It has been two years, but today we're finally able to say, it's the Service Dealer Conference & Awards next week!
To say that it feels like a long time in the offing is an understatement - but when we finally get there on Thursday it will certainly have been worth the wait. The agenda that the organising team have in place is genuinely first class.
The conference theme this year is Smart Working, which couldn't be more timely. By keeping in close contact with our dealer readers throughout this whole extraordinary time, we are well aware of just how smart, adaptive and resilient everyone has had to be with the running of their businesses. Next week will offer an opportunity for our dealer delegates to come together in a safe and secure environment, to share with each other their experiences and knowledge gained over these past 24 months - as well as hear from the lineup of expert speakers, their takes on the subject.
The speakers
And what a lineup is scheduled for the Oxford Belfry next week! Without a doubt there will be plenty for the attendees to takeaway and put into practical application back at their dealerships.
Joining the conference for the first time since his popular appearance in 2018, is futurist Ed Gillespie. Currently Ed says his focus is using his twenty-five years of experience to help organisations understand the new Covid-19 world. From ‘unlearning’ the mistakes of the past, to asking the right (often awkward!) questions, Ed says his intention is to help dealers move beyond the discomfort of today into being the better, more resilient, responsible and sustainable businesses of tomorrow.
Also presenting will be social media and marketing specialist, Teresa Heath-Wareing. Teresa was part of the development team for the Service Dealer Toolkit and thus she is well aware of the issues dealers are currently facing. She says she will provide the latest knowledge, proven strategies and practical tips to ensure dealers will leave with fresh ideas to support their businesses in the online world.
Completing the lineup of guest speakers is Sam Watson-Jones. Fourth generation arable farmer, plus co-founder & president of the Small Robot Company, Sam will be sharing his knowledge of the land-based sector and his awareness of the challenges involved in growing a new tech business. He says he intends to share his beliefs regarding how new technology will empower us.
As well as their main presentations to the conference, Teresa and Sam will also be running a smaller breakout session each. These are always lively forums for interactive debate and discussion between delegates. Teresa will be running one entitled 'Social Media Masterclass', whilst Sam will take the helm of one called 'New Technology Will Empower You, Not Replace You."
Ed meanwhile will complete the day hosting a round-table discussion tackling the concept of 'Riding the ‘hybrid’ work-horse - wrangling with the pros and cons of new ways of working.' This session will no doubt provide some fresh ideas for delegates to consider, as well allowing ideas learnt during the day to be drawn together and summarised. These sessions also facilitate any burning questions that have cropped up during the course of the conference to be addressed.
Awards ceremony
Following the day's work at the conference, there is the small matter of the 2021 Service Dealer Awards to contend with in the evening. As previously discussed, these are taking a slightly different format this time around to reflect the unique circumstances of the past two years.
What is no different though, is the standard of entries received. The judges were blown away by the quality of nominations, making their job of singling out winners, harder than ever. We've always known that the network is full of superstars, but working our way through the contenders in each category was a humbling experience. In the end, tough decisions had to be made, with all set to be revealed on the 25th.
The whole Service Dealer team is looking forward to welcoming everyone to the Oxford Belfry. There's no question that face-to-face interaction within the industry has been sorely missed. Next week it will be wonderful to safely get back to some normality.
As ever the event would not be possible without the wonderful support from our sponsors. This year we extend our thanks to :
Principle Sponsor
Kramp
Platinum Sponsor
Ibcos & Catalyst
Gold Sponsors
Kubota
Husqvarna
Toro UK
AGCO
Networking Sponsors
BAGMA
PSD Groundscare
