PARTY (POLICY) TIME!
Here we go
by Service Dealer Editor, Steve Gibbs
 
Steve Gibbs

You're joking - not another one! (in a Bristol accent).
 
Although to be fair it has actually been quite a while now since we've had a general election - it just doesn't feel like it, what with the number of Prime Ministers they've given us in the meantime.
 
But what do you, our dealer readers, think about the prospect of a general election? Does the change of government, to whichever colour, directly affect the fortunes of your dealership significantly? Or do you believe pretty much regardless of who gets in, you continue doing your own thing on your own terms? It would be great if you were able to let us know today in the comments below.
 
I can recall in the past, dealers telling us how simply the distraction of a general election campaign can curtail customers coming into their stores to a degree. Whether this is people just keeping their powder dry at the prospect of potential change, or the public having other things on their minds rather than their machinery needs, I'm not sure?
 
At least this campaign is a relative short six-week period - although it does of course coincide with the European Football Championships and the start of Wimbledon fortnight. Again, I'm aware that dealers have spoken previously about how major summer sporting tournaments such as these, can also mean the public are too preoccupied to find time to visit showrooms. 
 
But beyond the superficial - and thankfully, temporary - nature of a campaign itself, what are the actual governmental policy areas that impact dealers and how they trade?
 
I suppose one of the biggest of recent years (or any years?) has of course been Brexit. Now, I'm no political expert, but I don't think any party is riding on a ticket that is proposing to reverse it. So we'll park that one as read.

 

Looking at other aspects of political clout, would I be right in surmising that the area that a government has control over, that impacts dealers most significantly, would be economic policy? This will of course, directly influence the confidence and spending power of your customers. Policy areas such as austerity measures or taxation levels presumably can be felt in the dealership?

 

I suppose regulatory changes and compliance laws should also be a consideration? If emission standards or noise levels are on a party's agenda for example, these could shape which machinery options are chosen to be stocked in store presumably?

 

Equally government policies aimed at your primary customer groups must be important. What are their agricultural sector aims affecting farmers? What are their thoughts on spending in our parks and public green spaces that will hit your commercial end-user consumers?

 

These, and other policy areas, will be in dealers' minds I suppose, when the upcoming party manifestos are released. As ever though, the independent dealer will be able to take advantage of their agility and pivot the business relatively quickly if needs must. Political storms will have been weathered in the past and will be again no doubt.

 

But what are your thoughts? Specifically considering how they impact your dealership, are there any areas of policy you are looking to a government to implement? Or equally, are there any that you are especially afraid of?

 

Please let us know in the comments below.

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PARTY (POLICY) TIME!
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