Service Dealer held another of our video calls with senior representatives of manufacturers, business service suppliers and trade associations on Wednesday this week.

Once again it was a fantastic opportunity for us to take the current temperature of the industry and we thank all those who took part for their time, candour and insight.

There were two topics that loomed large over the conversation. These were the ongoing difficulties surrounding stock levels and the continuing debate over what the trade show outlook will be for this year and beyond.

After the call, Service Dealer owner, Duncan Murray-Clarke who chaired the discussion, summed up what we heard regarding exhibitions, saying, "I think it is becoming clear that manufacturers are thinking about recalibrating their show attendance in line with the modern and 'changed' marketplace. They are re-evaluating their core reasons for exhibiting. This would, I believe, make the interaction the dealers have with customers more important than ever.

"It could also potentially see a re-allocation of marketing funds to support the customer facing dealer network to, in turn, evolve their omni-channel approach."

Future of shows

Addressing this conversation being held around shows and events, I will say straight up that I'm quite aware we've discussed the subject extensively in Service Dealer lately and I'm conscious of not retreading ground already covered. However, what does seem apparent is that it's an ongoing story with internal conversations being conducted at both manufacturers and dealerships about the role shows play in the industry calendar.

Dealers in fact, will be on both sides of the decision-making process when it comes to events - making choices as to whether to attend national shows as visitors or to take a stand as an exhibitor at any local or county show that can open its gates to the public this year. We can see today that the picture is still changing with both BIGGA's Festival Of Turf and Cereals announcing changes to their dates - pushing their schedules back to the far side of the government's roadmap, where we could potentially find ourselves completely free of social distancing restrictions (if things go well).

What level of support these shows and others will receive from exhibitors and visitors remains unclear? Certainly with the new BIGGA event being an untried prospect, it's very hard to gauge. Whereas with SALTEX in November for example, many of the manufacturers we spoke to are already confirmed for that - seeing as they signed up back in 2019, following the last edition. 

The distinct impression I gained from the call though, is that these exhibitors feel they need a greater return on their investment for exhibiting than they may have seen in recent years. We were told that these events have significant costs attached, and unlike in the days of yore, hardly any new business is acquired on the exhibition floor anymore. In the modern era it's mostly an exercise in catching up with customers already known to the company - which, clearly has some value, but cannot be justified multiple times over, each and every year.

It felt to me that suppliers will be asking hard questions of 2021's show organisers. They will expect to see a quality audience delivered through the doors, plus they will be looking closely at the cost to benefit ratio.

A benefit to dealers?

If a reassessment of where this marketing spend gets allocated does occur, as Duncan suggests, there's a scenario where this could directly benefit dealers. Online research will take customers so far, but at some point tyres need to be kicked and machines assessed in the flesh - and if manufacturers don't have a presence at every show, the dealership is the natural point of contact.

It was said how this very much ties in to something we've been discussing in depth these past 12 months, that in order to satisfy today's customer, dealers must be progressive, make an effort with a modern, welcoming premises and blend that with a comprehensive digital offering. The so-called omni-channel approach that Service Dealer has been advocating in the Dealer Digital Toolkit.

The enforced stop on shows appears to have given some manufacturers genuine pause for thought over their usefulness. It would not surprise me if we begin to see some step back from attending every national event that takes place. Perhaps greater emphasis will be placed on supporting their dealers at local county shows? Certainly the adage, 'it's how we've always done it', will no longer apply to shows, just as it doesn't with the rest of our changed business landscape.

Ongoing stock level problems

Of course, if a step-change in the show landscape prompts more attention to be focused on your dealership rather than the exhibition hall, it's far from ideal to have a showroom full of empty shelves!

As such, the issues that have led to the stocking problems it seems everybody has experienced so far in 2021 were discussed again. The reasons we've heard before for the delays on deliveries of both wholegoods and parts to dealerships - Covid shutdowns; Brexit hangovers; logistics crisis - are all still in play it seems.

The manufacturers we spoke to are aware that their dealers are wanting to prepare and plan ahead, but they find themselves in the unfortunate position of not being able to give their partners definitive answers as to what will be arriving and when.

We heard anecdotes of containers of equipment expected to arrive in Southampton docks for example, end up in Rotterdam! Or of nothing turning up for days on end only, like busses, to all come at once - which causes its own set of problems.

Companies who manufacture in the UK naturally find themselves in a slightly better position, although they do of course rely on certain components to come in from abroad - which is effecting the process. We heard for example, that supply of batteries is coming under increasing pressure. 

There was an acknowledgment that whilst dealers understood the factors causing the hold ups, there is of course frustration too. No one wants to see empty shelves. When circumstances will return to a normal, cannot be predicted with any certainty.

Whilst it doesn't change anything, I will just say the situation appears similar globally. I had a conversation recently with Kris Kiser, head of the OPEI in the States, who told me American dealers are facing the exact same problems with supply right now.

As ever, the advice would be keep communications open, honest and frequent with customers. Make the most of that multi-channel approach.

In return, dealers should expect the same from their suppliers.

The latest chapter of our free Service Dealer Toolkit, covers the basic principles of merchandising. Kramp UK’s expert, Leo Copping has provided some great ideas for improving how customers shop with you, with the goal of getting them to spend more.  

By applying a few simple ideas in your showroom, you can create a more enjoyable experience for your customers and you can get more spend per customer by generating additional purchases, that you wouldn’t normally get. 

Duncan Murray-Clarke, owner of Service Dealer says, “It doesn’t take much to improve how your showroom appears to a customer, by applying Leo’s principles you can easily increase the spend per customer and improve your customer journey. Once again dealers have steered the discussions too, sharing first-hand how they’ve set out their showroom to maximise selling space and increase revenue.”

This is part of the second module in our toolkit, which provides inspiration and ideas for protecting your revenue and securing your business for the future. We are releasing this module chapter by chapter over the next few weeks, to allow you to digest all the information in bitesize chunks. 

The Service Dealer Toolkit has been created by content, social and web specialists The Ad Plain (TAP) and this module has kindly been supported by Kramp.

 
You can access the toolkit for free here: servicedealer.co.uk/dealer-toolkits. If you have already signed up for the Digital Toolkit then use the password you were emailed or if you’ve forgotten your password, we can reset it for you. Please email kate@theadplain.com if you are having any problems logging in. 

Supported by Kramp

The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has confirmed that its first Festival of Turf will take place this summer, but with a new date that they say is intended to provide an improved experience for attendees and exhibitors.

The Festival of Turf is a two-day event that will take place in the predominantly outdoor setting of the Warwickshire Event Centre and is designed to bring together golf greenkeepers, groundsmen and many others for the first time since BTME 2020, over 18 months previously. 

BIGGA had initially announced a June date for the Festival of Turf and was confident the event could be hosted with COVID-safety measures in place. But with the Prime Minister recently announcing the roadmap out of lockdown, BIGGA has explored the opportunity of rescheduling the event for later in the summer, when social distancing restrictions are anticipated to have been removed. 

As such, BIGGA has revealed that the Festival of Turf will now take place on 21 & 22 July 2021.

The Festival of Turf will welcome BIGGA members and others in the turf industry to the 30-acre Warwickshire Event Centre, with a wide range of vendors and trade stalls and what the association describe as "entertaining twists" that bring to life the festival element of the event. 

COVID-safety measures will remain in place, such as enhanced cleaning regimes and hand sanitising, plus any other requirements as defined by government guidelines. However, limits on visitor numbers and social distancing measures will no longer be required.

BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said, “The roadmap out of lockdown announced by the Prime Minister provided incredibly welcome news for the country and the association’s members, not least because it provided a date for the reopening of golf courses in England and a potential return to normality for us all. It also presented an opportunity for BIGGA to host the Festival of Turf as the spectacular of sports and amenity turf maintenance that we had hoped for when we first announced this event last year.

“We entered into negotiations with the Warwickshire Event Centre and were delighted to come to an arrangement with regards new dates for the Festival of 21 & 22 July. On this date England is anticipated to be at Step 4 of the COVID-19 roadmap, which will see legal limits on social contact removed. Although the published roadmap only serves as a guideline and the timings are subject to change, everyone at BIGGA is excited about the opportunity to provide an improved exhibition experience for our attendees.

“We always intended the Festival of Turf to be an opportunity for BIGGA members and their colleagues in the turf industry to reunite after so long apart and I’m delighted that these new dates will allow even more people to attend what promises to be a fantastic few days of exhibitions and entertainment.”

The Cereals Event announced this week they have moved dates to 30 June - 1 July in an effort to accommodate the maximum number of visitors and exhibitors following the Government’s announcement of its lockdown exit strategy.

After consultation with both exhibitors and visitors the event team say they decided it was best to move the dates from 9-10 June to 30 June - 1 July 2021.

“We began consulting after Boris Johnson’s announcement on 22 February to end lockdown restrictions in England by 21 June,” says event organiser, Alli McEntyre. “Speaking with exhibitors and visitors, we looked at the choice of having a restricted event in early June or moving the date and potentially having no restrictions, and the majority opted for the latter.

“We wanted to act quickly in making this decision to give everyone certainty so they can plan ahead,” she adds. “This is a really positive move for visitors, exhibitors and the event, as it will maximise the opportunities for all without lockdown restrictions in place.” 

The event format will remain the same, meaning visitors can still expect to see a large host of exhibitors, live demonstrations and attend a full seminar programme. Features will include the Syngenta Sprays & Sprayers Arena, Isuzu Driving Course, Crop Plots, NIAB Soil Pit and Drone Zone, and more.

“Though the Government is targeting a full lifting of lockdown restrictions before the new date, we are still planning on prioritising visitor safety and will be taking all necessary precautions, while allowing visitors to enjoy the entire event experience,” explains Ms McEntytre. “We realise the change of date may not slot into everyone’s schedule, however, moving it to a later date will allow the maximum number of visitors to get the most from the event.”

According to figures released by the AEA, UK registrations of agricultural tractors (over 50hp) remained close to the average for the time of year in February.

This means at 594 units they were slightly higher than in the same month last year.

Stephen Howarth, agricultural economist at the AEA, said, "The year-on-year rise was 3%, the slowest growth since October but it is worth noting that February 2020 saw solid growth, unlike most of the rest of the first half of that year.

"Indeed, the monthly figure for 2021 was 9% above the average of the previous five years and represented the highest number of machines registered in February since 2017."

The total for the first two months of the year, 1174 machines, was nearly 100 higher than a year ago, a rise of 9%.

LE-TEC are asking industry members to complete a survey relating to a review of the standards the land-based engineering industry’s level 2 and level 3 apprenticeship scheme.

Keith Christian, director of BAGMA said, "As an act of due diligence following three years of delivery, the LE-TEC board have re-formed the apprenticeship working group to embark on a review of the standards. This survey is an important part of that process."

Respondents to this survey, namely:

• Apprentices having achieved the apprenticeship standards
• Apprentices undergoing apprenticeship standards
• Employers / employer's representatives / mentors with apprentices on standards
• Manufacturer's representatives offering apprenticeship programmes
• Training providers delivering the apprenticeship standards

.. are reminded that comment is required only on the land-based engineering apprenticeship Standards designated Service Engineer ST0242 (level 2) and Technician ST0243 (level 3) delivered in England only.

Any comments on the Framework apprenticeship currently delivered in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales and previously in England are not relevant and will prove confusing to those reviewing the standards.

Take the survey here.

Boss Off-Road Vehicles has announced the latest Corvus 4x4 dealership partnership is with Scottish agricultural, construction and groundcare dealer Ravenhill Limited.

L-R: Ravenhill's groundcare sales manager, Brian Smith and managing director, John Wills

“We are very proud Ravenhill Ltd. has become the latest addition to the Corvus dealer network,” says Phil Everett, Boss ORV’s managing director, “and we are excited to add their expertise in groundcare, construction and agriculture into the Corvus team of dealers.

"We welcome all five of their branches; Aberdeen, Dingwall, Elgin, Maud and Turriff into the Corvus family. It’s great to see that the future of the Corvus brand in North East Scotland will be in such good hands.”

John Wills, Ravenhill’s managing director, added, "We are excited to join the Corvus family and very much look forward to the opportunities this new partnership will bring."

Following the recent news of expansion in their coverage area, GreenMech main dealers GA Groundcare Ltd have announced the appointment of Matt Textor as sales manager.

A well-known industry name, Matt joins the Wiltshire dealership to spearhead sales of the GreenMech woodchipper range across their increased nine-county territory. 

Having initially joined T H White Groundcare on a service engineering apprenticeship, Matt spent a total of 13 years in the workshop where he developed a thorough understanding of the mechanics behind a vast selection of groundcare and arboricultural equipment. This foundation went on to set Matt up for a successful 7 years in sales, pairing his technical know-how with an appreciation of the requirements of a wide customer base. During this time, he also headed up sales of the GreenMech range of pedestrian, road-tow, PTO and tracked woochippers from T H White’s Reading depot during their tenure as a dealer.

In his new position as sales manager for GA Groundcare Ltd, Matt will be in charge of business development across their new larger territory.

On his appointment, Matt said, “I’m excited about the new challenge ahead and being able to target and focus all of my efforts solely on one fantastic product line. GreenMech are great ambassadors for British manufacturing and I am very much looking forward to working closely alongside them again, and the whole GA Groundcare Ltd team, to support customers old and new.” 

Commenting on the growth of GA Groundcare, director Ashley Stevens added, “I’m very pleased to finally be able to get Matt on board, having worked alongside him a number of years ago. His mechanical knowledge and honest sales approach is a great fit for our business model.” 

TV meteorologist, Laura Tobin, has teamed up with Honda to launch a new series of online videos entitled 'Get The Mow How With Laura Tobin', looking into the relationship between weather and gardening.

Laura Tobin has become a Honda brand ambassador

The manufacturer says Laura will be joined by gardening and lawncare experts, as they consider how to maintain outdoor spaces under various and changing climates, through the seasons, while also reviewing their range of lawnmowers.

Honda say they have signed Laura Tobin as a brand ambassador for the 2021 gardening season. They say the series is intended to speak to new and seasoned gardeners, to provide insight on the weather’s impact on the garden and how to respond and act in kind. Topics and questions covered will include; at what temperature does grass start to grow?; when is the first cut?; and what height you should set your mower?.

Episode 1 sees Laura visit Stockton Bury Gardens, speaking to Tamsin Westhorpe, director of the four-acre open garden in Leominster. The pair discuss the first cut of the season, and the impact of climate change on mowing including the possibility of all year round cutting in the future. 

Honda say following episodes will look at the weather patterns occurring across spring, summer and autumn that will dictate the gardening to-do list. The company's range of lawnmowers will appear throughout.

Laura Tobin, said, “I am delighted to be working with Honda this year. It is so exciting to be able to talk about weather and gardens together as they have helped people to relieve so much stress in the pandemic. Climate change is influencing weather patterns more and more the knowledgeable experts I’ll be speaking to will explain how we should be gardening and looking after our lawns, while also providing interesting insight on lawncare.”  

Steve Morris, head of Honda Power Products UK, added, “We are so excited to be partnering with Laura and to be able to bring this series to life. We want people to enjoy their lawns as much as possible, and to do so you need to understand the weather’s impacts and, most importantly, be able to care for it properly with a durable and quality lawnmower, which Honda can provide in many shapes and forms.”

Position: Area Sales Manager (ASM) Location: Northern England UK

Reports To: National Sales Manager (Specialist Dealer Sales)

Brands: AL-KO, Weibang, DR Power Equipment and Mitox

Job Summary

The role requires a strong communicator with the drive and selling ability to create a strong dealer network that meets and exceeds the requirements of the retail customer. A pro-active sales attitude is essential with a good knowledge and understanding of the Specialist Garden Machinery Industry.

Strong presentation, whilst delivering a professional appearance and developing a relationship with customers and peers that has integrity, a strong work ethic and TEAM at the core. A satisfied retail customer is important; therefore, the standard of the dealer network needs to be developed to a level that ensures every dealer is a destination for the end user.

AL-KO Gardentech UK offers the correct candidate the opportunity to join a business that has enjoyed a strong 2020 where an enthusiastic team of 5 ASM’s, supported by solid business infrastructure, results in an enjoyable working environment.

About AL-KO

AL-KO was founded in Kötz, near Augsburg in 1931. Today, and 90 years later, the still family-owned company with more than 2,400 employees is active at 30 locations all over the world. In 2020 the AL-KO GROUP reported revenue of around 500 Mio. Euros. The AL-KO KOBER GROUP is part of the PRIMEPULSE network. PRIMEPULSE is a dynamic investment holding based in Munich.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties

• Host regular business meetings with dealers to ensure retail success that drives a strong wholesale performance.
• Coordinate/deliver sell-in presentations for new and existing products, programs and events.
• Assist dealers in establishing wholesale and retail goals, creating an understanding for market demands within their local area, selling in correct stocking of products that fit the dealer’s customers demographic.
• Encourages dealers to participate in all product training, programs, seminars, demo events and technical training programmes.
• Advise and coordinate brand standards, showroom set-up, branding and shop fitting.
• Encourage dealers towards participation in marketing, promotions, local shows, dealer open days, product demonstration, positive social media PR and events.
• Identifies and targets territory Specialist Dealer open points.
• Interacts proactively with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools.
• Feedback market, industry and competitor information.
• 360-degree business focus to enhance the customer journey (Service, Parts, Accessories, Warranty etc.).
• Timely and reliable delivery of all administration requests
• Connect pro-actively with the internal HQ team to provide excellent dealer and customer support.
• Prepare for and attend regular sales meetings along with annual dealer business seminars/events.
• Field Sales and/or Retail Sales experience with a proven track record.

Skills and Qualifications

• Field Sales and/or Retail Sales experience with a proven track record.
• Satisfactory School and College/University qualifications.
• A respectable/clean Driving License.
• An understanding of the Grass Machinery Industry with a knowledge of markets such as Horticulture, Agriculture, Forestry and other markets related to our products.
• Sales, Distribution, Retail, Branding and Customer Services experience required.
• Must be comfortable using computer and IT
• Self-driven, results-orientated and reliable with a positive outlook, and a clear focus on high quality and business profit. A natural forward planner who critically assesses own performance. Able to get on with others and be a team-player.
• Understand and work towards the values and ethos at AL-KO..

Working Conditions

Extensive travel within territory with regular hotel stays including occasional foreign travel. Some travel to remote locations and corporate functions. Home office environment with support from UK Headquarter location. Occasional weekend and/or evening work to support dealer/business events. Workshop, technical and product demonstration activity.

We offer a competitive Package, industry leading working conditions, full support and career development

For more information regarding this position please contact Lee Frankish on 07720 537 443 for a confidential discussion or please forward your CV and covering letter to: lee.frankish@al-ko.co.uk

Company: Autocut Robotic Mowing

Location: South of England

Job Description

Exciting Recruitment Opportunity

Do you see your future in Robotics?

The UK’s number one Husqvarna Automower specialists are looking to expand their team. We are recruiting passionate, motivated individuals to join our forward thinking company.

If you have experience in Garden Machinery and are looking for more freedom and a new challenge, we would like to hear from you.

Autocut offers the right candidate the opportunity to join a business that is experiencing unprecedented growth, encourages independent thinking, has fantastic future development prospects and is a fun and rewarding place to work.

About Autocut

Autocut Robotic Mowing are the leading Husqvarna Automower reseller in the country. Having experienced explosive growth due to its forward thinking, customer first approach they are looking to further increase their market share and brand awareness through 2021.

Autocut understand it is only as good as the people working for it, so focuses on putting its employees first by offering first class training and ongoing support. It also ensures that hard work is acknowledged and rewarded through company bonus and regular team building events.

Essential Responsibilities

As a Technician/Mobile Fitter your main job responsibilities will be;

• Installation of Robotic Mowers and Battery handheld equipment (i.e. brush cutters, blowers, chainsaws etc.)
• Servicing and Repair of Automowers including triaging faults over the phone and arranging onsite service visits when necessary
• Providing lawn suitability assessments and quotations
• Attending a small number of client and trade shows throughout the season (some weekend work at peak times may be required)
• Identifying opportunities for additional sales in existing client base and new prosects in both retail and commercial sectors
• Flexibility – no two days are ever the same and as such the workload for each day can vary depending on time of year

Skills and Qualifications

As the face of the company to all current and future clients in your area you need to have;

• Excellent communication skills
• Presentable appearance
• Organised with an excellent attention to detail and time management
• Self-motivated and ability to work autonomously
• Working knowledge of agricultural equipment an advantage although full training will be given to the right candidate
• Experience in using computer systems
• Full driving licence (experience driving large vans preferable)

Working Environment

The role will involve 90% of the day working remotely from a bespoke designed vehicle.  Some days may involve extending travelling with the odd stay away from home during the year.  Occasional visits to Autocut’s Head Office in Devon may be required.  

The first 2-3 weeks training period will involve staying away Monday to Friday.

The Package

Autocut offers a competitive Salary Package plus benefits (including a vehicle), industry leading working conditions, full support and career development.

Contact

Please apply to Luke Latham at Autocut via llatham@autocut.co.uk

Overview

As a land-based engineer, you will join our busy service team in servicing and repairing a variety of 2-stroke, 4-stroke, electric and battery garden machinery. This will range from chainsaws and robotic mowers up to large ride-on garden tractors – repairing products in our fully equipped workshop and on customer site visits where necessary.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Undertake full servicing of following types of horticultural machinery: 2-stroke, 4-stroke, electrical, battery, ride on and robotic.
• To efficiently diagnose and undertake specific repairs also on machinery types mentioned above.
• To learn and utilise each brand’s dealer web portal (for product schematics and referencing workshop manuals)
• Undertake warranty repairs and submit claims via dealer portals and liaising with manufacturer if necessary.
• Learning and using FRJ company systems (NetSuite) to process, prioritise and invoice repair jobs.
• To be aware and adhere to all health and safety aspects of working in workshop environment.
• Dealing with customers to deliver Five Star customer service (face-to-face, email and by phone)
• Represent the organisation online and drive a positive perception with potential business partners by engaging and keeping your Linkedin profile up to date.
• Participate in weekly meeting to help achieve sales forecasts with Head of Workshop and monthly 1-1 with Head of Workshop to discuss achievements and performance improvement targets.

All tools and PPE will be provided and a full, clean, UK driving licence would definitely be an advantage.

In Return We Offer

• Competitive salary, based on skills, knowledge and experience.
• Frequent opportunities for training and development.
• Company pension.
• Generous holiday entitlement.

Standard Hours

08.00 – 17.00, Monday – Friday

Contract Type

Permanent, full-time

Location

You will be required to work at our South East London workshop:

FR Jones and Son Ltd
Unit B4 Trade City,
Bell Green Retail Park,
Sydenham,
SE26 4PR

Salary

£30,000 – £35,000 (depending on knowledge, experience and skills) plus pension contribution, bonus and benefits scheme.

Skills and experience

Essential

• Understanding of workshop tools and practices.
• Appreciation of safe working practices when dealing with heavy and/or dangerous machinery.
• Experience working on small-engine machines.
• Experience using computerised parts look-up systems.
• Knowledge of health and safety in the workplace.
• Experience of providing customer service.
• Experience of working in a similar working environment.

Desirable

• Full, clean, UK driving for site visits in company van (ride-on and robot mowers).

Company Information

FR Jones and Son are a family-run business, based in South East London. We specialise in horticultural, landscaping and arboricultural (tree surgery) equipment sales and service.

We are known in the industry for our excellent product knowledge and customer service, competitive pricing and a well-stocked warehouse.

We have been trading for over 50 years and have grown steadily to the point where we are employing over 40 staff and still not finished!

For more information about the company, please visit our website: www.frjonesandson.co.uk

Please send your CV with a covering letter to matt.hawkins@frjonesandson.co.uk

Well established Garden Machinery Dealer based in Maulden, Bedfordshire looking to appoint a motivated experienced person to join our dedicated Workshop Team.  

Previous experience working within either a Garden Machinery or Agricultural Dealership is essential. You will be required to diagnose and repair a variety of 4 stroke machines Lawnmowers, Ride On Mowers, Stump Grinders and Wood Chippers to name a few. Must be organised, able to prioritise work when under pressure.  Follow instructions, but also work on your own initiative, sometimes to very exacting customer demands. Punctual, reliable with a flexible attitude and approach to work.  

Experience:

• Solid mechanical knowledge servicing a range or grass cutting machinery, associated landscape and forestry equipment.
• Good level of literacy, competent computer skills to identify parts and service information.
• Ability to diagnose problems and find the solution.
• Good communicator verbal and written, able to describe work carried out to customer.
• Welding and fabrication a definite advantage.
• Ability to diagnose and repair electrical and hydraulic faults.
• Full clean driving licence – B+E licence would be an advantage but not essential.
• Competitive salary based on experience.
• Contributory pension scheme.

Applicants should submit their CV in confidence to Stuart at admin@stuart-brown.co.uk

We are pleased to launch one of many new products from the Q Garden range for 2021, the concept of the brand is simple, no frills products that perform a function well for an amazing price. 

“We listened to our customers and the feedback was a real need to have a true price fighting product to bring people into showrooms. The Q Garden range serves two purposes, firstly it offers a great product that performs well but at an exceptional price. We understand some customers simply don’t have the budget for more premium products, so rather than walk away empty handed to another retailer, they can afford a Q Garden which offers you another profit source. Secondly having an opening price point product attracts attention, along with a great opportunity to upsell to higher margin products," said Mark Moseley of Handy Distribution.

The QG40-145SP is a 40cm/16” petrol rotary lawnmower with a durable poly deck and self drive. Despite being an opening price point model, it still features a powerful 146cc OHV engine for performance, and central height adjustment from 25-75mm. A large 45L fabric collector can be easily removed through the centre of the handles thanks to their sculpted design, and the machine features a 1-year warranty, with full spare parts backup from Handy Distribution.

As with all Q Garden products the QG40-145SP offers class leading value for money, with an SSP of just £189.99 including VAT to the consumer.

Other new products in the Q Garden price fighter range include the new QG39-130 40cm/16” petrol push mower for £149.99, electric rotary and hover mowers from £69.99, and electric handheld grass trimmers, hedge trimmers and blow vacs from as little as £19.99.

The full range of 2021 products are available in our Trade Terms catalogue which can be viewed online at handyonline.co.uk or you can request a printed copy using the details below.

For stockist enquiries on any of the new Q Garden products contact Handy Distribution on 01793 333220 or speak to your local sales representative. Alternatively, all products can be easily ordered online at www.handyonline.co.uk

Our Summer research shows that on average, each Garden Trader dealer will be sent 114 new customers (or people with a buying intention walking through your door) per year.  This works out at 83p for each new customer. A subscription rate designed to be all inclusive delivering unrivalled online results.

This site was purpose-built just for skilled servicing ground care dealers by the team that bring you Service Dealer Magazine. It is easy and quick to register and costs just £96 + VAT per year for a full listing.  As this dealer site is designed to promote the UK dealer network, all revenues in 2021 will be reinvested into promoting the site online.

Join the country’s only independent specialist website, created by the team that bring you Service Dealer. Join our subscribed Garden Trader dealers now by clicking on “Register Dealership” and let's fight back against the zero value retailers.

Map of dealerships registered with Garden Trader

FIND OUT MORE