First up today, I'd like to draw your attention to the reminder that entries for the Dealer Of The Year awards are closing in just 10 days time.
To our dealer readers, we're looking for you to put your businesses and members of your team forward for the appropriate categories. And to our manufacturer and supplier readers, we want to hear from you too regarding who in your network has been doing an absolutely cracking job for you this past year?
Winning an award is a gilt-edged promotion opportunity for any dealership and a fantastic morale boost for everyone in the team who has been working so hard, under such trying circumstances. So do take advantage of the moment and get your nominations in before the deadline.
How has the season been for you?
Elsewhere today we're running a survey that we always like to put out to our dealer readers at this time of the year, asking for your thoughts on how different areas of your business have fared these past 12 months. It's always interesting to compare these results year on year.
We've been hearing a lot of encouraging words from dealers just lately about so-called bumper years, so it'd be great to hear just how positive our readers are feeling.
Last autumn when we asked for your feedback, despite many doing well, it was supply issues that were at the forefront of concerns.
Looking back, one dealer told us, "Supply has hurt us. We would have been well up on last year had the supply been available. We normally average cancelations at about 3% of orders placed - this year we are at 15+%."
Another said, "The supply situation has made life very difficult. . . The hardest part has been the lack of communication from many suppliers about stock availability."
This same dealer went on to say, "We don't see the supply situation being much better in 2022 but we do hope that suppliers have used the experiences of 2021 to put much better systems in place to advise us of stock availability or changes to delivery dates for 2022."
Well, did they? Did you find communications and manufacturers' systems for keeping you up-to-date improved this year? Let us know.
It does seem from conversations we've been having anecdotally with dealers just lately, that perhaps stock levels are getting back on track? Orders have most certainly been late in arriving, but stock is none-the-less starting to come through we've heard. What may be happening now of course with these late arrivals, is a knock-on affect for plans for winter ordering. But again, you tell us, does this ring true for your dealership?
Of course something must be going right. We have been hearing that despite everything, many dealers have been having 'best ever' years? When we get stories like Stiga posting record results the signs for the network must be good?
Perhaps a bigger issue than supply for some recently, has been the difficulties involved in recruiting? Some industry members certainly believe this area is a greater inhibitor to growth for dealers than anything else. Yes, there's some great apprenticeship schemes around - but if you can't get anyone to join in the first place, you haven't got anyone to train!
We've heard dealers worry about where the younger generation of workers is going to come from? Similar stories have been related to us from different businesses around the country, that when they look around their teams and they add up the combined ages . . . well, sometimes a quite powerful calculator needs to be involved!
It is clearly a subject troubling many - which is why it is going to form such a significant part of the Service Dealer Conference in November. We have several expert speakers lined up, each with their own approaches and thoughts as to how the situation can be negotiated.
So please do take a few moments to fill in the brief survey to give us your feedback on how things have been going for you. There's a handful of quick questions and a space for you to leave your thoughts. As ever all submissions are anonymous, so please do let us know how you're truly feeling.
We will publish the results and a selection of your comments in the next issue of Service Dealer magazine. Thanks in advance for your help.
TAKE THE SURVEY
