Myself and Service Dealer owner, Duncan Murray-Clarke, were on the road during the early part of this week, visiting a number of dealers.

We've undertaken similar road-trips in the past in Scotland, this time however it was Wales where we headed. It's always very enjoyable and incredibly beneficial for us to get out and visit readers in their places of work, shoot the breeze and shake hands in person. Or rather at the moment, bump elbows.

L-R: Service Dealer's Duncan Murray-Clarke and Steve Gibbs with Howell and Emyr Jenkins of Jenkins Garden Machinery

Quite clearly there was one subject this week which was unavoidable which everybody is having to address - the coronavirus outbreak.

You may have already noticed, we have a special feature in the Update today, overseen by Adam Bernstein who readers will know as the editor of the SME Digest section of the magazine. Adam has sourced an article from a legal expert very specifically on the subject of how the virus, amongst all it's many awful consequences, is causing increasing commercial concerns in relation to the ability of parties to carry out contracts. In particular, the author John Warchus, who is a partner at legal firm, Moore Blatch LLP, tells us the coronavirus outbreak is an illustration of the legal principles of something called force majeure and frustration which can, in the correct circumstances, excuse a party’s non-performance and/or lead to the early termination of a contract. It's well worth a few minutes of your time having a read today.

Also Adam has summarised the advice being given out at the moment to small businesses by the government's Acas service in this most uncertain time.

As I suspect many reading this today will have experienced, several of the dealerships we visited this week told us that the outbreak had caused a rapid slowdown to business over the past couple of weeks. A slowdown which had followed a relative bright start to 2020. January and February, we were told on several occasions, had been positive. Good even - with decent sales and full workshops. However, quite understandably what's been unfolding just recently has led to a noticeable drop in footfall and phone calls.

And trying to not be all doom and gloom about things, the outbreak has of course kicked off during an already difficult time for the sector with many parts of the country, including the areas of Wales we were driving around, suffering terribly from flooding.

It was plain to see from the car window just how much of the countryside of Wales is underwater. Vast tracts of land are utterly submerged and have been for some time now. What with this and the virus, I would say that it never rains but it pours, if it wasn't so crass!

Anyway the trip this week wasn't simply a great excuse to catch up with some dealers - Duncan and I also had the objective of deliberately chatting to some dealerships in the locale which enjoyed a strong female presence in the business - loosely tying in with International Women's Day last Sunday.

Duncan and Steve with Georgina Cornock-Evans and Arwel Evans of Arwel’s Agricultural Services Ltd

I don't think it's too controversial an opinion that there aren't enough women in the industry? Look around the room at the next dealer meeting or trade show you attend and it's clearly no where near a 50/50 split! Far from it usually.

Therefore it was interesting to speak with some women dealers this week, who gave us their take on the industry and how they run their businesses. 

Sharon and Heulwen Davies of Davies Implements share a joke with Duncan and Steve

One stop off we made was to speak to Heulwen Davies and her sister Sharon, who are directors at Davies Implements based in Camarthen in south west Wales. Regarding whether Heulwen felt that her gender ever played any significance in how customers or fellow professionals treat her, she said that historically perhaps there may have been "more traditional" thinking. "In the early days," she explained, "some men may have felt uncomfortable dealing with women."

The crucial element that made Heulwen and Sharon excel in their business dealings though, was knowing their products inside and out. "Business," said Heulwen, "as with any good relationship, is built on trust and this comes about through being genuinely sincere, professional and knowledgeable. At this point, gender should not be an important factor."

Listening to what Heulwen and other women dealers we spoke to had to say on the subject, it did seem that perhaps women in the industry have had to work doubly hard to prove they know their subject in the face of, let's say, some historic unconscious bias.

You'll be able to read more from the women we met up with in the next issue of Service Dealer magazine. In the meantime, below is a short video featuring some of the dealers we chatted with, answering some quick fire questions just for fun. The more eagle-eyed amongst you will notice that it's not all women in the video and that a bearded interloper has snuck in on the action! Thanks Emz!

And indeed many thanks to all the dealers who hosted Duncan and I this week, who were so generous with their hospitality and their valuable time. Thanks to Elwyn Thomas at Myrddin Garden Machinery who had a fascinating story around diversification; to Rebecca Lloyd and Ross Holloway of Charlies Stores who are finding great success with both domestic and professional turfcare equipment across their outlets; and to Emma Leah (plus little Harriet) and Robert Pugh who continue to serve agriculture in all it's forms from their depots. There will be much more to come from all these guys in the magazine.

As always, Service Dealer is massively appreciative of the relationship we have with our readers.