I suspect if small business owners from sectors other than ours were asked what external factors traditionally hit them the hardest, I might imagine the answers to include matters like the economy, interest rates, political uncertainty or changing technology. But whenever we've surveyed our valued dealer readers about which pressures beyond your control impact fortunes the greatest, there's always one clear winner. The weather.

Too wet, or, as we've seen this summer, too dry, and the effects on showrooms and workshops can be immediate and consequential.

That's one of the reasons I'm particularly pleased that Mark Hunt, the man behind WeatherBlog, is joining our speaker line-up at the Service Dealer Conference this December.

I won't speculate on what wisdom Mark will impart to our dealer delegates when he takes to the stage. But I do think the subject he's coming to talk about represents one of the most significant conversations our industry can have with itself.

Weather has always been a defining factor in the seasonal fortunes of our dealerships. A wet spring can spoil what might have been a great start to a dealer’s year. Whereas a prolonged dry spell will leave grass yellowed and dormant, with domestic and professional customers alike questioning whether they need new machinery or indeed if it’s worth getting their existing kit serviced. And, as we've seen this summer, drought conditions can have consequences stretching well beyond turfcare showrooms, hurting agricultural and plant hire businesses too.

There's a cliché that in this country we are obsessed with talking about the weather. Perhaps we are. But when you live with a climate as temperate, changeable and frankly interesting as ours, there's always something to discuss. And for our industry, this isn't simply about making pleasant small talk, it has a direct bearing on the bottom line.

Then there's the bigger picture. We can't ignore the words climate change when discussing the weather and its influence on our businesses. The effects of changing climate patterns are already being felt, and there's every reason to expect that adapting to them will become an increasingly important consideration for dealers and manufacturers alike.

How can businesses better prepare for the seasons ahead? How much more important will reliable forecasting become when planning stock, staffing and servicing capacity? And might changing weather patterns influence the types of machinery manufacturers develop and dealers choose to stock in their showrooms?

These are all questions worth considering. Better anticipation of the conditions we're likely to face won't remove the uncertainty, of course, but it could help businesses make more informed decisions.

That's why I'm genuinely looking forward to hearing Mark's session. I suspect it'll give our delegates plenty to think about – and, knowing our audience, plenty to chat about over a drink in the bar afterwards.

You can find all the details of this year's Service Dealer Conference and Awards on our website. Nominations for the awards have now closed with judging about to commence.

It’s not long now until we welcome everyone to Stratford-upon-Avon. If you haven’t secured your place yet, please do take a look at the fabulous content and invaluable networking opportunities that attendance guarantees. We look forward to seeing you there!