case of checking to see what is available to supply before we can even start to give any prices or guidance."
They also spoke of spare parts still being challenging and causing delay for their workshop in getting machines out of the door.
So we know dealers will be drawing on all their entrepreneurial skills once again, to see them through the year ahead. And we here at Service Dealer will be along for the ride to document and highlight what the network is experiencing.
You can read today which stories from this Weekly Update intrigued you the most during the course of last year. Always a fascinating piece to compile, do have a look to remind yourselves of 2022's biggest news and see if you can guess what came top?
As ever this year, please do get in touch with any stories you wish to share regarding your business or to let us know which industry issues are impacting the dealership. Our dealer readers are the magazine's lifeblood - we rely on your amazing feedback and contributions to keep our offering relevant and on-point.
If you've got something to say, always feel free to comment below any articles on here or the website - and please do drop me a line if you have any developments or opinions you'd like to see reflected in Service Dealer.
Let's take this 2023 journey together!
